West Coast National Park

PARK MANAGEMENT PLAN

October 2006

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AUTHORISATION

This management plan is hereby internally accepted and authorised as the legal requirement for managing West Coast National Park as stated in the Protected Areas Act.

______Date: ______Paul Daphne Executive Director Parks, SANParks

______Date: ______Sydney Soundy Chief Operating Officer, SANParks

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______Date: ______Dr David Mabunda Chief Executive, SANParks

Recommended to SANParks Board

______Date: ______Ms Cheryl Carolus Chairperson, SANParks Board

Recommended to Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

______Date: ______Mr Marthinus van Schalkwyk Minister: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT)

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SUMMARY

The West Coast National Park (WCNP) conserves an exceptional range of important natural and cultural assets, including marine and terrestrial biodiversity, and rich palaeontological, archaeological and cultural-historical resources. The particularly wide diversity of natural habitats is one of the factors accounting for the rich biodiversity of the park. In the marine environment the Saldanha Bay-Langebaan Lagoon system varies widely with regard to exposure to wave action, an important feature accounting for the spatial diversity of marine fishes. The presence of several nearshore islands provides breeding colonies of Red Listed seabirds, including Cape gannet, African penguin and Bank cormorant. Other important aquatic habitats include saltmarshes (those in the park constituting 32 % of the saltmarsh habitat in South Africa) and freshwater wetlands. Situated in the diverse Cape Floral Kingdom the WCNP is also of significance in terms of floral diversity. One of the terrestrial vegetation types of the WCNP, the sand plain fynbos, is poorly represented in other protected areas and is a conservation priority for the park. Not surprisingly in view of its habitat diversity, the WCNP protects a very wide variety of Red Listed species, ranging from South Africa’s most endangered marine mollusc (for which the park provides the only known habitat), to the vulnerable black harrier (the park having the highest population density in South Africa), not to mention numerous plant species. The cultural-historical resources range from 117 000 year old fossilized human footprints to the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie beacon at Geelbek, now a national monument. Added to this is the extremely rich fossil record. This Management Plan includes plans to expand the WCNP more of both the marine and terrestrial ecosystems. A plan is put forward to expand the currently under- developed tourism potential, with a view to enhancing the financial sustainability of the park.

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TABLE OF CONTENT 1 Introduction ...... 1 1.1 Location...... 1 1.2 Extent ...... 1 1.3 History...... 2 1.4 History of park establishment ...... 3 1.5 Urban/rural park relation...... 3 1.6 Climate ...... 4 1.7 Geology and soils...... 4 1.8 Topography ...... 5 1.9 Marine & coastal processes...... 5 1.10 Flora ...... 5 1.11 Fauna ...... 6 1.12 Socio economic ...... 8 2 . Protected Areas Management Planning Framework ...... 8 2.1 Background to and formulation of the Desired State for the park ...... 8 2.2 Vision ...... 8 2.3 Balanced Scorecard...... 9 2.4 Desired state...... 9 2.5 Vital Attributes, Determinants, Threats and Constraints ...... 10 2.6 Objectives Hierarchy for the West Coast National Park...... 13 3 OPERATIONAL PLANS TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES ...... 25 3.1 Biodiversity and Heritage Conservation ...... 25 3.1.1 Park expansion ...... 25 3.1.2 Resource Use...... 26 3.1.3 Rehabilitation ...... 26 3.1.4 Faunal Management and Reintroduction ...... 27 3.1.5 Species of Special Concern...... 27 3.1.6 Fire Management...... 28 3.1.7 Freshwater Wetlands...... 29 3.2 Cultural Heritage Resources...... 29 3.3 Sustainable tourism ...... 30 3.3.1 West Coast National Park Zoning Plan...... 30 3.3.2 Tourism Background...... 31 3.3.3 Tourism Products ...... 31 3.3.4 Tourist Activities...... 33 3.3.5 Tourism Roads ...... 34 3.3.6 Access...... 34 3.3.7 Financial Analysis...... 34 3.3.8 Marketing ...... 34 3.4 Building cooperation...... 34 3.4.1 Co-operative Governance...... 34 3.4.2 Environmental Interpretation ...... 35 3.4.3 Local socio economic development ...... 35 3.4.4 Constituency Building...... 36 3.5 Effective park management...... 37 3.5.1 Environmental management (includes waste, energy, water, NEMA compliance):...... 37 3.5.2 Safety and Security...... 38 3.5.3 Infrastructure Plan...... 39

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3.5.4 Human Resources and Staff Capacity Building...... 41 3.5.4 Institutional Development and Administration...... 41 3.5.5 Financial Sustainability...... 42 3.5.5 HIV/AIDS ...... 42 3.5.6 Legal compliance/risk management...... 43 4. REFERENCES...... 45

LIST OF ACRONYMS / ABBREVIATIONS

1 BSC Balanced Scorecard 2 CDF Conservation Development Framework 3 DEAT Department of Environment Affairs and Tourism 4 DoE Department of Education 5 DWAF Department of Water Affairs and Forestry 6 EIA Environmental Impact Assessment 7 EMS Environmental Management System 8 EPWP Expanded Public Works Programme 9 FPA Fire Protection Agency 10 GIS Geographic Information System 11 GPS Global Positioning System 12 IDP Integrated Development Plan 13 MCM Marine and Coastal Management 14 MLRA Marine Living Resources Act 15 MPA Marine Protected Area 16 NEMA National Environmental Management Act 17 SANParks South African National Parks 18 SMME Small, medium and micro enterprises 19 SDF Spatial Development Framework 20 SSC Species of special concern 21 WCNCB Western Cape Nature Conservation Board 22 WCNP West Coast National Park

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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Location

The West Coast National Park (WCNP) is situated approximately 100 km northwest of Cape Town on the Atlantic seaboard in the Western Cape Province. The park extends from Yzerfontein in the south to Langebaan in the north and from the Atlantic Ocean in the west across the West Coast road (R27) in the east and incorporates a coastline stretching approximately 30 km. The park includes the Langebaan lagoon and all but one of the islands in Saldanha Bay (Figure 1).

