iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority

iSimangaliso Wetland Park, on KwaZulu-Natal's Elephant Coast, was declared South Africa's first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, spanning roughly 332,000 hectares of lake systems, wetlands, coastal dunes, coral reefs and diverse wildlife. Formerly known as the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park, it is managed by the iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority, a statutory authority established under the World Heritage Convention Act, 1999, working alongside Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and the surrounding municipalities and traditional authorities.

Since 2010, the Authority has run a bursary programme for students from communities bordering the park, having supported around 140 students to date in conservation, tourism and related fields, as part of its community development mandate.