Ekurhuleni METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY WETLAND REPORT | 2017
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EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY WETLAND REPORT | 2017 LOCAL ACTION FOR BIODIVERSITY (LAB): WETLANDS SOUTH AFRICA Biodiversity for Life South African National Biodiversity Institute Full Program Title: Local Action for Biodiversity: Wetland Management in a Changing Climate Sponsoring USAID Office: USAID/Southern Africa Cooperative Agreement Number: AID-674-A-14-00014 Contractor: ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability – Africa Secretariat Date of Publication: May 2017 Author: R. Fisher DISCLAIMER: The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. FOREWORD Ekurhuleni boasts a rich natural and cultural heritage vast numbers are seeing a rapid decline and countless which serves as potential for tourism development, animals and plants have been brought to the verge most notably is the network of wetlands, pans and of extinction. Wetlands are also increasingly unable to open space which serve to house a large diversity perform the ecosystem services so vital for human life. of fauna and flora. Ekurhuleni, the industrial hub of South Africa, faces challenges in ensuring a more In the 21st century we need wetlands more than ever equitable distribution of economic benefits, while before. The conservation and wise use of wetlands managing the environmental impacts associated which are managed more holistically, effectively and with its industrial, mining and related activities. cohesively is therefore essential to sustain human livelihoods and local economies, protect our valuable Wetlands are one of the most valuable and diverse biodiversity and buffer the impacts of climate change. ecosystems on this planet and are essential for human existence. Wetlands clean the water we drink as well Ekurhuleni’s wetlands, open space and biodiversity as provide nutritious food in the form of plants and are under immense pressure from both competing fish as well as organic materials which can be used land uses and a shortage of resources. The continued for medicinal purposes. They help protect us from growth of Ekurhuleni’s population and economy flooding and storm surges and also have the ability to is increasing the pressure on available land. Local store water which is then released in times of drought. government is tasked with service provision and Wetlands also provide key habitat for a significant ensuring that social and economic development array of critically endangered flora and fauna. proceeds within the carrying capacity of the biological resource base, it is therefore a significant front-line Wetlands also play a key role in the mitigation of manager in wetland management. climate change which is predicted to have a major impact on human livelihoods. They can store large The City of Ekurhuleni commits to continuous and amounts of carbon and thus can help with the stringent maintenance and rehabilitation of wetlands regulation of greenhouse gases, thereby assisting across the City. Strong emphasis and attention is in the control of mitigating climate change. These also placed on implementing the Lakes and Dams ecosystems also have the ability to protect against masterplan for Ekurhuleni, which will see water- the effects of natural disaster by reducing flooding bodies within the City being elevated to key strategic risk, stabilizing shorelines and controlling erosion. land parcels that will contribute to potential economic investment and leveraging on the water economy. Despite the essential role wetlands play in maintaining the delicate balance of life on Earth, they are being lost MR. HEZEKIEL NKOSI and degraded at an unprecedented rate, faster than Head of Department: any other ecosystem worldwide. Since the 1900s, it is Environmental Resource estimated that 64% ofthe world’s wetlands have been Management Department destroyed in the name of development. 50% of South Africa’s wetlands alone have been lost. Wetlands have been ‘reclaimed’ for building or agricultural expansion, increasingly polluted and degraded. As a result, species which once populated these areas in EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY: WETLAND REPORT I 2017 1 ICLEI – LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FOR SUSTAINABILITY [email protected] +27 21 202 0381 www.africa.iclei.org www.twitter.com/ICLEIAfrica ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is the In order to strengthen the role cities and local leading global network of over 1,500 cities, towns and governments play in the pursuit of greater regions committed to building a sustainable future. sustainability through the collaborative design and By helping the ICLEI Network to become sustainable, implementation of integrated urban development low-carbon, ecomobile, resilient, biodiverse, resource- and effective biodiversity management, the ICLEI efficient, healthy and happy, with a green economy Cities Biodiversity Center (ICLEI CBC) was created in and smart infrastructure, we impact over 25% of the 2009. The ICLEI CBC is located in Cape Town, South global urban population. Africa, embedded in the Africa Regional Office of ICLEI. We offer cities a broad portfolio of supportive ICLEI Africa’s work is conducted by a dynamic and services through our dedicated team of passionate, passionate team of professionals that seek to work skilled and dynamic biodiversity and urban with cities to ensure a more sustainable future, with a development experts. specific focus on urban biodiversity matters. 2 2017 I EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY: WETLAND REPORT ICLEI CITIES BIODIVERSITY CENTER LOCAL ACTION FOR BIODIVERSITY PROGRAMME [email protected] +27 21 202 0381 www.africa.iclei.org www.twitter.com/ICLEIAfrica The ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center aims to create buffers further biodiversity loss, improves the urban BiodiverCities, which promote urban biodiversity for standard of living, and provides local opportunities the many benefits they offer, including human well- for global education and awareness. being, poverty alleviation, habitat conservation, air and water quality, climate change adaptation and ICLEI’s Local Action for Biodiversity (LAB) programme mitigation, food provision, fortified infrastructure is a unique global biodiversity programme run by resilience, and happiness of citizens. The ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center. The LAB Program is aimed at improving and enhancing ecosystem BiodiverCities are aware that ecosystem services management at the local level, and is recognized contribute towards many essential municipal globally as the leading results-driven local government services, as well as towards the local economy, biodiversity initiative. Currently, LAB is working on sustainability and social well-being of their cities. wetland restoration in South Africa under the Local Biodiversity in cities provides a critical contribution Action for Biodiversity: Wetlands South Africa (LAB towards achieving the global biodiversity targets. It Wetlands SA) project. EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY: WETLAND REPORT I 2017 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������1 ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������2 ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������3 Local Action for Biodiversity Programme ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������3 Table of Contents �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������4 List of Tables ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������6 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������6 List of Figures ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������7 Executive Summary ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������8 Introduction �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������9 1 i What is a Wetland? ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������11 2 i What is Biodiversity? ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������13 3 i Wetlands and Biodiversity in ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality ������������������������������������14 3�1 Wetland Ecosystem Services in Ekurhuleni