FIGURE 1: Location of the West Coast National Park

1.2 Extent

The WCNP currently comprises some 35,000 ha of lagoon, saltmarshes, coastal dunes, strandveld and islands (Figure 2). The terrestrial part of the park extends along the coast from Yzerfontein in the south to Plankiesbaai (in line with the town Langebaan) in the north, and from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to Elandsfontein in the east. It flanks the marine component of the park (c. 5,000 ha), the Langebaan Lagoon which incorporates the lagoon south of Leentjiesklip and excludes the Donkergat Military Area.

Three nearshore islands in Saldanha Bay (Marcus, Malgas and Jutten islands) form part of the park. The Langebaan Lagoon is also designated as a Marine protected Area (MPA), while the park adjoins the Sixteen Mile Beach MPA on the Atlantic coast, the Saldanha Bay MPA north of the lagoon, and three MPAs surrounding Jutten, Malgas and Marcus islands.

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FIGURE 2: Extent of West Coast National Park 1.3 History

Palaeontology The area, especially around Elandsfontein, is extremely rich in fossils, and abundant Late Cenozoic deposits of up to 5 million years in age in the Varswater formation have been found (Hendey 1985). Fossils can also be found elsewhere in the park, and several fossils in the calcrete areas in and near the dunes at Geelbek are accessible to visitors.

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The fossilised imprints of human footprints were found at Kraalbaai in 1997. The substrate was dated through lumenescence dating as 117,000 years old. The original footprints were removed and are now kept in the S A Museum. Subsequently a trackway of the same footprints were found on the site (Roberts & Berger 1997).

Archaeology The evidence of human occupation of the park date back to the middle Pleistocene, but most of the records date from the later Holocene some 12,000 years ago. These remains range from fish traps to middens, and include an important site known as Oudepost I at Kraalbaai relating to contact between the Dutch VOC (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie) officials and the local Khoekhoe (Shrire 1985).

Historical Aspects The history of the Saldanha Bay and Langebaan Lagoon was described in a number of accounts, with a book on Saldanha Bay the best known (Burman & Levin, 1974). The park has two national monuments in the VOC beacon at Geelbek and the Geelbek homestead itself, while other historical buildings can also be found in the park at Bottelary and Soutpan.

Human exploitation of the park dates back to prehistory and continued until the present (Liengme 1987) and included a wide range of activities such as planting of alien plants to stabilise dunes, farming, sealing, seabird guano collection penguin egg collection, oyster culture, trout mariculture, fishing, whaling and mining of oyster shells, phosphate rock and salt (Yssel 2000).

1.4 History of park establishment

The first conservation measures for the Langebaan Lagoon were implemented in 1973 when the lagoon was proclaimed a reserve in terms of the Sea Fisheries Act. Concern about the state of the Langebaan Lagoon and Saldanha Bay led the then Department of Planning and Environment in 1974 to appoint a committee to, among other tasks, evaluate and advise on proposals for development in the area, and in the holding of an international symposium in 1976 recommending that the Langebaan Lagoon, the peninsula, adjacent islands and surrounding land be proclaimed a Nature Reserve as a matter of urgency.

Years of reports and planning culminated in the lagoon, some adjoining state land, the marshes near Geelbek, part of Sixteen Mile Beach and the islands Marcus, Malgas, Schaapen and Jutten being proclaimed as the Langebaan National Park in 1985. The first further expansion of the park occurred in 1987 when state land previously managed by the Department of Forestry as De Hoek Forestry station, a dune reclamation scheme, as well as Geelbek, portions of the farms Bottelary and Schrywershoek as well as Abrahamskraal was added to the park, while Postberg was included in the national park as the first contractual national park in South Africa. Some land in Langebaan was added in 1988, when a name change from Langebaan National Park to West Coast National Park was gazetted and implemented. The farm Stofbergsfontein, which included a contractual component with residential rights, was added in 1991, and since then the park has steadily increased in size, with properties being added to bring the park to its present size of around 35,000 ha.

1.5 Urban/rural park relation

The park falls within the West Coast District Municipality, with the northern part in the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality and the southern part in the Swartland Municipality. The park forms the northern core of the West Coast Biosphere Reserve, and is fully integrated in the various Spatial Development Frameworks of the municipalities. The town of Langebaan

Ref.16/1/5/1/5/20/2 3 WCNP Park Management Plan Version 1 (31 October 2006) and Yzerfontein adjoin the park to the north and south respectively, while the towns of Saldanha, Vredenburg and Hopefield are within 20 km of the park boundaries.

1.6 Climate

The climate is semi-arid Mediterranean, mild and without extremes, but with strong seasonal winds, predominantly southerlies in summer and northerlies in winter. The monthly maximum and minimum air temperatures recorded for Langebaanweg (15 km northeast of the town of Langebaan) range from 18.4oC – 27.5oC and 7.1oC – 14.9oC respectively. The average annual rainfall is 265 mm, falling mainly in winter (Weather Bureau 1988 in Heydenrych 1995).

