Developments within the Reserve need to take place within a strategic, medium- to long-term Development Plan that is collaboratively developed between the new landowners and LEDET. It needs to take into account the Park Management Plan and the zones that have been demarcated within the Reserve. Importantly this will ensure maintaining the important ecological assets of the Reserve that make it so unique. This is a transformative process as until now, these decisions have been taken by LEDET while under co-management, this would become a shared responsibility.
The Development plan, together with the Park Management Plan lay the foundations for areas of beneficiation. AWARD, in partnership with EMROSS, is undertaking a participatory process to capacitate landowners (claimants) regarding potential development options and beneficiation principles and models. Beneficiation for landowners takes the form of lease payments of R12/ha. Additional benefits can be both financial and non-financial and AWARD, together with the INR, has supported the LMC to categorise such benefits. We are now also working on a Beneficiation Framework and the collaborative development and roll-out of one beneficiation plan for LNR.
