SUSTAINABLE USE

Some of this use has been within limits of the species concerned which has protected parent stock, while other use has been excessive - impacting on species’ ability to persist and in many cases causing extinction.

Throughout the world, people are also striving to conserve plant and animal species to meet subsistence requirements, for the intrinsic biological value of the species and for cultural, religious or ethical reasons.

 Irrespective of peoples’ motivation, if populations of wild species and the systems in which they exist are not conserved, they are likely to become extinct and so threaten the future of people.

 To conserve these species and ecosystems, we must find ways to use them without jeopardising their ability to survive. Such use is termed "sustainable use".

KwaZulu-Natal is characterised by increasing human populations, often with heavy reliance on natural resources for their livelihoods.

 The use of renewable natural resources is fundamental to the economy, culture and well being of the people of KwaZulu-Natal.<br>Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is mandated to conserve biodiversity for the benefit of all the people of the province and of the country.

 For these reasons, "sustainable use" is advocated to achieve the objectives of improving and maintaining human welfare while maintaining or increasing our rich biodiversity.

Humans have always used and managed the resources in their environment. From the earliest hunter-gatherers to today’s industrialised society, people have gathered herbs, harvested fruit, hunted animals and selectively harvested or manipulated certain species for special purposes.