Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park

On the use of the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park for sustainable development through proper management and the promotion of ecotourism. A World Heritage site since 1999, the wetland boasts a wealth of natural landscapes, ecosystems and biodiversity, in addition to 700 year-old fish traps. It is also home to five different cultural groups: Zulu, Swazi, Shangaan, Tonga and Gonda speakers. After 1994, the newly democratic government, in efforts to promote reconciliation and nation building, undertook an initiative to alleviate poverty through improving infrastructure and promoting the area as a world-class tourist destination. Through dedicated management and representation from all major stakeholders including local communities, the Wetlands Authority has established and carried through on major conservation strategies that include the creation of an integrated management plan, the development of a land inclusion policy, the removal of alien plantations, and the settlement of land claims.