Pat Bopape, a seasoned conservationist with over 20 years of experience, has taken the reins as the new manager of Tsitsikamma National Park. 

With a background in tourism management, business administration, and conservation, the 43-year-old Bopape is well-equipped to lead one of South Africa’s most renowned national parks.

Bopape’s journey with SANParks began in 2005 as an office manager at Table Mountain National Park. 

She progressed through the ranks, serving as a senior tourism officer and later park manager at West Coast National Park for 12 years.

In 2023, she was transferred to the Knysna Section of the Garden Route National Park before being appointed as the park manager of Tsitsikamma National Park.

Bopape’s appointment comes at a time when the park is poised for growth and development. With Vision 2040 as the guiding force, she aims to expand on the park’s existing community engagement initiatives, prioritizing community beneficiation and inclusion. 

“Community beneficiation and inclusion is top of my priority to ensure balance between conservation, which is our primary mandate, and people whom I believe we all have a responsibility towards,” she says.

Tsitsikamma National Park faces unique challenges, including abalone poaching and the need to benefit surrounding communities.

Bopape plans to address these challenges through collaborative efforts with law enforcement agencies, stakeholders, and local communities. 

She also aims to identify tangible opportunities for local communities to benefit from the park, promoting socio-economic development.

Under Bopape’s leadership, the park is set to enhance its tourism experience. A new restaurant is being launched, which will be a major draw card for visitors. 

Bopape also plans to attract a diverse market, including black visitors, by offering activities tailored to their needs.

Bopape’s top conservation priorities include creating awareness among stakeholders about the park’s conservation goals and ensuring stakeholder support. 

She emphasises the importance of collaboration with law enforcement agencies, surrounding municipalities, and community leaders to achieve conservation objectives.

Bopape hopes to leave a lasting legacy at Tsitsikamma National Park, redefining conservation to be inclusive, dynamic, and futuristic. 

She aims to build trust with local communities, enabling opportunities for them to thrive within the protected area space. 

“I hope to leave a legacy where conservation is redefined to be inclusive, dynamic, and futuristic,” she says.

“For too long conservation has been seen as something exclusive, something separate from human development. My goal is to break down those barriers and prove that conservation thrives when communities thrive alongside it,” Bopape says.

Central to Bopape’s vision is the active engagement of local communities. She understands that the success of Tsitsikamma hinges on their involvement and benefit. 

“One of our key focus areas is stakeholder engagement particularly with communities who live within a 50km radius of the park. We want to ensure they are integral to our planning and that opportunities are created for them to benefit directly from the park’s existence.” 

This includes initiatives aimed at employment, skills development, and fostering entrepreneurial ventures linked to tourism and conservation.

Beyond the immediate vicinity of Tsitsikamma, Bopape’s work resonates deeply with the broader SANParks 2040 vision. 

This ambitious roadmap for the future of South Africa’s national parks emphasises innovation, technological advancement, and a greater integration of conservation with national development goals. 

Bopape sees Tsitsikamma as a living laboratory for these principles.

“We are exploring cutting-edge conservation techniques and technology,” he states, pointing to potential applications in wildlife monitoring, anti-poaching efforts, and visitor management. 

“The SANParks 2040 vision is about preparing for the challenges and opportunities of the future, and we are actively contributing to that preparedness here in Tsitsikamma.”

mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za

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