The iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority supports the work of the department (DEA) in conservation within iSimangaliso Wetland Park. The Park was listed as South Africa’s first World Heritage Site in December 1999 in recognition of its superlative natural beauty and unique global values and is regulated by the by World Heritage Act.
The 332,000 hectare Park contains three major lake systems, eight interlinking ecosystems, 700 year old fishing traditions, most of South Africa’s remaining swamp forests, Africa’s largest estuarine system, 526 bird species and 25,000 year-old coastal dunes – among the highest in the world. Beaches stretch 220 kilometers from Maphelane in the south to Kosi Bay on the Mozambique border. The park encompasses the foothills of the Lubombo mountains, coastal forests, the St Lucia lake system and grasslands on Lake St Lucia’s Eastern Shores. Off shore, there are spectacular coral reefs and colourful underwater life.
World Heritage Convention:
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognises and protects World Heritage Sites as places of exceptional cultural or environmental /natural value through the World Heritage Convention. South Africa has been a signatory since 1997. The iSimangaliso Wetland Park, listed as South Africa’s first World Heritage Site in December 1999, is the only World Heritage Site in the KZN Coastal Region.
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Chief Executive Officer (Acting): Prof. Anis Karodia |
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iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority Telephone: 035 590 1633/ 1602 The Dredger Harbour |
24 Hour Emergency Hotline Number 082 797 7944