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13 November 2015

Take full advantage of an invitation to the Garden Route National Park

With SANParks” vision to “connect society”, its People and Conservation Division (P& C) strives to support community-based conservation in and around the Park, support environmental education and capture cultural heritage.

The GRNP has set a number of open days every year to “connect with society”. One such avenue where 4000 visitors took full advantage of, was SA National Parks Week. The P & C division also bring school groups and various communities into the Park for free through various other Programmes (Kids in Parks and others).

Various interest groups are invited to the Park such as cyclists who were invited to launch the first of a few Mountain Biking routes to be launched in the GRNP. Over 100 cyclists entered a fun ride organized by Muddy Foot Adventures, sponsored by Knysna Cycle Works, Powerade, Segway tours and Cattle Baron.

The Park”s officials are part of various forums tackling various aspects of the Park (conservation specific issues with focus groups, landowners and other, pollution action committees, activity-based forums).

There are 3 sections making over 155 000 hectares of landscapes, seascapes and fynbos areas of the GRNP – Wilderness, Knysna and Tsitsikamma. Each area has a forest and marine component. The Wilderness system comprises three lakes namely, Rondevlei, Langvlei and Eilandvlei. These and the Serpentine wetlands form part of an internationally proclaimed RAMSAR site (wetlands of global significance for biodiversity conservation).

Its Knysna section has an estuary was ranked as the most biologically diverse estuary in South Africa by independent researchers. Its Marine Protected Area in Tsitsikamma is by far the oldest and the most loved in Africa with over 200 species of fish.

The Public are invited to one more public interaction for the year (the Tsitsicarnival). A local brass band will kick-start the day by marching to the Sportsfield, there are ample activities for kids and the whole family. There are parades, fashion shows, drumming, songs and dance groups planned for the afternoon. The evening session scheduled to start at 20:00, will be hosted by popular local Radio Kouga FM DJ, John Nelson. Listen to Kouga FM between 20:00 and 21:00 tomorrow evening (14th November 2015).

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GRNP Fun Ride 2015 winners – parent and child

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GRNP Fun Ride winners – male pairs