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FOREWORDNature reserves have numerous benefits to both humans and natural ecosystems.They contribute directly to local, regional and national economies throughtourism, employment and expenditure on reserve management. Nature reservesalso facilitate complementary private sector investments, such as infrastructureand commercial services, which includes enabled industries such as the hospitalityindustry. Important social benefits to the public include the provision of aneducational resource; indigenous and heritage values; and in increased quality oflife, health and wellbeing.Nature reserves are established in Limpopo Province as a strategy to protectbiodiversity and enhance ecotourism through Wildlife Resorts which are managedby the Limpopo Tourism Agency. In many instances it has, however, beendetermined that biodiversity continues to decline despite the resources that areinvested in nature reserve management. The current president of South Africa,Mr J.Z. Zuma, has also expressed concern over the threat of extinction of wildlifespecies in the Great Limpopo Trans-frontier Park, especially Rhino. The presence of this species is known toattract criminal syndicates from other countries, where Rhino horn is used for medicinal purposes (Sapa, 2010).The poaching of Rhino causes a disturbance in ecological systems and contributes to environmental degradationand, as a result, strong conservation measures in the nature reserves of Limpopo Province are required in thisregard.In 2004, the 7 th Conference of Parties decided that all member states of the Convention on Biological Diversityshould develop and apply methodologies and criteria that would enable them to measure the effectiveness ofnature reserve (protected area) management in the conservation and protection of biodiversity. South Africa hasendorsed the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT-SA) in thisregard, which is being used in Limpopo Province to measure management effectiveness in nature reserves.Management effectiveness evaluations of nature reserves are vital for the measurement and improvement of theperformance of each provincial nature reserve against set management objectives.The management plans that have been developed for Limpopo Province include: Conservation and tourism objectives for the effective management of the nature reserves that fall under thejurisdiction of Limpopo Province; Tourism marketing and the facilitation of investment opportunities; Capacity building and tourism transformation; METT indicators to ensure the continuous improvement of the management of these nature reserves; and Provision of mechanisms for collaboration with communities and neighbours for harmonious co-existence andbeneficiation to the province and the country.By developing these management plans, the Department has ensured: That Limpopo Province meets its obligatory implementation of international agreements; the Convention onBiological Biodiversity; the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1998 (Act No. 108of 1998); the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003 (Act No. 57 of 2003); and theLimpopo Environmental Management Act, 2003 (Act No. 7 of 2003), through which natural resources aremanaged. The provision of ecosystem services for everyone in order to facilitate employment, exports, economicgrowth and a good quality of life. That the sourcing of funds for the management of nature reserves beyond the scope of formal Treasuryallocations is enhanced.HONOURABLE P. KEKANAMEMBER OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL: LEDETMARCH 2013Reserve Management Documents: Letaba Ranch Nature Reserve (Strategic Plan) 7