SANParks' Corporate Social Investment Programmes

[H. erectus]

Just maybe the cycle of parlimentarians I suppose!!

[Richprins]

Exerpt from Dr Mabunda's speech 28 Nov. 2011:

In recent months we travelled to the United States of America and Canada to visit a few of
their national parks and learnt to our consternation how limited and archaic our views of
visitor management are. This visit showed us how other countries have gone out to
embrace the challenges of growing populations, intrinsic diversity and an increasingly
demanding populace by creating products which cater to the differing needs and challenges
from virtual experiences, to solitary camping in the wild and to the ultra‐luxurious
accommodation in posh hotel establishments. Of course all of this did not come without its
attendant challenges, which was one of the valuable lessons we learnt from the visit. In
Canada it was very interesting to learn that they have a programme to introduce “new
Canadians” to the national parks system of Canada by providing a suite of activities that will
attract their interest and bring them closer to the national parks. Both countries were also
insistent on the fact that National Parks are not Nature Parks; their role far exceeds that of
the traditional practice of protecting nature without consideration of social and economic
dynamics of society. They kept reminding us that their national parks are managed for the
benefit and enjoyment of their citizens and not as exclusive pieces of land for the enjoyment
of the “elite” and the preservation of stick in the mud conservation practices.

[H. erectus]

We have a problem, one very huge short sighted,
creativeless problem in the hands of what I seem
to believe would be a Mo...n at large>

This treewanderer goes abroad looking for solutions!!,
instead of showing the world how it should be done!!!

[Richprins]

“It recognises the harmonious relationship our forefathers had with nature and their reliance on the gathering of natural resources for survival in a sustainable way,” said SANParks CEO,Dr. David Mabunda.

The latest.

So how does the "forefather" relationship gel with the North-American modern one?

[H. erectus]

Rp rp rp, wait now it does gel in a sense that the North American
one have realized their mistakes!! They have very little option left!
but our f., spare me for the lack of vocab, goes there for advise!!!

In fact the people at ground level here are telling him what will suffice,
but no, he will do their thinking for them!! Flippin scoundrel he is!!

[Richprins]

The cost of the Canada trip was enormous! Maybe they could have just sent an email and given that money to the communities?

[Flutterby]

I seem to recall reading somewhere sometime back, that the Americans advised other countries not to follow their lead when it came to national parks as they have now realised their model doesn't work!! Anyone else remember that?

[RobertT]

Exerpt from Dr Mabunda's speech 28 Nov. 2011:

They kept reminding us that their national parks are managed for the
benefit and enjoyment of their citizens and not as exclusive pieces of land for the enjoyment
of the “elite” and the preservation of stick in the mud conservation practices.

This to me says it all, why we have the cycle events etc. The American parks are National parks, not nature parks/reserves. Their purpose is for the people's enjoyment, so the preservation and conservation of nature does not come into the equation.

[Richprins]

I seem to recall reading somewhere sometime back, that the Americans advised other countries not to follow their lead when it came to national parks as they have now realised their model doesn't work!! Anyone else remember that?

That was regarding the census method now used by Kruger - staistical versus manual! True indeed!

[H. erectus]

Anyone else remember that?

I do. It was said by them that we should not follow the
method of conservation the way they did. Our parks were
still original/pristine to a point.