Mpenjati Nature Reserve PAMP Final June 2013
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Mpenjati Nature Reserve KwaZulu-Natal South Africa Protected Area Management Plan Prepared by Brousse-James & Associates and Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Protected Area Management Planning Unit Citation Mpenjati Nature Reserve: Management Plan. Version 1.0 (June 2013), Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Pietermaritzburg. This Management Plan for Mpenjati Nature Reserve is recommended by the Nature Reserve Planning Committee (NRPC), a multi-disciplinary team consisting of: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Ken Morty Regional Conservation Co-ordinator Vumani Mthethwa Conservation Manager South Coast West Reserves Irene Hatton Acting Coordinator Protected Area Management Planning Magda Goosen Protected Area Management Planner Roger Uys Regional Ecologist South Coast Santosh Bachoo Senior Ecologist (Marine) Consultant Barry James Brousse-James & Associates Mpenjati Nature Reserve i Protected Area Management Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS AUTHORISATION ........................................................................................................................ II TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................................. III LIST OF TABLES ..........................................................................................................................VI LIST OF MAPS ............................................................................................................................VI LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................VII LIST OF APPENDICES ................................................................................................................VII PREFACE ..................................................................................................................................VIII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................. IX 1 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 The values of Mpenjati Nature Reserve .................................................................................................. 3 1.3 Purpose of the plan ................................................................................................................................. 4 1.4 Planning approach .................................................................................................................................. 4 1.4.1 Adaptive management ....................................................................................................................... 4 1.4.2 Collaboration and transparency ......................................................................................................... 5 1.4.3 Structure of the plan ........................................................................................................................... 6 2 DESCRIPTION OF MPENJATI NATURE RESERVE AND ITS CONTEXT ................................... 8 2.1 Institutional and administrative framework for the management of Mpenjati Nature Reserve ........... 8 2.2 The legislative basis for the management of Mpenjati Nature Reserve ................................................. 8 2.2.1 Proclamation status of Mpenjati Nature Reserve ............................................................................... 8 2.2.2 Invasive species control in terms of the Biodiversity Act ..................................................................... 9 2.3 The policy framework guiding the management of Mpenjati Nature Reserve ...................................... 9 2.4 The regional and local planning context of Mpenjati Nature Reserve ................................................. 11 2.4.1 The National Protected Area Expansion Strategy ............................................................................. 13 2.4.2 The Provincial Protected Area Expansion Plan .................................................................................. 13 2.4.3 EIA Regulations in terms of NEMA .................................................................................................... 14 2.4.4 Local government planning mechanisms .......................................................................................... 14 2.5 The history of the Mpenjati Nature Reserve ........................................................................................ 14 2.6 Ecological context of the nature reserve .............................................................................................. 16 2.6.1 Climate and weather ......................................................................................................................... 16 2.6.2 Topography ....................................................................................................................................... 17 2.6.3 Geology and soils .............................................................................................................................. 18 Mpenjati Nature Reserve iii Protected Area Management Plan 2.6.4 Hydrology .......................................................................................................................................... 20 2.6.5 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................................ 22 2.6.6 Fire regime ........................................................................................................................................ 27 2.6.7 Invasive vegetation ........................................................................................................................... 28 2.6.8 Alien Animals .................................................................................................................................... 28 2.6.9 Mammalian fauna ............................................................................................................................ 28 2.6.10 Avifauna ............................................................................................................................................ 29 2.6.11 Herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) .......................................................................................... 30 2.6.12 Invertebrates ..................................................................................................................................... 30 2.6.13 Fish .................................................................................................................................................... 31 2.7 Socio-economic context ........................................................................................................................ 32 2.8 Operational management within Mpenjati Nature Reserve ................................................................ 34 2.8.1 Management infrastructure ............................................................................................................. 34 2.8.2 Conservation infrastructure .............................................................................................................. 34 2.8.3 Eco-tourism (environmental education) infrastructure .................................................................... 35 2.8.4 Staff establishment ........................................................................................................................... 35 2.8.5 Funding levels at Mpenjati Nature Reserve ...................................................................................... 36 2.8.6 Management effectiveness in Mpenjati Nature Reserve .................................................................. 36 2.8.7 Key operational issues at Mpenjati Nature Reserve ......................................................................... 36 2.8.8 Summary of management issues and challenges ............................................................................. 37 3 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK ....................................................................... 39 3.1 Mpenjati Nature Reserve vision............................................................................................................ 39 3.2 Objectives and strategic outcomes ....................................................................................................... 39 4 ZONATION PLAN .............................................................................................................. 42 4.1 Conceptual development guidelines .................................................................................................... 44 5 OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK ................................................................. 51 5.1 Determination of priorities for strategic outcomes .............................................................................. 51 5.1 Linking to the Mpenjati Estuary Management Plan (2012) – Appendix G ............................................ 51 5.2 Legal compliance and law enforcement ............................................................................................... 52 5.3 Stakeholder engagement .....................................................................................................................