STEWARDSHIP OPTIONS
Conservation stewardship options refer to those
alternatives that are available to private landowners that either wish to set land aside for
conservation or utilise the land sustainably.
Currently, a cumbersome system exists of more than
25 stewardship options such as private nature reserves, conservancies, natural heritage sites or
sites of conservation significance, each of which have their own characteristics and legal status.
To simplify this, EKZNW are offering four stewardship options to landowners:
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All options are voluntary
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Each option is tailored to your needs as a
landowner
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Higher categories entice more incentives and support
by EKZNW, while have more restrictions and require greater commitment from landowners
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You as the landowner retain title to the property at
all times
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All existing types of informal protected areas (e.g.
conservancies, Community Conservation Areas, Sites of Conservation Significance)
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can be accommodated within any of these
options
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Option
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Level 1 – Conservation Area
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Level 2- Biodiversity Agreements
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Level 2 – Protected Environment
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Level 3 – Nature Reserves
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· Which option applies to your land?
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· Any natural land is suitable
· If rare or endangered habitats, rather progress to higher level of
conservation security
· Can use this as a stepping stone to more security later on in
process
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· Suitable for any conservation-worthy land
· Not excluding small and isolated fragments
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· Useful to pursue where large landscapes require some form of
conservation management, but where it is unnecessary or unsuitable to restrict other forms of
extractive land use.
· Multiple properties, buffers to statutory PAs
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· Priority areas adjacent to statutory reserves or sufficiently large to
be self-contained ecosystems
· Containing critically important species, habitats and self contained
sites
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· Legal status / duration
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· flexible option with no defined period of commitment
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· Has legal status by virtue of a legal contract between the landowner
and the agency. Minimum period of 5 - 10 years suggested (ideally 10 years or more), but may be in
perpetuity if requested by the landowner
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· Legal declaration under the PA act.
· The duration for Protected Environments declared for other purposes is
not prescribed.
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· Minimum of 30 years to in perpituity
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· Possible land use limitations
·
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· Very few, but the area needs to maintain its natural character
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· Land must be managed in a way that will support natural
processes
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· There is no limitation on activities other than those specifically
listed in the gazetting notice of the establishment of the Protected Environment.
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· No further development or land use rights will be allowed
· Access and resident rights are unrestricted
· Owners retain title
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· Benefits to the landowners
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· Advice and support through basic extension services
· Assistance with management plans and farm maps
·
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· Specific agreements for fire, alien, plant and animal
management
· Advanced extension services (e.g. alien clearing planning)
·
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· Sustainable assistance with habitat management
· Advanced extension services (e.g. alien clearing planning)
· regulate the use of the landscape through a co-operation between
various landowners
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· Sustainable assistance with habitat management
· Increased recognition and marketing exposure
· Conservation authorities will be able to lobby on your behalf for
incentives e.g. rates exemptions
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