South Africa: combination of dredging and blocking tourism is preferred

Original title: South Africa: dredging combined with tourism priority
South Africa is one of the countries with the richest biodiversity in the world. Although South Africa accounts for only 2% of the world's land area, South Africa has 10% of the world's plant species and 7% of the world's reptile, bird and mammal species.
The National Park is an important home for diverse species in South Africa. According to the latest data of Statistics South Africa, by 2020, the protected land in South Africa was 112800 square kilometers, accounting for 9.2% of South Africa's land area. Among them, national parks account for 3.5% of the land. South Africa currently has nearly 20 national parks distributed in 7 provinces.
Tourism development, combating poaching and expanding participation are the main measures to protect biodiversity in South Africa's national parks.
Reasonable tourism development can provide funds for the protection of biodiversity. According to the relevant environmental protection laws of South Africa, the National Park should build a natural tourism destination in an environment-friendly way. According to statistics, 80% of the funds of South African National Parks come from tourism, and the protection of biodiversity in national parks also depends on the prosperity of tourism. However, novel coronavirus pneumonia has been spreading since last year, and strict anti epidemic measures have great impact on the tourism revenue of South Africa National Park.
Since 2006, South Africa has held "National Park Week" every September to open the National Park to the public free of charge. As a tourism promotion measure, the activity aims to let South Africans enjoy the natural beauty of their country, show the superior environment of the National Park, and encourage people to use the National Park as a holiday destination. Affected by the epidemic, this year's "National Park Week" was postponed to November to ensure the health and safety of tourists.
There were fewer tourists during the epidemic, but thieves were still rampant. More than 80% of the world's rhinoceros live in South Africa, which has become a serious disaster area for rhinoceros poaching. Combating poaching is the key to protecting wildlife in South Africa. South Africa's national parks have made great efforts to protect rhinoceros.
In addition to national management, South Africa has also built a "community of destiny" for the protection of biodiversity by expanding civil participation. According to the relevant personnel of the South African Ministry of environment, South Africa is encouraging the South African people to widely participate in biodiversity conservation, ensuring that the business of the National Park is highly related to the well-being of the people in the surrounding communities, so as to "connect society with the National Park more widely".
The South African National Park Authority has announced that it will establish a new National Park in the mountains near the Lesotho border. The special feature is that the land of the National Park is not fully nationalized, but cooperates with the land owners of the local community to invite them to voluntarily incorporate the land into the National Park and participate in the management of the National Park. In return, local people can participate in wetland restoration, tourism reception and other work, and obtain much-needed employment opportunities. They can also stay in the villages where they have lived for generations, continue to work in agriculture and animal husbandry, and enjoy the improvement of water source and grassland environment brought by the National Park. (Economic Daily reporter Tian Shida)