the richtersveld cultural and botanical landscape - SAHRA

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Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape World Heritage Site Nomination 95 facing the Conservancy are from off-road driving, illegal harvesting of plants and camping by tourists in undemarcated sites. These are pressures which have faced the area since many years prior to the establishment of the formal protected area. The creation of the Richtersveld Community Conservancy set forth a number of measures to control visitors and potential degradation of the area. The Conservancy has no current challenges in ensuring that the carrying capacity of tourism is not exceeded. Although it is unforeseeable that in such a remote location tourism numbers would reach levels which were unmanageable by the Conservancy Management, structures - such as zoning guidelines, campsite development and demarcation, signage, regulations, enforcement mechanisms, trained and certified guides and public awareness campaigns – have been put in place already to prepare the Conservancy for increased visitor numbers. Zoning The Conservancy has been zoned into three zones: tourism areas, town areas and wilderness areas. Tourism is encouraged in the towns and specific tourism zones which are shown on tourism maps available in the Tourism Information Centre. The tourism areas are located in the eastern and southwestern parts of the Conservancy where there are three guesthouses, as well as most of the campsites. The areas of Rooiberg, Eksteenfontein, Helskloof and Tierhoek receive almost all of the current tourism pressure. Tourism is permitted in the wilderness areas as well at specific campsites and on specific roads, although usage is limited. The roughness of the land and roads in the wilderness areas largely prevents people from straying from the demarcated roads and campsites. It also presents a natural barrier against higher volume tourism, as only the most determined people will find their way into the mountains and valleys of the interior. Many of the roads are extremely rough and for use by 4x4 drivers only. These areas are monitored by the local stockfarmers who reside in the areas, as well as the Conservancy Management patrols. This environmental restriction ensures that the bulk of tourism remains in the Tourism Zones where it is closely monitored.
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape World Heritage Site Nomination 96 Although tourism is easily managed at present, regulations and plans for the future have been put in place in anticipation of increasing visitor numbers. Zoning and demarcating campsites and roads help route tourists along preferred routes in the area and guide them towards facilities. In addition, a project funded by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEA&T) is underway to build ecologically sound toilet facilities in the more popular campsites. This will be the only infrastructure planned for the campsites, to provide the necessary facilities to ensure clean campsites without detracting from the wilderness character of the sites through erection of unsightly and uncharacteristic infrastructure. Signage in each campsite also ensures that fires are kept in one location at the site and that the site does not spread and increase its footprint. A formal Zoning Plan and Tourism Plan are being developed in 2006. Conservancy Regulations The Richtersveld Community Conservancy has implemented the following regulations: • Visitors must use only existing tracks designated for visitor use. • Visitors must remove all rubbish and all items which were brought in the protected area. • It is against Conservancy regulations to remove or damage any plants, animals and cultural heritage items. • Visitors must use only the designated camping areas as demarcated at the Tourism Information Centre. • Visitors are required to pay all entrance and camping fees. • It is against Conservancy regulations to collect firewood in the Conservancy. These regulations are posted on signage throughout the Conservancy, at the Tourism Information Centres (TIC) where visitors must register upon entry, on entrance fee receipts and on maps for the area available for sale at the TICs.
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THE RICHTERSVELD CULTURAL AND BOTAN
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the richtersveld cultural and botanical landscape - SAHRA

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