iSimangaliso Wetland Park in KwaZulu Natal has announced plans to improve, rebuild and develop new facilities to the cost of R250 million (€19.2 million).
iSimangaliso CEO, Andrew Zaloumis, said: “iSimangaliso highlights for 2015 include the delivery of conservation/visitor infrastructure, completing the return of all historically occurring species, and to continue work on restoring the natural functioning of Lake St Lucia. This forms part of our drive to create Africa’s greatest conservation-based tourism product driven by community empowerment.”
Facilities to be build over the next two financial years includes roads and field ranger camps, hides, entrance gates and visitor centres. Access for the physically disabled is also part of the new infrastructure plan.
The park has now begun work on the rebuild of the 200m walkway to kuMasinga Hide, which will include new ablution facilities and an improved parking area.
The kuMalibala and kuMahlala Hides have been demolished to make way for improved, eco-sensitive structures offering better viewing over these two pans.
The final touches to the 254m Fig Forest Aerial Boardwalk have been completed, with new swing bridges and a 12m-high treetop canopy-level walkway. There are eight new platforms and landings, linked by three suspended bridges, offering views from the soaring trees. The two traditional swing bridges across the uMkhuze River have been rebuilt.
Work will begin this year on the western side’s Mshophi Gate Complex. One of the newly built bird hides at iNsumo Pan is receiving ablution and additional visitor facilities.
iSimangaliso will also upgrade seven existing field ranger camps and build four new ones in the uMkhuze, Ozabeni and Western Shores areas of the park.
The development of the Charters Creek resort in the Western Shore is part of a rebuild programme set to begin in the last quarter of the coming financial year. Also in the pipeline is the Nhlozi Gate Complex building and improved parking at the uMthoma Aerial Boardwalk.
The new iSimangaliso Gate complex design comprises a gatehouse, ‘Meet and Greet’ centre with ablutions and, in some places, a craft market as well.
The St Lucia beaches, Lake St Lucia Estuary and Siyabonga Centre areas are undergoing rehabilitation and repairs to jetties and boardwalks. Environmental assessments are already under way for development at the Sodwana and the Coastal Forest sections of the park.
