Nature in Eswatini

Eswatini has four broad landscape zones from west to east. The Highveld rises from about 910 to 1,830 metres and includes mountain wilderness, grassland, mistbelt forest and commercial forestry. The Middleveld has wetter and drier subtropical areas with mixed veld, agriculture and dense settlement. The Lowveld lies at about 60 to 730 metres and contains semi-arid bushveld and savanna, with drought-prone areas and irrigated sugar, citrus and cotton production. The Lubombo Plateau and Range connect forests, savanna and river systems with landscapes in Mozambique and South Africa. This altitudinal gradient extends across roughly 200 kilometres and supports different species and land uses. Protected areas include ENTC-managed Mantenga Nature Reserve, Malolotja Nature Reserve and Hawane Dam Reserve, Mlawula Nature Reserve, King Sobhuza II Park, and areas managed by Big Game Parks such as Hlane Royal National Park, Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary and Mkhaya Game Reserve. Reported protected-area coverage was 5.6% in 2021, while an older 2018 CBD report gave 4.26%; figures depend on the date and classification used. Wetlands include rivers, floodplains, swamps, bogs, vleis and dams. Local terms include ematete, emachaphoti, emachibi and tihlambo. Hawane Dam and Nature Reserve, Sand River Dam and Van Eck Dam are Ramsar Sites, covering 1,183 hectares in total according to the National Wetlands Policy. Wetlands provide water, flood buffering, erosion control, fertile soil, habitat, grazing areas and materials for local use. Eswatini forms part of the Maputaland Centre of Plant Diversity, the Drakensberg Escarpment Endemic Bird Area and the Barberton Centre of Plant Diversity. Recorded biodiversity includes about 3,678 plant taxa, 813 vertebrate species, 12 endemic plant species, 89 vertebrate species on national Red Data Lists and 305 listed plant species. Threatened animals such as black rhinoceros, white rhinoceros, African elephant, leopard, buffalo and African wild dog occur in relevant landscapes, but a record from one site does not establish countrywide presence. The Eswatini National Trust Commission, or ENTC, manages statutory natural and cultural heritage functions and several protected areas. The Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs develops national policy for wildlife, forestry, protected areas and environmental management. The Eswatini Environment Authority handles environmental assessment, approval and compliance under the Environment Management Act 2002. A project may require screening, an Environmental Assessment, an Environmental Impact Assessment, an Environmental Management Plan and public participation before implementation, depending on its category and effects. Communities, chiefdoms, local authorities and private landholders also influence access and customary resource use. Community-based natural resource management, including the Shewula community conservation management area, links conservation with local planning and benefit-sharing. Hiking, birding, game drives, camping, fishing, picnicking, canopy tours, horse trails and mountain biking are available at relevant sites, but each site sets its own conditions. Private land requires the owner's permission, and activities such as research, filming, fishing, sample collection, drones, fires, off-road driving, hunting and night access may need specific approval. Weather, road and trail conditions, drought, flooding, wildfire and wildlife movement can change access and safety. Natural hazards include heat waves, storms, hail, flash floods, erosion, landslides, water scarcity, snakes and ticks. Conservation education is provided through ENTC programmes, guided activities, environmental awareness work by the Eswatini Environment Authority and wetlands training or monitoring initiatives. Current fees and opening conditions must be checked with the responsible site or provider; one published ENTC example lists camping at E150 and chalet accommodation at E750 to E1,700 depending on occupancy. Other fees, permits, guides and activities differ by site. Major conflicts include habitat conversion, settlement, agriculture, plantations, invasive species, overgrazing, wildfire management, water abstraction, wetland drainage, wildlife damage, fences, infrastructure and disputes over tourism benefits or customary use. Environmental assessments, management plans, zoning, community agreements, monitoring, enforcement and restoration are used to address these pressures. Trans-frontier Conservation Areas connect conservation work with Mozambique and South Africa, but they do not create one nationwide access rule or fee system.