Nature conservation at the provincial level in the republic of South Africa

Abstract

Before considering the role of the provinces in nature conservation in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) it is necessary to briefly review the responsibilities of other government agencies in this field:(i) the Department of Planning and the Environment has a co-ordinating function with regard to environmental conservation and land-use planning;(ii) the National Parks Board of Trustees is responsible for the estab-lishment and management of national parks;(iii) the Department of Forestry controls vast natural areas in mountain catchments and also has a system of nature reserves and wilderness areas;(iv) the Sea Fisheries Division of the Department of Commerce and Industries is responsible for the conservation of marine resources including mammals and birds. The two maritime provinces, how-ever, have jurisdiction over estuaries, while Natal also controls inshore fisheries;(v) the Weather Bureau of the Department of Transport is responsible for conservation of oceanic islands used as weather stations;(vi) soil conservation is the responsibility of the Department of Agricul-tural Technical Services.