{"id":682105,"date":"2025-07-29T22:20:19","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T19:20:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-one-community-set-up-a-successful-game-reserve\/"},"modified":"2025-07-29T22:20:19","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T19:20:19","slug":"how-one-community-set-up-a-successful-game-reserve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-one-community-set-up-a-successful-game-reserve\/","title":{"rendered":"How one community set up a successful game reserve"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2f207f0e88f\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2f207f0e88f\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-one-community-set-up-a-successful-game-reserve\/#Building_a_nature_reserve\" >Building a nature reserve<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-one-community-set-up-a-successful-game-reserve\/#Skills_and_jobs_needed_to_run_the_reserve\" >Skills and jobs needed to run the reserve<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/how-one-community-set-up-a-successful-game-reserve\/#What_needs_to_happen_next\" >What needs to happen next<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/gamereserve.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2025\/gamereserve.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/gamereserve.jpg\" alt=\"game\u00a0reserve\" title=\"Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In South Africa, most of the arable land <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sahistory.org.za\/article\/land-dispossession-resistance-and-restitution#:~:text=Introduction,interior%20to%20escape%20British%20rule.\" target=\"_blank\">was taken from Africans<\/a> by colonial settlers. Ever since <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sahistory.org.za\/article\/history-apartheid-south-africa\" target=\"_blank\">apartheid ended<\/a> in 1994, people who were dispossessed of their land have been trying to get it back.<\/p>\n<p>When land is given back to an entire community, things can become complicated. For example, some people might want to divide it up into individual plots; others might want to use the land communally. Or individuals in positions of power might exploit their influence to secure personal gains.<\/p>\n<p>This underscores the need for inclusive dialog and collaboration to make sure that the people who get their land back benefit equally.<\/p>\n<p>Community-based tourism, which involves local communities and nature reserves working together to manage natural areas, is one way for a whole community to benefit from land.<\/p>\n<p>I am a tourism and community development geographer who has explored this idea. I was part of a research team who spent four years talking to community members, local leaders and conservation staff at the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.somkhanda.co.za\/\" target=\"_blank\">Somkhanda Game Reserve<\/a> in South Africa&#8217;s KwaZulu-Natal province.<\/p>\n<p>This reserve was set up on land that was given back to the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/safarikzn.com\/somkhanda-gumbi-community-success-story\/\" target=\"_blank\">Gumbi community<\/a> almost 45 years after they had been forcibly removed by the apartheid government to make way for a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/leseditechnical.com\/portfolio\/pongolapoort-dam\/#:~:text=DAM%20DESIGN%20AND%20PHILOSOPHY,be%20operational%20during%20the%20SEF.\" target=\"_blank\">big dam<\/a> and white commercial farms. The exact number of people evicted from the Gumbi community is not clear, but the entire community&#8217;s livelihoods, including communal farming, were devastated by the forced removal. By the time the land was returned, it had been turned into <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a> and cattle ranches and sugar cane farms.<\/p>\n<p>Community tourism projects need to manage many different tasks, such as running guided tours, selling handmade crafts, and providing accommodation for visitors.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2211973620300210\" target=\"_blank\">My research<\/a> identified problems that can prevent progress in these ventures. These included conflicts between traditional leaders and community trusts, a lack of transparency in decision-making, and the high costs of setting up the project. Without conservation and tourism management experience, it can be difficult for the community to turn a profit or even cover their costs.<\/p>\n<p>My research also found that communities with strong <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">social<\/a> connections who are able to collaborate have an advantage. For the Gumbi community, building relationships with conservation organizations, government agencies and non-profit organizations helped secure initial funding and training.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Building_a_nature_reserve\"><\/span>Building a nature reserve<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When apartheid ended in 1994, the Gumbi created the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wildlifeact.com\/about-wildlife-act\/our-partners#:~:text=As%20owners%20of%20Somkhanda%20Game%20Reserve%2C%20the,the%20way%20to%20success%20in%20community%20conservation.\" target=\"_blank\">Emvokweni Community Trust<\/a> to claim their land back. This trust worked with the government&#8217;s tourism department and three prominent conservation trusts to see if they might use the land to set up a tourism project.<\/p>\n<p>The group found that the land was a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.forestrysa.com.au\/forest-management\/conservation\/biodiversity-corridors\/#:~:text=Biodiversity%20corridors%20are%20areas%20of,do%20we%20create%20a%20corridor?\" target=\"_blank\">biodiversity corridor<\/a> that could link various private and national game farms and protected areas. The <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wwf.org.za\/our_work\/initiatives\/black_rhino_expansion\/#:~:text=The%20Black%20Rhino%20Range%20Expansion%20Project%20began%20in%202003.,wholly%20or%20partly%20community%20owned.\" target=\"_blank\">Black Rhino Range Expansion Programme<\/a> had already identified the land as critical for rhino to roam. Hunters and eco-tourists already knew the area from other nearby game reserves.<\/p>\n<p>When the Gumbi people got their land back in 2005 under the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.za\/documents\/restitution-land-rights-act\" target=\"_blank\">1994 Restitution of Land Rights Act<\/a>, they set aside about 74% for conservation and used 26% to build a new village for people to live in. By 2011, the area was formally proclaimed as a nature reserve. After that the community secured development finance to upgrade roads and entrance gates, and buy animals for the new reserve. Today, Somkhanda is a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.southafrica.net\/gl\/en\/travel\/article\/the-big-five\" target=\"_blank\">&#8220;big five&#8221; game reserve<\/a> housing lions, elephants, buffalo, rhinos and leopards.