Newsletter / Blog
2011-10-06 Limpopo Tourism lashes out at Nylsvlei mining plans.
Limpopo Tourism and Parks
(LTP) has spoken out against the planned coal mining development near
Nyslvlei Nature Reserve, stating that should the project go ahead, it
will have "a huge
detrimental impact on the whole wetland".
LTP has one of its resorts in
the reserve, Nylsvlei Birding Lodge, a popular spot with avitourists
visiting the country. In a statement, the agency says: "Not only is the
piece of
protected area important as far as protecting a specific biome is
concerned but it also has the international recognition of being a
ramsar site and, should any mining occur upstream of the reserve, there
is no doubt the impact will be detrimental to the whole
wetland." It says this will compromise the position the Nylsvlei Nature
Reserve holds internationally as the only inland wetland park in
Southern Africa that attracts between 400 and 800 bird species.
LTP says while it supports
any effort to establish sustainable jobs in the province, the estimated
life of the mine is only 15 years, which, it says, is inconsistent with
sustainable
development. Furthermore, in the long term, these pieces of protected
area will be beneficial in many ways, as tourism creates more
sustainable jobs. These may increase exponentially as areas such as this
wetland become more and more of an attraction to discerning
tourists both nationally and internationally, concludes LTP. |