South Africa declares Grasslands National Park, 10,226 hectares of Eastern Cape highlands kept by their owners

South Africa has declared a new national park in the Eastern Cape highlands, the Grasslands National Park, covering 18 properties and about 10,226 hectares between Nqanqarhu and Rhodes, the government said on 9 October. The declaration was published in Government Gazette No. 55531.

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister David Maynier assigned the park's management to South African National Parks (SANParks). The declaration followed a notice of intention published in 2025.

“The declaration of the Grasslands National Park is an important step in protecting one of South Africa's least-protected biomes.” — David Maynier, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

Farmers keep their land inside the park

What sets the park apart is how it was assembled. It is the first national park established primarily through a biodiversity stewardship model, Maynier said. Under that model, landowners keep ownership of their properties and commit to agreed conservation and management arrangements, while farming that is compatible with conservation can continue.

WWF South Africa coordinated the establishment of the park, working with the department, SANParks and the communal and private landowners involved, according to BirdLife South Africa. Because landowners keep their title, the park was assembled without the land changing hands.

Grasslands that also supply water

Grasslands are under-represented in South Africa's protected area network, and the new park is meant to help close that gap. It also covers part of the Eastern Cape Drakensberg Strategic Water Source Area, one of the areas identified as important for the country's water supply.

BirdLife South Africa said these landscapes sustain biodiversity, contribute to water security and support livelihoods linked to working agricultural land.

Other countries are also adding protected land this month; in Vietnam, Lam Dong province created the 8,408-hectare Ta Kou Nature Reserve.

What the declaration does and does not settle

The declaration gives the area national park status and puts SANParks in charge of its management. Neither the government statement nor BirdLife's newsletter says how much funding the park will receive, whether it will open to visitors, or whether more properties could join. BirdLife South Africa said it will keep supporting efforts to secure priority grassland habitats and water source areas in the region.