Cultural heritage survey guidelines and assessment tools for protected areas in South Africa

The Department of Environmental Affairs has published the Cultural heritage survey guidelines and assessment tools for protected areas in South Africa in the Government Gazette for comments. "As the custodian of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act No. 57 of 2003, DEA has, recognized the importance of heritage resources as part of the natural heritage landscape developing this heritage survey guidelines and inventory tools to ensure better management of cultural heritage resources in Protected Areas.

The objective of the survey guidelines and inventory tools would enable Protected Areas through their Management Authorities to work within the ambit of the current heritage management systems' in accordance with the national norms and standards of the National Heritage Resources Act No.25 of 1999 in the quest to improve and sustain the management of cultural heritage resources within Protected Areas in South Africa."