South Africa’s Eastern Cape highlands are home to the newly declared Grasslands National Park, a conservation area spanning more than 10,225 hectares. Located between Nqanqarhu and Rhodes, the park aims to protect underrepresented grassland ecosystems, safeguard an important water source area and support local livelihoods.
Here are five things to know about South Africa’s newest national park.
1. It covers more than 10,225 hectares
The Grasslands National Park comprises 18 properties in the Eastern Cape highlands between Nqanqarhu and Rhodes.
Its declaration was published in Government Gazette No. 55531 under Government Notice No. 8002, formally establishing the park as a national park.
2. It will protect important grassland ecosystems
One of the park’s main purposes is to conserve grassland ecosystems that remain underrepresented in South Africa’s protected areas.
The declaration is intended to help protect the region’s natural landscapes and biodiversity.
3. It plays a role in water security
The park includes part of the Eastern Cape Drakensberg Strategic Water Source Area.
These landscapes are important for water security, biodiversity and the livelihoods supported by the region’s agricultural land.
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister David Maynier described the declaration as an important step towards protecting one of South Africa’s least-protected biomes and a strategic water source landscape.
4. Landowners can retain ownership of their properties
The park was established primarily through biodiversity stewardship, a conservation approach that allows participating landowners to retain ownership of their properties while committing to agreed conservation and management arrangements.
This model allows conservation to take place alongside compatible agricultural activities, helping protect the environment while supporting local livelihoods.
According to Maynier, the Grasslands National Park is the first national park in South Africa established primarily through a biodiversity stewardship model.
5. SANParks will manage the park
Maynier has assigned management of the Grasslands National Park to South African National Parks (SANParks) in terms of section 38(1)(aA) of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003.
The declaration follows a notice of intention published in 2025 and the completion of the statutory process required under the legislation.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and SANParks worked alongside WWF South Africa, which played a leading role in coordinating the park’s establishment, together with other partners.
seanne.rall@iol.co.za
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