Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve
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KENNETH STAINBANK NATURE RESERVE KwaZulu-Natal South Africa Protected Area Management Plan Prepared by Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Protected Area Management Planning Unit and the Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve Planning Committee Citation Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve: Management Plan. Version 1.0 (March 2014), Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Pietermaritzburg. AUTHORISATION This Protected Area Management Plan is recommended by the Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve Planning Committee (NRPC), a multi-disciplinary team consisting of: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Ken Morty Regional Manager Craig Mulqueeny Regional Ecologist Vusumuzi Mthethwa District Conservation Manager John Dives Officer In Charge: Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve Irene Hatton Acting Coordinator Protected Area Management planning Magda Goosen Protected Area Management Planner Shiven Rambarath Protected Area Management Planner Trainee Clarke Bremner Student (Stellenbosch university) KENNETH STAINBANK NATURE RESERVE PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN III TABLE OF CONTENT AUTHORISATION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- III LIST OF TABLES ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IX LIST OF FIGURES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IX LIST OF APPENDICES ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X PREFACE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- XI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ XIII Introduction ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- xiii Management issues, challenges and opportunities at Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ---------------- xiii Managing the issues, challenges and opportunities at Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve -----------------xiv ABBREVIATIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ XVI 1) BACKGROUND -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 1.1 Purpose of the plan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 1.2 Structure of the plan ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 1.3 Introduction ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4 1.4 The values of Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ---------------------------------------------------------------7 1.5 Planning approach -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9 1.5.1 Adaptive management ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 1.5.2 Collaboration and transparency ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 2) DESCRIPTION OF KENNETH STAINBANK NATURE RESERVE AND ITS CONTEXT ------------------------------------------- 11 2.1 Institutional and administrative framework for the management of Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 2.2 The legislative basis for the management of Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve -------------------- 11 2.2.1 Proclamation status of Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ---------------------------------------------------------- 11 2.2.2 Invasive species control in terms of the Biodiversity Act -------------------------------------------------------------- 13 2.3 The policy framework guiding the management of Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ----------- 13 2.4 The regional and local planning context of Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ---------------------- 16 2.4.1 The National Protected Area Expansion Strategy ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 17 2.4.2 The Provincial Protected Area Expansion Plan -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17 2.4.3 EIA Regulations in terms of NEMA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 18 2.5 The history of Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ------------------------------------------------------------ 18 2.5.1 Origins of the name of Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ---------------------------------------------------------- 18 2.5.2 History of conservation in Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ------------------------------------------------------ 18 2.5.3 History of eco-tourism in Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ------------------------------------------------------- 19 2.6 Ecological context of Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve --------------------------------------------------- 20 2.6.1 Climate and weather ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 2.6.1.1 Temperature ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 20 2.6.1.2 Humidity ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21 2.6.1.3 Rainfall ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21 2.6.1.4 Sunshine ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 2.6.1.5 Radiation ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 2.6.1.6 Wind ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 2.6.2 Topography, Geology and Soils ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 2.6.3 Hydrology ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26 2.6.4 Vegetation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 27 2.6.4.1 KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Forests: Southern Mesic Coastal Lowlands Forest/ Southern Moist Coastal Lowlands Forest ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28 2.6.4.2 KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt Thornveld ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28 2.6.4.3 KwaZulu-Natal Coastal Belt Grassland ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 29 2.6.5 Fire regime ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 31 2.6.6 Invasive species ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 31 2.6.7 Mammalian fauna --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32 2.6.8 Avifauna --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32 2.6.9 Herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33 2.6.10 Invertebrates --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33 2.6.11 Fish ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34 2.7 Cultural context of Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ------------------------------------------------------ 34 2.8 Socio-economic context ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 36 2.9 Operational management within Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ---------------------------------- 37 2.9.1 Infrastructure --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 37 2.9.2 Staffing establishment --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40 KENNETH STAINBANK NATURE RESERVE PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN VII 2.9.3 Funding levels at Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ------------------------------------------------------------------ 40 2.9.4 Management effectiveness in Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve ------------------------------------------------- 40 2.10 Summary of management issues, challenges and opportunities ------------------------------------------ 42 3) STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 44 3.1 Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve vision ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 44 3.2 Objectives and strategic outcomes -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 44 4) ZONATION PLAN ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------