1.7 Geology and soils

The landscapes of the park are products of a long and complex geological history. The basement rocks of the Malmesbury formation, laid down as marine sediments during the Pre- Cambrian (700 million years BP) were uplifted, folded and intruded by successive phases of igneous activitiy, which now form some exposed granite outcrops. The land surface so formed was altered by drastic changes in sea level over millions of years, leading to successive phases of denudation and submergence, during which sediments were again deposited, redistributed or eroded by water, wind or wave action. Near the coast most of the ancient bedrock is now locally between 20-60m below sea level, and is mostly buried in dune sands more than 90m deep. The loose sandy surface was moulded into flats, dunes and hollows by strong southerly winds, and while most of these areas were stabilised, some mobile dunes remained until recent stabilisation in the 1960s by alien vegetation (Geological Survey, 1972; Visser & Schoch, 1973; Tinley, 1985).

The sands, being derived from marine deposits, contain a large proportion of calcareous material, and older dunes have become calcified to sandy limestone. A thickness of 88m of this material has been recorded in boreholes at Geelbek. The marine origin of the sand is also reflected in the generally brack groundwater, and where badly drained pans flood in the winter, salt deposits can be found in the summer. Such salt pans near Geelbek have been worked intermittently since the 17th century (Visser & Schoch, 1973).

The soils at the coast are highly calcareous and susceptible to wind erosion (Liengme 1987), while earth mounds or ‘heuweltjies’ are found at Postberg (Heydenrych 1995). At places such as Massenberg and Vlaeberg the hard granite bedrock reveals wave-worn former island shores, while in other areas such as Meeuwklip wave-bevelled former shoals and reefs are evident. Indications, borne out by phosphate deposits from guano on Postberg, are that the 150m contour formed the highest sea level. The successive advances and retreats of the sea were also responsible for the formation of Saldanha Bay and Langebaan Lagoon. At times when the sea retreated, barrier dunes were built up along the coast. During the most recent advance of the sea about 9 000 years ago, the dune barriers between the granite headlands to the north and south of the modern Saldanha Bay were breached and the low-lying land behind the barriers were flooded, thus forming the modern bay and lagoon. The remaining dune barrier runs south from Postberg to form the Langebaan peninsula (Fleming 1977, 1980).

The main geological formations are: ƒ Witzand formation - unconsolidated white sand with comminuted shells, ƒ Langebaan formation - limestone calcrete and calcified parabolic dune sand, ƒ Springfontyn formation - light grey to pale red sandy soils, ƒ Langebaan-Saldanha Pluton formation - stony granite; quartz monzonite and quartz porphyry.

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1.8 Topography

The Langebaan peninsula, which abuts the Atlantic Ocean on the west and Langebaan Lagoon on the east, is about 2 km wide and 15 km long. In the northern sector there are elevated granite outcrops, the highest being Vlaeberg (193 m amsl) and Konstabelkop (189 m amsl), and low ridges of limestone and calcrete. In the south there are unconsolidated and vegetated dunes, and near Yzerfontein a large mobile dunefield extends inland towards Van Niekerkspos. The low-lying areas inland of the lagoon consist mainly of calcrete sheets and unconsolidated sands and the occasional granite outcrop such as Seeberg (Flemming 1977).

1.9 Marine & coastal processes

Langebaan Lagoon, which is a large marine embayment, has a small freshwater catchment, and surface fresh-water in the park is generally scarce and of a seasonal nature. The lagoon is tidal and the subtidal region is generally less than 4 m deep (Flemming 1977). Current velocities during spring tides can reach speeds up of to 100 cm/sec in the main entrance channels to the lagoon, before decreasing to approximately 20 – 25 cm/sec in the wider lower reaches. Approximately 12 percent of the volume of the Saldanha Bay - Langebaan Lagoon system is exchanged during a spring tide (Shannon & Stander 1977). Upwelling of cold, nutrient rich waters occurs seasonally (spring and summer) along the west coast. The upwelled water is advected into Saldanha Bay, affecting the temperature and nutrient levels of the bay (Pitcher & Calder 1998) and to lesser extent that of the lagoon (Monteiro &Largier 1999).

1.10 Flora

Phytoplankton Saldanha Bay is linked to the Benguela upwelling system and is characterized by inputs of surface nitrate and high chlorophyll levels most of the year, and a mean water column chlorophyll a concentration of 8.6 µg/l, and a mean daily rate of production of 3.40 g of C/m²/day have been recorded (Pitcher and Calder 1998)

Algae (seaweeds) A total of 200 seaweed species consisting of 33 green seaweeds, 26 brown seaweeds and 141 red seaweeds have been recorded for the Saldanha Bay / Langebaan Lagoon system (Schils 1998). Seven seaweed species found in the lagoon have a warm south coast distribution (Bolton & Stegenga 2002).

Aquatic & semi aquatic plants The saltmarsh plants Spartina maritima and Sarcocornia perennis reach maximum abundance in the southern half of the lagoon where nutrients in the marsh water are highest and current speeds reduced (Christie 1981). Other common saltmarsh species found are Arthrocnemum pillanssi var. pillanssi, Salicornia capensis and Disphyma crassifolium, Juncus krausii, Scirpus nodosus, Nidorella foetida, Senecio haliminfolius, Typha capensis and Phragmites australis (Boucher & Jarman 1977).

The saltmarshes of Langebaan are unique in that no river feeds them and the lagoon, and at some 5,700ha, constituting 32% of saltmarsh habitat in the country, the marshes are the largest in South Africa (O’Callaghan 1990).

Terrestrial vegetation WCNP mostly contains strandveld vegetation (24,025 ha), which was previously classified as West Coast Strandveld (Acocks 1988) and Langebaan Fynbos/Thicket Mosaic (Cowling & Heijnis 2001), and hereafter referred to as ‘strandveld’. In recent years the park has expanded incorporating substantial areas (6,382 ha) of an additional vegetation type / broad

Ref.16/1/5/1/5/20/2 5 WCNP Park Management Plan Version 1 (31 October 2006) habitat unit i.e. Hopefield Sand Plain Fynbos, previously called Coastal Fynbos, and hereafter referred to as ‘sand plain fynbos’. Both these habitat units were given a 50 % irreplaceability rating (Cowling et al. 1999), meaning that half of what remains outside reserves should be conserved. However, sand plain fynbos is regarded to be of higher conservation value than strandveld, due to very little being formally conserved and it being more threatened by alien plant invasion.