<\/p>\n<p>Today the reserve is owned by the community&#8217;s Emvokweni Community Trust, which is managed by a group of democratically elected trustees. Conservation and tourism inside the reserve are managed jointly by the community trust and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wildtrust.co.za\/wildlands\" target=\"_blank\">Wildlands<\/a>, an environmental non-profit organization. The reserve competes as a tourist destination with elite private game reserves such as <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/timbavati.co.za\/\" target=\"_blank\">Timbavati<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.krugernationalpark.org.za\/reserves\/phinda-game-reserve\/?view=weather\" target=\"_blank\">Phinda<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>At first, it was mainly international and local student groups who visited. Although they didn&#8217;t flood the reserve with money, their visits created jobs for local community members. The students also paid a community levy that contributed to local development projects. Today, many more affluent tourists visit, boosting the reserve&#8217;s income.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ads w-100 my-4 article-main__more bg-light p-3 border\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-3\">\n        Discover the latest in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">science<\/a>, tech, and space with over <strong>100,000 subscribers<\/strong> who rely on Phys.org for daily insights.<br \/>\n        Sign up for our <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sciencex.com\/help\/newsletter\/\" target=\"_blank\">free newsletter<\/a> and get updates on breakthroughs,<br \/>\n        innovations, and research that matter\u2014<strong>daily or weekly<\/strong>.\n    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Skills_and_jobs_needed_to_run_the_reserve\"><\/span>Skills and jobs needed to run the reserve<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Members of the Gumbi community have graduated from natural resource management courses. They&#8217;ve also trained as game rangers and in hospitality.<\/p>\n<p>As one employee at the restaurant shared:<\/p>\n<p><i>I didn&#8217;t know what a restaurant is, and I had never worked at a hotel or lodge before. This is my first employment since the completion of school.<br \/><\/i> The Somkhanda Game Reserve aims to create jobs in a place where there are few other ways to earn a living. It employs many more people than similar-sized reserves. At the time of our research, there were 83 people working full-time in reserve and tourism management, and more than 200 temporary workers.<\/p>\n<p>But the trust has not been able to create jobs for the entire community. As one young community member said,<\/p>\n<p><i>I failed to obtain employment at the game reserve, and I cannot just enter into the reserve as I may be suspected to be a poacher \u2026 It is our project, but at times I feel like I am an enemy to them.<br \/><\/i> The community is taking steps to create more value for the Gumbi community. It recently received a grant to build luxury game lodges. The profits will be used to run the reserve and improve roads, schools, and health care services.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_needs_to_happen_next\"><\/span>What needs to happen next<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In South Africa, there is an often expressed fear that if land is given back to its rightful owners, it will be misused. But in Somkhanda, the rightful owners are competent managers and developers of land. They contribute to the restoration and protection of local ecosystems.<\/p>\n<p>To take community-based tourism on restituted land forward, our research recommends that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>communities build strong partnerships with non-profit organizations and government agencies<\/li>\n<li>local leaders must be involved in decision-making, to mobilize community support for projects, make sure that everyone&#8217;s voice is respected, and improve communication<\/li>\n<li>projects focus on what benefits the community<\/li>\n<li>regular report-backs and evaluations are held<\/li>\n<li>resources are shared<\/li>\n<li>knowledge exchanges are formalized, to share best practices and spark new ideas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"d-inline-block text-medium mt-4\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProvided by<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Conversation<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon_open\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use href=\"https:\/\/phys.b-cdn.net\/tmpl\/v6\/img\/svg\/sprite.svg#icon_open\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"article-main__note mt-4\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  This article is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\" target=\"_blank\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/land-reform-in-south-africa-how-one-community-set-up-a-successful-game-reserve-257829\" target=\"_blank\">original article<\/a>.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/257829\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLand reform in South Africa: How one community set up a successful game reserve (2025, July 29)<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tretrieved 29 July 2025<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom https:\/\/phys.org\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2025-07-reform-south-africa-community-successful.html\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script id=\"facebook-jssdk\" async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Science category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2025-07-reform-south-africa-community-successful.html\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Credit: Pixabay\/CC0 Public Domain In South Africa, most of the arable land was taken from Africans by colonial settlers. Ever since apartheid ended in 1994, people who were dispossessed of their land have been trying to get it back. When land is given back to an entire community, things can become complicated. For example, some&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":682106,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2025\/gamereserve.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-682105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/682105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=682105"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/682105\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/682106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=682105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=682105"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=682105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}