Nature conservation is structured according to section 16, 17 and 18 of the Environment Conservation Act. Nature conservation land can be established through the declaration of areas as protected natural environments or special nature reserves. A general policy dealing with terrestrial and marine protected areas (GN449/94 ) which is in line with international conservation thinking, provides a guideline document that classifies the terrestrial and marine protected areas into 6 categories. The categories include scientific reserves and wilderness areas, national parks and equivalent reserves, natural monuments and areas of cultural significance, habitat and wildlife management areas, protected land/seascapes and sustainable use areas. For each category the policy provides a definition, a conservation objective, criteria for its selection and management, and existing land use activities that could be classified under that category.

The Mountain Catchment Areas Act encourages the conservation, use, management and control of mountain catchment areas. The management of mountain catchment areas should maintain sustained yields of quality streamflow, nature conservation, fire hazard reduction, afforestation, grazing, tourism and recreational opportunity. The owner of the designated land should manage that land through prevention of soil erosion, removal of exotic vegetation, fire protection and eradication of woody alien plants.

Natural forests and woodlands form an important part of the environment and need to be conserved and developed according to the principles of sustainable management. Plantation forests have an impact on the environment and need to be managed appropriately. Invaders like Eucalyptus or Pinus species encroaching the riparian vegetation from forest plantation must be eradicated since they have impact on indigenous flora and river flows. (National Forest Act )

The new guideline document is the White Paper on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa's Biological Diversity. The guidelines for future conservation in the White Paper is the following:

      Government will conserve the identified components of biodiversity through a variety of mechanisms, like legislation, guidelines, ect

      Those components of biodiversity that require urgent protective measures will receive priority. Conflict arising from the conservation and sustainable use of resources will be managed.

      Biodiversity should be conserved, not only within protected areas, but across the landscape. Government will seek outcomes which will combine the objectives of restitution with the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

      Degraded ecosystems should be restored and rehabilitated where it will make a contribution to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

      Conservation of biodiversity can be through conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats which is the best way of conservation, or through ex-sito conservation in for e.g.. botanical and zoological gardens. Conservation efforts must also include areas modified by human activities.

      Wetlands and estuarine areas represent some of our most threatened ecosystems, thus is their conservation and sustainable use crucial (Aquatic areas and wetlands).

      A cross-sectoral approach should be adopted if marine biodiversity is to be used sustainably and conserved effectively (Marine and coastal areas).

      Integrated land-use planning that include multiple natural resource activities which are compatible with and complement the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity should be investigated and implemented.

      The national policy on population should also incorporate the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (adopting sustainable lifestyles).