The strandveld vegetation of WCNP occurs on the Langebaan peninsula and east of the Langebaan lagoon on deep calcareous sands of the Langebaan formation. Sand plain fynbos occurs inland of the strandveld, around Hopefield, on deep acidic light-grey to pale- red sands of the Springfontyn formation. Extensive marshes, dominated by Sarcocornia, Salicornia, Spartina, Limonium, Phragmites, Typha, Juncus, and/or Scirpus species, occur on the fringes of the Langebaan lagoon (Boucher & Jarman 1977).

The vegetation of the park, excluding the newly acquired properties such as Van Niekerks Hoop, Kalkkilpfontein, Langefontein and Elandsfontein, may be divided into 36 associations (or communities), having some 482 plant species (including salt marsh species), of which 21 are Red Data Book species (Heydenrych 1995). A further 14 Red Data species have been recorded, or are likely to occur, in the newly acquired sections of land (see Operational plan for species of special concern).

1.11 Fauna

Marine Invertebrates Langebaan Lagoon has a rich marine fauna of more than 400 species. In general the density and diversity of macro-invertebrates in the soft substrata of the lagoon is higher than in that of Saldanha Bay (Simons 2000). In the early 1990s approximately 800,000 sand prawns Callianassa kraussi were removed per annum from the central bank in the lagoon by bait diggers, who disturbed a further 1,300 kg of associated macrofauna, much of which (c. 80%) was preyed upon by scavenging gulls (Wynberg & Branch1997). Such bait digging activities had a marked impact on the composition of the macro-fauna in the mudflats of the lagoon, with some polychaeta species being attracted to disturbed sites, while others avoid these sites (Simons 2000). The lagoon is also the only known habitat for South Africa's most endangered marine mollusc, Siphonaria compressa (Hebert 1999). Another small mollusc Assiminea globulus constitutes about 63 percent of the invertebrate biomass in the surface layers of the intertidal mudflats of the lagoon, and it is the major prey item of the curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea, which is the most abundant migrant wader at Langebaan Lagoon (Puttick 1978). Three alien invertebrate species have sizeable populations in the lagoon. They are the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, European periwinkle Littorina saxatilis and an anemone Sagartia ornata (Robinson et al. 2004).

Fishes The overall abundance of teleosts (bony fish such as bream and mullets) across the Saldanha Bay-Langebaan Lagoon system increases as wave exposure decreases, while the highest species richness and diversity occur at intermediate levels of wave exposure. A total of 29 bony fish species and 5 elasmobranch (sharks) species have been found in the lagoon (Clark 1997) with the sandshark Rhinobatos annulatus being an important predator due to its numbers and biomass (Harris et al. 1988).

Amphibians Very little is known about the amphibians of the park, with only a preliminary checklist being available.

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Reptiles Thirty-three reptile species have been recorded in the park (Cordes & Mouton 1996). Detailed studies have been done on the girdled lizards Cordylus niger and C. polyzonus and angulale tortoise Chersina angulate. The angulate tortoise Chersina angulate population of the park is genetically (mtDNA) different from that at Kleinzee (Lesia et al. 2003).

Birds Langebaan Lagoon: A total of some 255 species have been recorded in the park. Langebaan Lagoon provides an important feeding area for migrant waders. The lagoon supports approximately 26 % of all waders noted in the wetlands of the south-western Cape Province (Ryan et al. 1988), and between 1975 and 1995 an average of 34 700 birds were recorded during annual summer counts. Of these approximately 90% were Palaearctic migrant waders, with the most abundant species Curlew sandpiper Calidris ferruginea (c. 56%), Grey plover Pluvialis squatarola (11%), Sanderling Calidris alba (8%) and Knot Calidris canutus (8 %). In winter the numbers of waterbirds decline to approximately 10,300, which include about 4,500 flamingos (Phoenicipterus ruber and P. minor) (Navarro et al. 1995). The terrestrial area adjacent to the lagoon supports the highest density of the Vulnerable black harrier Circus maurus in South Africa.

Nearshore islands: The nearshore islands support large breeding colonies of Red Data seabirds. Based on a survey done in 2000 (Du Toit et al. 2003), these include the Vulnerable species: • Cape gannets Morus capensis – 70,000 nest sites/breeding pairs • African penguin Spheniscus demersus - 1,507 nest sites • Bank cormorant Phalocrocorax neglectus - 65 nest sites and the Near-threatened species: • Cape cormorant Phalocrocorax capensis - 33,000 nest sites (1978) • Crowned cormorant Phalocrocorax coronatus - 224 nest sites • African black oystercatcher Haematopus moquini - 180 breeding pairs

Substantial numbers of non-threatened species also breed on these islands (e.g. Kelp gull Larus dominicanus – 8,351 breeding pairs; Hartlaub’s Gull Larus hartlaubii – 1,669 breeding pairs).

The overall breeding success of the Cape gannet and African penguin is adversely affected by decreases in stocks of anchovy and sardine (Crawford 1998); oil pollution (Crawford et al. 2000a), and predation by seals (Mecenero et al. 2005).

