the richtersveld cultural and botanical landscape - SAHRA
the richtersveld cultural and botanical landscape - SAHRA
the richtersveld cultural and botanical landscape - SAHRA
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Richtersveld Cultural <strong>and</strong> Botanical L<strong>and</strong>scape World Heritage Site Nomination 98<br />
The above signage has been erected in only necessary locations in order to avoid<br />
disrupting <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>scape with too much infrastructure. Additionally, signage was<br />
designed with neutral earthtones to complement <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>scape <strong>and</strong> fit in with <strong>the</strong><br />
area’s status as a protected area.<br />
Public Awareness<br />
The initiative to incorporate <strong>the</strong> remote stockfarmers as custodians <strong>and</strong> patrolling<br />
officers is one aspect of public awareness underway in <strong>the</strong> Conservancy. There<br />
have been numerous o<strong>the</strong>r programmes for community clean-ups <strong>and</strong> community<br />
engagement in conservation <strong>and</strong> preservation activities. Members of <strong>the</strong> towns of<br />
Kuboes <strong>and</strong> Eksteenfontein, <strong>the</strong> two towns located on <strong>the</strong> edges of <strong>the</strong><br />
Conservancy, have made great strides in awareness of biodiversity conservation<br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> value of <strong>the</strong> Richtersveld’s culture. Such programmes in <strong>the</strong> past have<br />
included <strong>the</strong> very successful annual Richtersveld Youth Summits <strong>and</strong> youth field<br />
trips into <strong>the</strong> Conservancy for lessons on <strong>the</strong> area’s valuable succulents <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>cultural</strong> heritage. It is <strong>the</strong> broader community, as well as designated officers, who<br />
can help prevent visitors from collecting succulents, artefacts or from driving off<br />
road or disposing of rubbish inappropriately.<br />
Trained guides<br />
There are several trained <strong>and</strong> certified guides in Eksteenfontein <strong>and</strong> Kuboes who<br />
can lead <strong>cultural</strong> <strong>and</strong> natural tours in <strong>the</strong> towns <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Conservancy. They work by<br />
<strong>the</strong> code of ethics outlined by <strong>the</strong> Field Guides Association of Sou<strong>the</strong>rn Africa, as<br />
well as by <strong>the</strong> regulations of <strong>the</strong> Conservancy. These guides can ensure that<br />
visitors while travelling in <strong>the</strong> Conservancy are acting in accordance with <strong>the</strong> law<br />
<strong>and</strong> Conservancy regulations. They can also educate visitors about <strong>the</strong> natural <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>cultural</strong> heritage of <strong>the</strong> area <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> need for its protection.<br />
4.b. (v) Number of Inhabitants within <strong>the</strong> property <strong>and</strong> buffer zone.<br />
The Richtersveld Community Conservancy falls within <strong>the</strong> Richtersveld Municipality<br />
which is very sparsely populated with 2001 census population numbers of 10,124.