Overview

What is Biodiversity Stewardship?

Biodiversity Stewardship is a new way to help landowners legally conserve their land, with the possibility to even a declare a nature reserve through the Protected Areas Act. What’s exciting about this approach is that it’s aimed at conserving privately and communally owned land. A large portion of the natural areas in South Africa are in the care of private individuals, companies or communities. Biodiversity Stewardship is a way for these landowners to get involved in conservation.

Biodiversity Stewardship is completely voluntary. Willing landowners agree to work with conservation authorities to manage the natural areas on their land. Biodiversity stewardship can be used for only an environmentally important part of a property, or for a whole property. The aim is to help landowners look after their land wisely and sustainably. By doing so, habitats are protected for threatened species that may not survive anywhere else.