Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Dorob National Park - Namibia's 8th National Park

The creation of the first mega-park in Namibia is now one step closer, following the proclamation of the Dorob National Park.
The newly proclaimed park incorporates the former National West Coast Recreation Area, which stretches from the Ugab River southwards to just north of Swakopmund, as well as a large swathe of the Namib section of the Namib-Naukluft Park.
The 780 000 ha National West Coast Recreation Area was proclaimed in 1973, but as it did not enjoy the same status as game and national parks little could be done to prevent indiscriminate off-road driving and the control of quad bikes, as well as other conservation regulations.
This area, which is renowned for its excellent fishing, is also an important breeding ground of the Damara tern. It also has several extensive lichen fields such as those at Wlotzkasbaken and northeast of Cape Cross.
Among the areas excluded from the park are the following: the railway line between Arandis, Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, the municipal areas of Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Hentiesbaai, the peri-urban area of Wlotzkasbaken, Cape Cross Lodge, the Cape Cross Seal Reserve, proclaimed roads and several farms in the Swakop River.
The Dorob National Park borders in the south on the Namib-Naukluft Park which in turn is bounded by the Sperrgebiet National Park. North of the Ugab River, the Dorob National Park borders on the Skeleton Coast Park which is to become a transfrontier park with the Ioana National Park in Angola in terms of a memorandum of understanding signed between the governments of Namibia and Angola in 2003.
The establishment of the Dorob National Park on 1 December 2010 is the final piece of the puzzle which will enable Namibia’s conservation authorities to proclaim a mega-park, provisionally named the Namib Skeleton Coast National Park (NSCNP). It will stretch between the Orange River and the Kunene River and will also adjoin the IAi-IAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (between Namibia and South Africa) in the south.
The 10.754 million hectare mega-park will be the 6th largest terrestrial park in the world and the largest in Africa.

Derived from TourNamibia
Information can also be viewed on the Republikein News paper as Afrikaans version: http://www.republikein.com.na/politiek-en-nasionale/toerisme-en-omgewingsake/dorob-kry-status.118451.php
We will keep you updated with more information coming soon!

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