Mammals Terrestrial: Compared with the more tropical regions of southern Africa, the South West Cape has few species. Nevertheless, 19 rodents, 11 insectivores, 13 carnivores and 10 ungulates have been recorded in the park (Avery et al. 1990). Of these animals five ungulates and one rodent are extralimital (i.e. they were introduced into the park, which lies outside their normal distribution range). One such species is the Bontebok Damaliscus dorcas dorcas, which together Grant’s golden mole Eremitalpa granti and honey badger Mellivora capensis, comprise the three Red Data mammals found in the park (Friedmann & Daly 2004). The larger carnivores in the park (Yellow mongoose Cynictis penicillata, small grey mongoose Galerella pulverulenta, water mongoose Atilax paludinosus and caracal Felis caracal) show opportunistic feeding behaviour and an absence of dietary specialisation. Rodents (Rhabdomys pumilio and Otomys unisulcatus) are the main prey item of the last three mentioned carnivore species (Avenant & Nel 1997).

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Marine: Cape fur seal colonies historically occurred on the nearshore islands in Saldanha Bay, but no longer occupy this habitat However, seals still forage in the area, often preying on the seabirds of the islands (Yssel 2000).

1.12 Socio economic

Demography The area surrounding Saldanha Bay and Langebaan Lagoon (Vredenburg, Saldanha, Velddrif and Langebaan) had an estimated population of 46,427 in 1994, growing to an estimated 64,300 in 1998. The rapid increase could be ascribed to recent industrial development of the area. The average population growth, however, could vary between 3.4% and 5.382% per annum. 98% of this population of the area live in the towns of the area, with only 2% in the rural areas. The various spatial development frameworks and structure plans for the area provide information on population composition, employment and other demographic aspects of the area

Main Economic Activities Agriculture and fishing currently provide the largest employment, i.e. 24%. The West Coast is the center of South Africa's commercial fishing industry and produces 22% of the total South African fish catch. The next largest sector is manufacturing, providing 21% of all jobs, which partly reflects the large number of people involved in fish processing and industrial manufacturing. The service sector accounts for 20% of jobs, and trade for 9%. The West Coast's 1994 GDP of R3.7 billion amounted to 7.2 % of that of the Province as a whole. As many employment opportunities in agriculture, fishing and, to some extent, tourism, are seasonal or temporary, rates of unemployment in the West Coast vary. The 1991 census showed that 71% of the region's labour force was formally employed and unemployment was rated at 10%. The percentage active in the informal sector had grown from 6% in 1980 to 19% in 1991 (Yssel 2000)

2 . PROTECTED AREAS MANAGEMENT PLANNING FRAMEWORK

2.1 Background to and formulation of the Desired State for the park

The SANParks Policy Framework guides the development of park management plans. The essential feature of the system is the iterative way in which it will enable continual improvement in the management of the Park though annual and five-year review cycles. The first step in developing/revising a management plan is to develop the desired state of the park.

Setting the Desired State In order that the current, and future, extent of the Park is to be protected and managed effectively, a Desired State is developed to guide park management in its daily operations. The Desired State is drafted every five years in consultation with representative stakeholders.

2.2 Vision

We see a West Coast National Park that conserves and enhances the unique terrestrial and marine ecological and cultural, historical and scenic resources of the Langebaan lagoon, proximate islands and natural environments of the West Coast for the appreciation, and use of, present and future generations.

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Cultural heritage

To manage and sustain the significance, authenticity and integrity of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage resources for which SANParks is responsible, for the enjoyment and benefit of all South Africans and of the world.

Tourism

To become a fully operational National Park that offers a diversity of tourism products and enhances the tourist experience in a sustainable manner.

People and Conservation

To enable stakeholders to derive maximum and equitable benefit from opportunities created through the West Coast National Park thereby promoting a regional and national conservation ethic.

2.3 Balanced Scorecard

SANParks implemented a Balanced Scorecard (BSC) in 2004 as a management tool to provide a comprehensive management framework and business measurement translating value positions to achievable objectives, measures and targets. This framework is used in setting out objectives in the management plan.

2.4 Desired state

Desired state Priority

1 Nearshore seabird breeding sites adequately protected High

2 Lagoon habitat for migrant waders adequately protected High

3 Natural functions of the lagoon maintained High

4 The extent of underrepresented habitat types increased (Sand Plain Fynbos, Coastal High Renosterveld, sandy beaches & adjacent subtidal areas)

5 Fossil beds (Elandsfontein) incorporated into park High

6 Development and activities in the park in line with conservation objectives High

7 Extralimital species in the park and contractual areas removed and herbivory High decreased.

8 Gill net activities reduced High

9 Alien removal programs continued and expanded (terrestrial & aquatic), and aligned High with fire programme

10 Compliance in the multi-use zone of park improved (boating, bait collecting, fishing) High

11 Knowledge of rare plant and animal populations improved (performance & distributions) High

12 The determination of groundwater reserves by DWAF encouraged High

13 Neighbouring land use compatible with park objectives encouraged. High

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14 Fire management programme implemented Medium

15 Degraded lands rehabilitated, apart from select lands maintained for spring flower Medium displays

16 Re-establishment of functioning mobile dune field investigated Low

17 Indigenous herbivore complement are re-established within constraints Low

18 Old quarries, decommissioned roads, old farm yards and other disturbed sites Low rehabilitated.

19 Knowledge of pollination/dispersal processes increased Low

20 Archaeological, cultural & historical sites inventorised and well managed. High

21 Tourism infrastructure that caters for a wide variety of markets by providing a high High quality service and experience without compromising biodiversity is developed

