Cape Town's Unique Biodiversity:Vegetation

CAPE TOWN’S UNIQUE BIODIVERSITY: VEGETATION Half of South Africa’s CRITICALLY ENDANGERED Cape Town contains 19 National veld types. veld types are found in Cape Town! of these are endemic to Cape Town – S I X found nowhere else in the world! CAPE TOWN’S 19 VELD TYPES: Atlantis CRITICALLY ENDANGERED 10 are listed as (53%) Melkbosstrand ENDANGERED 3 are listed as VULNERABLE Bellville 4 are listed as (only 2!) Cape Town LEAST CONCERN 2 are listed as met the national conservation Peninsula Shale Renosterveld 8 have Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos Endemic to the Cape Town City Bowl. target Endemic to the Helderberg region. Very productive, used to support large game of their natural The most transformed endemic veld type, was 1 less than 10% Muizenberg 4 (Rhino, Cape Lion). 9 have Gordon’s Bay lost early. Grasses and bulbs are common. conserved Very rich in bulbs. Burns naturally every 3-5 years. area Critically Endangered: 6% remains; 3% conserved. Critically Endangered: 13% remains; 11% conserved. 010 km VEGETATION TYPES Atlantis Sand Fynbos OF CAPE TOWN Cape Flats Dune Strandveld - West Coast Swartland Shale Renosterveld Swartland Alluvium Fynbos Peninsula Granite Fynbos Cape Flats Dune Strandveld Endemic to the Table Mountain foothills. Swartland Silcrete Endemic on recent sand dunes near the sea. Peninsula Shale Renosterveld 2 The most fertile of Fynbos types. Previously Renosterveld 5 Not a fi re-adapted system. sustained more animals, but now consists mostly Supports a high biomass of browsing animals. of vines and plantations. Cape Flats Endangered: 49% remains; 19% conserved. Burns fi ercely every 10-20 years. Sand Fynbos Swartland Granite Renosterveld Home to Silvertrees in southern form and Grey Peninsula Tree Pincushions in northern form. Granite Fynbos Endangered: 43% remains; 30% conserved Boland Granite (includes plantations). Fynbos Cape Flats Dune Strandveld - False Bay Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos Hangklip Sand Fynbos Elgin Shale Fynbos Peninsula Sandstone Kogelberg Fynbos Cape Winelands Sandstone Fynbos Shale Fynbos Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos Cape Flats Sand Fynbos Endemic to Table Mountain and the Peninsula Endemic to Cape Flats on older, leached sands. 3 chain. 6 The richest and most diverse Sand Fynbos type. The most diverse veld type in terms of plants. Has the highest number of threatened plant Many endemic species. species. Well conserved: 97% remains; 90% conserved. Half of what remains is degraded by alien plants Endangered as it has over 65 threatened Red List (wattles and grasses). plant species. Critically Endangered: 14% remains; Unless we protect enough 1% conserved. of our veld types, lots of plant and animal species will go extinct, and our natural life support CONSERVATION Every day an area equal systems will be lost! STATUS of Cape Town’s 19 veld types to 2 soccer fi elds is developed 8 veld types Transformed are adequately By 2020 no more natural veld conserved: will be left to conserve they are all in the mountains. By 2020 it may be too late 9 veld types are critically under- to conserve any more of our conserved: they are threatened unique biodiversity on the lowlands. TRANSFORMATION Statutory conserved STATUS of Cape Town’s Managed - no status 19 veld types caused by urbanisation, agriculture WWee mmustust aactct nnow!ow! and invasive alien plants. For more information on the veld types, their conservation, a glossary WWee hhaveave aann iinternationalnternational bbiodiversityiodiversity ccrisisrisis iinn of terms and how you can help visit www.capetown.gov.za/environment, go to “Publications” then “Brochures KIRSTENBOSCH & Booklets” and select “Fact sheets on BRANCH oourur bbackack yyard.ard. WWHATHAT AARERE YYOUOU DDOINGOING AABOUTBOUT IIT?T? Cape Town’s unique biodiversity”. .

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