Proposals for a South African land heritage trust: Land ownership and the future of mountain environments

The natural environment in which we live, and especially attractive and striking natural features, scenic places and wilderness, together with the cultural values of history, tradition, languages and artistic endeavour all help to define a nation. It becomes a duty to sustain this natural and man-made heritage of a country, not only because it bestows identity, induces cooperation, encourages tourism and provides natural resources, but also because it creates an attractive, interesting and healthy recreational (and sometimes living) environment for ourselves and future generations.Mountains contribute greatly to the requirements for sustainable living, which include:

• Sufficient unsilted. unpolluted water for domestic, agricultural and industrial use;
• Sufficient unpoisoned topsoil for our food supply;
• Sufficient unpolluted air, vital for our existence and health;
• Sufficient natural and wild places to conserve genetic resources and provide enjoyment and sanity for the people.