2.5 Vital Attributes, Determinants, Threats and Constraints

Biodiversity Vital attributes Determinants Threats Constraints GENERIC CONSTRAINTS: Limited knowledge Lack of funds Limited staff capacity Changing focus of funding sources (land acquisition for biodiversity vs. infrastructure) Representation a) Patterns Important landscape/ habitat elements (and associated biota): Langebaan Lagoon Expanding harbour and increasing Harbour (incl. oil terminal) shipping traffic Langebaan & park villages Oil pipeline Saldanha – Milnerton Special Forces bases Developments Industrial developments Water quality & pollution Historical fishing agreements Extractive use House boats, Invasive alien species Servitude running through park Boating activities Decreasing freshwater input Flow barriers, Nearshore Islands Sea level rise Difficult access Developments Illegal access Oil pollution Manpower Human disturbance Distance from park centre Poaching Current inability to ensure Predators (natural & introduced) proper management Alien invasive species Existing infrastructure Mobile dunes Alien invasive species Developments Developments Entrance road Dune stabilization in adjacent areas Vegetation types (and associated fauna):

Sand Plain Fynbos Alien invasive species Outside transformation by

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Strandveld Inappropriate fires agriculture & development Over-utilisation Loss of indigenous seedbanks Saltmarsh vegetation Development activities Limited knowledge & baseline info Freshwater wetland vegetation Erosion Ground water abstraction Groundwater contamination Potential species loss Species of Special Concern: Red-listed plant species Over-utilisation by herbivores Limited Sand Plain Fynbos Inappropriate fire regime conserved Development activities Climate change Insufficient knowledge Alien invasive plants Red-Data seabirds breeding Predators (natural & introduced) Size of island sites: Oil pollution Commercial fishing activities Disease Oil terminal & harbour Collapse of fish stocks Shipping activities Human disturbance Large seal colonies Developments Breakwater at Marcus island Alien invasive species Migrant waders over wintering Human disturbance Developments (western shore on lagoon Pollution of lagoon) Disease Boating activities Developments Oil terminal & harbour Predators Alien invasive species Potential transmitters of human diseases Red Data bird: Black Harrier Deterioration of marshlands Limited marshland area Human disturbance Inappropriate fires

Exploited line fish species and Gill-netting Existing permits Existing fishing bycatch from gill-netting Illegal fishing and exceeding bag limits activities Lack of cooperative governance wrt MLRA

False limpet Siphonaria Deterioration of eelgrass beds Recreational bait digging compressa Human disturbance activities Pollution Sedimentation. Mammals and Diseases Lack of destinations for Reptiles Developments outside park bontebok Bee-keeping. b) Processes Fire Accidental fires Equipment and manpower to Over-utilisation by herbivores control burns Inappropriate fire regime Fire Protection Association Climate change Limited access Alien vegetation Alien vegetation Damage to infrastructure Existing infrastructure Herbivory Over-utilisation Contractual arrangements with Unacceptable change in vegetation Postberg Inappropriate species Tourist expectations (flowers, Inappropriate fires game) Inappropriate water provision Bontebok

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Hydrological (lagoon & aquifers) Alteration of water circulation in lagoon Hydrological influences are (breakwater, groynes, extension to oil outside park terminal & jetties) Demand for ground water Increasing demand for ground water, No reserve determination

Sediment movement (lagoon) Alien mussel colonization Harbour & Langebaan town Harbour / Oil terminal extensions developments Climate change Existing flow barriers Artificial sedimentation Sediment movement (mobile Alien vegetation Developments dunes) Development Roads Rehabilitation Alien mussel removal from Potential recruitment from rocky shores Huge populations in adjacent sandbanks of the lagoon and mussel farms areas.

Alien invasive plant removal Continued invasions Persistent alien seed banks, Disturbance Inefficient follow-up Fires Fire-sensitive strandveld Sand blowouts Slow recovery of vegetation Insufficient indigenous seed Active rehabilitation of disturbed Loss of topsoil bank areas Climate change Funding. Unpredictable weather Alien reinvasion (persistent seed banks) Herbivory Landscape Land use - inside park (zoning) Conflicting biodiversity and tourism Inappropriate existing roads & objectives infrastructure & roads Inadequate planning (CDF not Past agreements (Postberg, developed) Stofbergsfontein) Inappropriate activities Illegal houseboats Poverty relief development projects Flower season Tourism pressure Land use – surrounding park Inappropriate land use Proximity to towns Changing land use Donkergat military base Regional development strategies (IDPs) conflicting with park objectives Extension of towns and industry

Wildness Configuration of park Outside development Limited expansion options Prioritisation for allocation of funds Lack of acceptance about importance of specific acquisitions Development

Visual experience High visibility of structures from lagoon Flat landscape Wind farm(s) Situation of Langebaan town Structures on outcrops Existing visually intrusive infrastructure Human impact Littering Need to generate revenue Visual, auditory, olfactory & other Expectation that protected pollution areas will provide benefits to Military & Air-force activity public Illegal collection of biota Open (accessible) nature of Trampling (trails) park, Tourism & boating pressure Resident communities within Increasing tourism pressure & road park network Military & Air-force not Human dependence on services / respecting park rules / infrastructure (e.g. toilets) legislation No control over aviation activities

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2.6 Objectives Hierarchy for the West Coast National Park

High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan CONSERVATIO (1) Identification of under represented N OF habitats/communities. REPRESENTAT (2) Consolidate park boundaries. IVE, Consolidation and FUNCTIONAL expansion of land/ (3) Incorporate more Sand Plain Fynbos. sea areas: ECOSYSTEMS: (4) Incorporate Elandsfontein Fossil Fields. Consolidate protected To conserve a Park Representative areas focusing on (5) Incorporate MPAs, i.e. 16 Mile Beach and representative Expansion sample of the ecosystems: under represented those surrounding Marcus, Malgas & Jutten regions To incorporate a ecosystems, Island. spectrum of viable functional linkages ecosystems in a (6) Investigate incorporation of Meeuw- and terrestrial, aquatic, and processes. (8) linked Vondeling islands. landscape/ and marine seascape, and ecosystems (7) Align park expansion with bioregional the maintenance characteristic of planning. the West Coast or restoration of Reintroduction of environmental Region, and to re- introduce missing biota: processes to Re-establish, where enable natural elements where possible. possible, locally Fauna spatial and extinct or depleted (1) Re-establish indigenous biota within Manageme temporal biodiversity constraints of park size, location, nt & variation in components and infrastructure, etc. reintroducti structural, populations in on functional and accordance with compositional principles & components of guidelines. (14)

