Our Mission
To maintain the current landscape in terms of its scenic, biodiversity and landscape value through collective action by the private landowners and to protect the area from detrimental developments.
Who are we
The Great Karoo Wilderness or previously known as the Mountain Zebra Camdeboo Protected Environment or MZCPE is predominantly situated in the Eastern Cape, but since expansion, now also includes properties within the Western and Northern Cape.
This protected environment is located between six (6) towns namely; Murraysburg, Graaff-Reinet, Pearston, Somerset East, Cradock and Nieu-Bethesda. It was originally declared in 2016 for the purpose of maintaining the landscape in terms of its scenic, biodiversity and landscape value through collective action by the private landowners and to protect the area from detrimental developments.
The MZCPE is has become a wonderful model that allows for a softer approach to securing conservation priority areas and is greatly enabled by its natural landscape driven by natural rangeland management. It strives to recognize landowner efforts and be guided by the needs of these landowners to identify what is needed and to unlock opportunities to assist. This Protected Environment is constantly evolving and the future potential collaborations that could be unlocked have no bounds.
Declaration history
Background:
Camdeboo and Mountain Zebra National Parks in the Eastern Cape are key conservation areas managed by South African National Parks (SANParks). A buffer zone of about 840,000 hectares—mainly privately owned farmland—was designated to protect park ecosystems, water catchments, and scenic landscapes. The area forms part of the National Protected Area Expansion Strategy (NPAES) and is a national conservation priority.Purpose of Protection:
The area’s protection helps:- Consolidate park buffer zones.
- Meet national conservation targets.
- Protect 13 under-conserved vegetation types.
- Safeguard unique landscapes like the Valley of Desolation.
- Preserve biodiversity, water catchments, and the Sneeuberg centre of endemism.
- Strengthen climate resilience across four biomes.
The Mountain Zebra–Camdeboo Corridor Project
- Initiated by SANParks and Wilderness Foundation, funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF).
- Goal: create a 45,000-hectare conservation corridor between the two parks.
- Explored three participation options for landowners:
- Proud Partner (symbolic support),
- Contractual National Park (formal but restrictive),
- Protected Environment (PE) — the chosen option for its flexibility and landowner control.
Establishing the Protected Environment (PE)
- Legal framework: National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (NEMPAA, Act 57 of 2003).
- The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) declared the PE nationally.
- Landowners formed an association (MZCPE Landowners Association – MZCPELA) to act as the management authority, not SANParks.
- Developed a constitution, regulations, and a zoning plan distinguishing:
- High-impact zones (developed farm areas).
- Low-impact zones (natural areas with restricted development).
- PE membership was voluntary, non-binding on future owners, and revocable by landowners.
Formal Declaration and Implementation
- 2014: Application for declaration submitted to the Minister.
- 2016: MZCPE officially declared (Gazette No. 39891).
- 2017: Management Plan approved after public consultation.
- GEF-5 Protected Area Project (2015–2020) further strengthened and expanded the MZCPE.
Impact and Expansion
- The MZCPE model encouraged collaboration between farmers, SANParks, and conservation NGOs.
- Incentives included ecotourism opportunities and alignment with Responsible Wool and Mohair Standards, providing market benefits.
- As of 2022, further declarations expanded the area, approaching 1 million hectares across 198 landowners—the largest PE declared in South Africa and the first declared nationally.
Partnerships and Acknowledgements
Key contributors: SANParks, Wilderness Foundation, Eastern Cape Parks & Tourism Agency, UNDP, DFFE, CEPF, and GEF.
The project’s success was built on landowner collaboration and long-term stewardship of the Karoo landscape.
Partnering with the Private Landscape for Conservation
The National Protected Areas Expansion Strategy (NPAES) highlights the need to expand South Africa’s protected area network despite limited resources. To achieve this, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) introduced the 2012 Buffer Zone Strategy, which promotes protection of landscapes surrounding national parks through partnerships and compatible land uses.
Between Camdeboo and Mountain Zebra National Parks, overlapping buffer zones cover about 840,000 hectares, largely private farmland. Because SANParks had no authority over private land, a new collaborative approach was required. The area’s existing natural rangeland-based farming system—characterised by stock and game farming compatible with ecological processes—provided the ideal foundation for partnership rather than prescriptive management.
This led to the establishment of the Mountain Zebra Camdeboo Corridor Project in 2012, facilitated by the Wilderness Foundation and funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF). The project aimed to create a 45,000-hectare conservation corridor, offering landowners three participation options. All chose the Protected Environment model, which supports multiple land uses while providing legal conservation recognition.
The Mountain Zebra Camdeboo Protected Environment (MZCPE) was formally declared in April 2016, comprising 64 landowners across 268,388 hectares. These landowners formed the MZCPE Landowners Association, the designated management authority, and committed to developing and implementing a collective Management Plan, approved by the Minister in August 2017 under the GEF-5 Protected Area Project.
The management plan promotes collaborative land management, biodiversity conservation, and socio-economic development. Key initiatives included baseline studies on land degradation, cultural heritage, and environmental sensitivity, guiding sustainable land use. The appointment of an Environmental Ecologist and a Buffer Zone Coordinator strengthened the partnership between SANParks and landowners, translating plans into on-the-ground action.
The MZCPE also introduced a Management Plan Tool—initially Excel-based, now being digitised—to help landowners track progress, set annual priorities, and compile collective reports. SANParks provides coordination, technical advice, and facilitates partnerships with institutions like Rhodes University’s Centre for Biological Control and industry bodies such as the wool and mohair sectors, enhancing recognition for sustainable farming practices.
The MZCPE model demonstrates that conservation and agriculture can coexist through voluntary stewardship, shared responsibility, and mutual benefit. The partnership between SANParks and private landowners has strengthened community relationships, promoted ecological resilience, and gained national and international recognition as an innovative approach to landscape-scale conservation.
The Management of the Great Karoo Wilderness
The Mountain Zebra Camdeboo Protected Environment (MZCPE) is managed by the MZCPE Landowners’ Association, officially designated as the management authority by the Minister in April 2016. The Association operates under South African legislation, national policies, and its constitution, which governs collective decision-making and outlines procedures for managing shared concerns. While it coordinates collective conservation efforts, it does not interfere with individual landowners’ business operations.
An Executive Committee—comprising a chairperson, vice-chair, secretary, and treasurer—is elected every two years to oversee operations. The Protected Environment is divided into sixteen clusters, each represented by an elected member. Together, the cluster representatives and Executive Committee form the Steering Committee, which manages day-to-day decisions and ensures alignment with the Management Plan and its programmes. Decisions are shared digitally with all members for input and, where necessary, put to a vote.
Management activities are guided by regulations and a zonation plan, both approved during the area’s declaration in 2016. The zonation plan provides a spatial framework that balances conservation, agriculture, and tourism, reducing potential land-use conflicts in line with the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (NEM:PAA).
The MZCPE maintains a formal Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with SANParks, which supports the Association with technical advice, management plan reviews, and implementation of the national Buffer Zone Policy. Many MZCPE properties fall within SANParks’ buffer zones, making this partnership both strategic and mutually beneficial.
The management plan embraces a partnership-based approach, enabling collaboration with various organisations to access funding, expertise, and resources for conservation and land management projects. These evolving partnerships—listed on the MZCPE website and in the Project Register—have proven essential in achieving shared environmental and socio-economic goals beyond the local landscape.