Park Management Plan
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DRAFT 5 19 July 2006 Bontebok National Park Management Plan Park Management Plan DRAFT 5 19 July 2006 DRAFT 5 19 July 2006 Bontebok National Park Management Plan 1 DRAFT 5 19 July 2006 Bontebok National Park Management Plan AUTHORISATION This management plan is hereby internally accepted and authorized as the legal requirement for managing Bontebok National Park as stated in the Protected Areas Act. …………………………………………….. MR P. DAPHNE DIRECTOR: PARKS …………………………………………….. DR D. MABUNDA CEO: SANPARKS This management plan is hereby accepted and authorized as the legal requirement for managing Bontebok National Park as required by the Protected Areas Act. …………………………………………….. MR M. VAN SCHALKWYK MINISTER: DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM DRAFT 5 19 July 2006 Bontebok National Park Management Plan 2 DRAFT 5 19 July 2006 Bontebok National Park Management Plan AUTHORISATION .......................................................................................................................2 1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................5 1.1 Location.................................................................................................................................5 1.2 Extent ....................................................................................................................................5 1.3 History...................................................................................................................................6 1.4 Climate ..................................................................................................................................6 1.5 Geology and soils..................................................................................................................6 1.6 Topography ...........................................................................................................................7 1.7 Hydrology..............................................................................................................................8 1.8 Flora ......................................................................................................................................8 1.9 Fauna .....................................................................................................................................9 Invertebrates.............................................................................................................................9 Fishes......................................................................................................................................10 Amphibians ............................................................................................................................10 Reptiles...................................................................................................................................10 Birds .......................................................................................................................................10 Mammals................................................................................................................................10 1.10 Regional Socio Economic Contribution............................................................................11 THE PROTECTED AREAS MANAGEMENT PLANNING FRAMEWORK........................12 Vision for Bontebok National Park:...........................................................................................12 Desired state for Bontebok National Park – Biodiversity..........................................................12 Vital Attributes, Determinants, Threats and Constraints – Biodiversity....................................13 Objectives Hierarchy – Biodiversity..........................................................................................15 Desired State for Bontebok National Park – Cultural Heritage .................................................19 Objectives - Cultural Heritage....................................................................................................19 Desired State for Bontebok National Park – Tourism................................................................20 Objectives Hierarchy – Tourism ................................................................................................20 OPERATIONAL PLANS TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES HIERARCHY .............................23 Park expansion ...........................................................................................................................23 Herbivore management and re-introduction ..............................................................................23 Problem animals.........................................................................................................................24 Species of Conservation Concern ..............................................................................................24 River Management .....................................................................................................................25 Fire management........................................................................................................................25 Rehabilitation (soils, vegetation, alien invasive plants, river, wetlands) ...................................26 Cultural Heritage Resource ........................................................................................................27 Sustainable tourism......................................................................................................................28 Conservation development framework (CDF)...........................................................................28 Tourism Potential .......................................................................................................................29 Marketing ...................................................................................................................................30 Co-operative governance............................................................................................................30 Environmental interpretation......................................................................................................30 Local socio economic development program.............................................................................30 Stakeholder Relationship Management......................................................................................30 EFFECTIVE PARK MANAGEMENT .....................................................................................32 Environmental management.......................................................................................................32 DRAFT 5 19 July 2006 Bontebok National Park Management Plan 3 DRAFT 5 19 July 2006 Bontebok National Park Management Plan Security and Safety.....................................................................................................................33 Infrastructure ..............................................................................................................................36 Staff Capacity Building..............................................................................................................36 Institutional Development and Administration Program ...........................................................36 Financial Sustainability Program ...............................................................................................37 HIV/AIDS Program....................................................................................................................37 Legal compliance/risk management Program............................................................................37 REFERENCES.............................................................................................................................38 List of Figures...............................................................................................................................41 DRAFT 5 19 July 2006 Bontebok National Park Management Plan 4 DRAFT 5 19 July 2006 Bontebok National Park Management Plan 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Location Bontebok National Park (BNP) (34º02’ S, 20º25’ E) is situated 240 km from Cape Town and 8 km from Swellendam. It lies on the coastal plateau between the Langeberg Mountain range (5 km away) and the Indian Ocean (50 km away). The first Bontebok National Park was established in 1931 near Bredasdorp specifically to save the few remaining bontebok from extinction (Barnard & Van der Walt 1961). At the time, a mere 17 bontebok Damaliscus pygargus spp. pygargus remained from a known population of 20 animals in the area. Initially the bontebok thrived under this protection, but later inadequate grazing (Novellie 1986), parasite infestations, trace element deficiencies (Barnard & Van der Walt 1961) and the wet marshy conditions in the area again threatened the survival of this species. The animals were subsequently transferred to the park at its current location in the Swellendam District around 1960 (Barnard & Van der Walt 1961). The remaining animals at the old park in Bredasdorp were translocated to the then Provincial wildlife farm, De Hoop (now a Provincial Nature Reserve). 1.2 Extent Communal land from the Swellendam municipality and a few privately owned farms were obtained for the new park (1462 ha) at Swellendam, and proclaimed on