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High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan biodiversity. (1) Pursue appropriate management arrangements of lagoon with MCM. Langebaan Lagoon: (2) Ensure appropriate co-operative governance with relevant government Strive to maintain long departments/agencies (esp. wrt oil spill). Functional term persistence of ecosystems: biodiversity patterns (3) Meet international obligations with respect to To ensure the long and processes in the Ramsar Convention. Safety & term persistence lagoon ecosystem, (4) Liaise with stakeholders to ensure protection Security of biodiversity particularly the of natural resources patterns and protection of processes. invertebrates, fishes (5) Enforce applicable fishing and bait legislation and migrant waders. (MLRA). (1) (6) Encourage research & monitoring (e.g. of migrant waders, invasive aliens, harvesting of fish & invertebrates). (1) Maintain appropriate conditions for successful seabird breeding (limit human disturbance, eradicate introduced predators, address Environmental rogue seal predation). Management (2) Pursue appropriate management (incl. oil spill Nearshore Islands arrangements of inshore marine areas with contingency, Strive to maintain the MCM. SANCCOB bird islands as safe rescue), (3) Ensure appropriate co-operative governance breeding areas for seabirds. (2) with relevant government agencies (especially with respect to seabird rescues Species of after oil spills). Special Concern (4) Encourage research & monitoring of breeding seabird colonies, predation & avian mortalities.

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High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan

Fire: (1) Align fire management plan with alien plant Apply appropriate fire clearing programme. regime in Sand Plain Fynbos areas (2) Implement a fire plan to conserve Fire (frequency, season, biodiversity. management intensity, unit size), (3) Protect fire sensitive coastal strandveld areas while protecting and wetlands from fires. vegetation types not driven by fire. (6) (4) Evaluate impact of fire management. (1) Undertake monitoring (annual aerial census Herbivory: of large species, quarterly ground counts of Maintain composition small species - trends) of population size, and population sizes composition, and distribution of med-large of medium-large herbivores. Fauna herbivores, and (2) Assess habitat types preferred by herbivores management understand the role of for signs of over-utilisation (e.g. trampling, & herbivory as a absence of inflorescences). reintroduction modifier of biodiversity at different spatial and (3) Develop TPCs and apply adaptive temporal scales. ( 5) management, i.e. results inform herbivore management practices. (1) Identify and evaluate the status of species of special concern. Species of special (2) Minimize threats to populations of breeding concern: Red Data seabirds & Black Harrier Species of Maintain viable (3) Encourage monitoring of selected species special populations of species (abundance, breeding success & mortalities). concern of special concern. (3) (4) Maintain viable populations of Red Data plant species by means of appropriate management of the vegetation.

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High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan Freshwater (1) Improve understanding of freshwater wetlands: marshes & wetlands and their functioning. seeps Maintain physical, (2) Remove alien vegetation in freshwater Freshwater chemical and wetland areas. wetlands - biological processes (3) Prevent development within freshwater in freshwater wetland wetlands. areas. (9) (1) Establish the distribution and density of invasive species. Alien plants and other alien or extra- (2) Prioritise areas for alien removal focusing on limital biota: biodiversity restoration. Rehabilitation: Control and where (3) Implement removal programs for priority possible eliminate Rehabilitate species and areas (alien plants, mobile Rehabilitati alien/extra-limital biota degraded areas, dunes, mussels on soft sediments). on including the re- to facilitate re- (4) Investigate options for the control of alien establishment of establishment of species (e.g. biological control). biodiversity, and natural biodiversity the restoration of pattern and process in (5) Remove extra-limital herbivores. key processes invaded areas. (4) (6) Encourage/ facilitate natural recovery of which support long transformed areas term persistence of biodiversity. Degraded land: strive towards re- (1) Rehabilitate quarries, decommissioned roads establishment of and unused infrastructure (e.g. farmsteads). Rehabilitati biodiversity patterns (2) Encourage/facilitate natural recovery of old on and process in lands. degraded land. (11)

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High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan MITIGATE Internal INTERNAL and Reconciling developments and EXTERNAL other park activities: (1) Implement existing zonation plan. PRESSURES: activities with Minimise impacts (2) Develop and implement CDF. To reduce biodiversity associated with the threats and objectives: development of (3) Developments in accordance with EIA pressures and To ensure that all tourism and park process (NEMA) and corporate policies. CDF limit management management (4) Determine tourism carrying capacities. environmental aspects of infrastructure, and impacts SANParks ensure that such (5) Implement green standards and resulting from operations developments do not environmental best practice to be based on non-biodiversity (revenue compromise future corporate policy. management generation biodiversity objectives. aspects of including tourism, (12, 16) SANParks resource use, Extractive resource operations and developments, use: surrounding management Minimise the impacts land and activities) are (1) Quantify current extractive resource activities of extractive resource resource use. informed and (biological & groundwater). constrained by use, and ensure that such activities are (2) Define opportunities and constraints in line biodiversity Resource aligned with corporate with corporate guidelines. conservation use guidelines; are within objectives, and (3) Regulate resource use, according to adaptive management capacity that the impacts of management process (e.g. gill net activities constraints, and do these activities on by local communities) biodiversity are not compromise minimised. biodiversity objectives. (13)

