Grasslands National Park | 5 things to know about SA's newest tourist attraction

South Africa's Eastern Cape highlands now boast Grasslands National Park, a conservation area spanning over 10,225 hectares. Spanning between Nqanqarhu and Rhodes, the park seeks to protect underrepresented grassland ecosystems, maintain a crucial water source area and bolster local livelihoods. Here are five key facts about South Africa's newest national park.

Grasslands National Park consists of 18 properties within the Eastern Cape highlands, formally established in Government Gazette No. 55531 under Government Notice No. 8002. One of its primary objectives is to conserve grassland ecosystems that are underrepresented in South Africa's protected areas, safeguarding the region's natural landscapes and biodiversity.

The park encompasses part of the Eastern Cape Drakensberg Strategic Water Source Area, vital for water security, biodiversity and agricultural livelihoods. Minister David Maynier highlighted the significance of the declaration as a step towards protecting one of South Africa's least-protected biomes and a strategic water source landscape.

The park was primarily established through biodiversity stewardship, a model allowing landowners to retain ownership while committing to conservation and management arrangements, enabling environmental protection alongside compatible agricultural activities. Maynier designated South African National Parks (SANParks) to manage the Grasslands National Park under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003.

The declaration followed a notice of intention published in 2025 and the completion of statutory processes under the legislation. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment collaborated with SANParks and WWF South Africa, which played a leading role in coordinating the park's establishment alongside other partners.