I was invited to the offices of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) in Pretoria at the end of 2024. Mr Vongani Maringa has been passionately motivating for the Geoparks Programme within South Africa for more than a decade. The Blyde River Biosphere already has an established management authority (under the UNESCO Man and Bioshere Programme). It is proposed that this area be progressed toward a formal Global Geopark.
Khodani Matshusa and Llewellyn Leonard (Researchers at the University of South Africa, under the Department of Environmental Sciences focusing on Geoheritage, Geoparks, and Geotourism research and development) published a comprehensive review of global governance models that could be applied in South Africa. The review article is entitled “Proposed Governance Model for Geotourism and Geoheritage in South Africa and the Implications for Africa” and was published online in January 2023 in Geoheritage (2023) https://doi.org/10.1007/s12371-022-00783-9. They point out that the governance structure of South African Tourism does not include the local communities as one of the main stakeholders. In contrast, they advocate a community-based approach as a key element of the co-management of geotourism and geoheritage sites. This inclusive model of governance must include all stakeholders at a national, provincial, local and private level. It is important to note that both the IUCN and UNESCO have recognised the importance of geological resources at the same level as biological elements (Larwood et al. 2013; Crofts and Gordon 2015). This means that Geoparks do not exclude mining activities.
Having engaged with the DFFE, Ozlem Adiyaman Lopes (Leader of UNESCO Geoparks and Geoscience Programme stationed in Paris) and all the stakeholders that they have identified as relevant; I have realised that we should not attempt to duplicate what they are doing. There are proven, good and flexible structures in place globally which we can support in order to get geotourism off the ground here. The first step will be the establishment of a ‘National Commision of UNESCO’ (Natcom) in South Africa. The GSSA will be represented as a stakeholder on this committee. As the process continues, GSSA branches in the relevant regions can facilitate the compilation of an inventory of sites and trails and a strategy for maintaining and progressing them. Because of the many role players in this area, we must focus on what we can contribute as volunteers within our own communities. Our wealth as a society is the passion, experience and knowledge gathered by our members within their areas of expertise combined with their colleagues in related research and education institutions.
I believe that the GSSA can play a pivotal role in connecting parties but should not attempt to control or own this space.
Marcia van Aswegen, 16 June 2025