SANParks week imminent in September

SANParks will be presenting its 18th annual SA National Parks Week from September 16 to 24.

It said it was once again proud to celebrate this week with partners Total South Africa and FNB.

This year, SANParks is once again extending the week to include the two weekends on either sides at some national parks.

Since its inception in 2006, National Parks Week, under the theme ‘Know Your National Parks’, has seen an influx of over 691 418 day visitors in all participating parks.

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SANParks’ CEO, Hapiloe Sello, said the idea of such a week is a worldwide campaign. “The week was established in a bid to cultivate a sense of pride in South Africa’s natural, cultural and historical heritage, protected by the national parks system. It is also in line with the SANParks’ vision statement of ‘A Sustainable National Park System Connecting Society.’”

The week grants free access for day visitors to most of the 21 national parks, especially people from the local communities. It should be noted that free access to parks does not include free access to accommodation facilities and other tourist activities. Some of the parks will be extending the week to include the preceding and following weekends.

For individual park dates and participating parks, visit https://www.sanparks.org/about/events/parks_week/default.php.

“It’s important for South Africans to visit and know the importance of national parks. They act as spaces to practise sustainable conservation, and as spaces that preserve and celebrate our culture and heritage, and we now see national parks playing the critical role of empowering communities living adjacent to parks through job creation. We continue to explore ways of creating business opportunities, particularly for small business owners,” said Sello.

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“This initiative aims to give the public an understanding of the role that SANParks plays as custodian of the country’s natural heritage. If we are to create a sense of ownership of the natural heritage of South Africa in all South Africans, then all South Africans must be able to have access to such. Visit a national park this year for free during SA National Parks Week, to see what it has to offer and to do your part by getting to know your national parks, celebrating your rich heritage offering and experiencing first-hand the iconic beauty and plethora of natural flora and fauna,” Sello concluded.