In 2018, a few neighbours in the Putterill valley came up with a dream of combining their properties into a joint nature reserve. That dream evolved into an idea, from which grew a plan, and finally, as of the 18th of April 2024, a reality. Comprising 6,500 hectares, the Northern Drakensberg Nature Reserve (NDNR), of which The Cavern Drakensberg Resort & Sungubala Eco Camp are founding members, is KwaZulu-Natal’s newest nature reserve, and one of the most significant conservation achievements across southern Africa in recent years.
Broadly speaking, the purposes of the NDNR are to (i) conserve animal species and habitats, (ii) enhance regional water security, (iii) preserve the area’s rich cultural heritage, and (iv) further socio-economic upliftment in the local community.
The story of the region’s Eland population is particularly symbolic. The “last Eland” in the area was supposedly shot in the late 1940s because the old bull had become a nuisance on the nearby Tugela Gorge walking path. Years later, the species was reintroduced in the Sterkfontein Nature Reserve, and since then, the population has steadily recovered. Today, free-roaming herds of over a hundred and fifty Eland can be seen in the NDNR. That is the power of conservation. It is also the reason the members of the NDNR chose this majestic creature as the reserve’s logo, which is a copy of an original bushmen painting of an Eland found in Cannibal Cavern, situated within the reserve. The painting itself, like the bushmen culture that produced it, has unfortunately faded away over time. As it does so, it reminds us of the importance of preserving and conserving.
The NDNR is established for the benefit of those not only within the reserve but also beyond its borders. As a major tourist destination in the area, members of the NDNR constitute key actors in employment and socio-economic upliftment for an otherwise poor part of the country. Members of the local community can look forward not only to jobs and incomes, but also to being part of a collaborative conservation initiative, having the opportunity to provide input which will filter into the management and running of the reserve itself.