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High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan Reconciling (1) Engage with regional land management biodiversity with authorities, with respect to IDPs and SDFs at external threats: External local & regional level. To reduce external developments: (2) Provide input into planning and decision threats and Minimise the impacts making process (e.g. EIAs) for external Cooperative pressures, and associated with development that may compromise park governance limit impacts of inappropriate biodiversity objectives. surrounding land developments outside & resource use on the park. (17) (3) Negotiate to ensure that external biodiversity developments are not visually obtrusive or conservation out of character with the park. within the park. (1) Negotiate to mitigate or improve the External activities: management of external potentially Negotiate to ensure detrimental impacts. that external resource (2) Encourage eco-friendly resource use and Cooperative and land use do not land management practices on adjacent governance detrimentally affect properties. ecological processes within the park. (15) (3) Encourage reserve determination for ground water systems.

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High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan Hydrological and water chemistry (1) Participate in the Saldanha Forum, changes: monitoring committee of beach restoration, Encourage Saldanha Bay Water Quality Trust and obtain responsible authorities results of water quality monitoring. Environmental to ensure that (2) Encourage enforcement of legislation management industries in the applicable to the management and protection (incl. oil spill Saldanha Bay comply of aquatic resources. contingency), with water quality Cooperative standards, use ground (3) Mitigate the impacts of oil and other pollution, governance water responsibly and through appropriate contingency planning. alert SANParks to any (4) Address the issue of sewage and other point effluent discharges. source pollution into the marine environment. (10) Illegal harvesting of resources: (1) Public education and liaison. Prevent the illegal (2) Law enforcement. Safety and collection, removal or Security destruction of physical (3) Enhance interagency cooperation in law and biological enforcement, compliance and prosecution. resources. (7) Human-animal conflict: In consultation with (1) Implement strategy to control problem stakeholders, animals entering the park. Safety and minimize negative (2) Develop and implement disease Security outcomes resulting management plan. from human-animal conflicts. (18)

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High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan

WILDNESS / Range of (1) Develop CDF, including sensitivity-value REMOTENESS experiences: analysis. : Provide a range of To maintain and visitor (2) Investigate opportunities for providing a restore experiences. greater range of experiences for visitors. wildness / CDF, Park (1) Implement & update CDF. remoteness in expansion, WCNP such (2) Establish and apply appropriate tourism Tourism, that the spiritual Sense of place: carrying capacity. Rehabilitatio and experiential n Maintain or restore (3) Negotiate to ensure that internal & external qualities of appropriate sense developments are not visually obtrusive or wildness are of place. out of character with park. maintained, enhanced, or (4) Ensure integration with local & regional IDPs restored and SDFs (1) Documentation of newly discovered cultural To further develop heritage sites and associated oral histories Attain and continuously Cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge (tangible & leadership in update an resources data for the intangible heritage) Cultural cultural inventory of national park Heritage heritage cultural resources (2) Maps managment in the West Coast (3) GPS coordinates; include information in the National Park Cultural heritage data base

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High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan (1) Asses significance of individual sites; (2) Assess conservation/protection status for all cultural resources in the park; To formulate and implement a (3) Site conservation measures Cultural Heritage (4) Assess the potential utilisation of sites Management Plan (current & future); (CHMP) for the Cultural Heritage Cultural West Coast Management plan (5) involve stakeholder participation in the Heritage National Park as development process soon as (6) Maintain an appropriate balance between inventorisation is natural and cultural heritage in all aspects of fully done. park management. (7) Allocate resources to implement CHMP (8) Identify cultural heritage research priorities To formulate and (1) Visitor control measures implement CHMP (2) Information boards & signage Site Plan for heritage sites that (3) Conservation measures - restore and Cultural heritage site Cultural have been maintain stone walls management plans Heritage identified for (4) Interpretation plan educational, research and (5) Maintain the sense of place at archaeological tourism purposes sites

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High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan

To monitor cultural (1) Design and implement a monitoring system resources for cultural resources as required by the regularly in order management plan to determine state of resources and Cultural heritage (2) Compile status files for all sites with condition Cultural to enable monitoring system reporting forms and photos. Heritage decision-making (3) Assess sites as highly sensitive, sensitive or ito conservation stable and monitor accordingly measures or management. (4) Annotate files after each visit (1) Contribute to local community development Local Enhance benefits by identifying projects that can be developed socio- Contribute to to local in conjunction with neighbouring communities economic local communities (2) Identify SMME opportunities within the developme educational planning domain nt and socio- economic (1) Present environmental education and youth Increase Environ- development programs environmental mental awareness (2) Establish and market an environmental Education education centre and programs Stakeholde Good community (1) Identify and involve all relevant stakeholders r and stakeholder for a park forum Custodian of relationshi relation Choice for p Protected Area Stakeholde Effective (1) Establish and maintain good relationships Management r cooperate with relevant government institutions relationshi governance (2) Schedule formal meetings p

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High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan (1) Develop the current and new tourist nodes to their full potential (2) Develop and maintain basic visitor and Become the To develop, infrastructure nature based manage and Tourism, tourism (3) Increase opportunities for SMMEs and enhance a range destination of concessionaires to develop activities Infrastructu of sustainable choice in the re tourism products (4) Increase number of overnight visitors region (5) Improve the tourism knowledge and skills of staff in order to deliver an excellent service and create loyalty Transform Transform the domestic domestic guest guest profile, profile, through (1) Promote and manage access to the park through growth, to be Marketing growth, to be representative of (2) Market park resources and services representative the regional of SA Society demography Ensure Best Implement Best Practice in Practice in managing and managing and understanding (1) Implement SANParks policies and understanding HIV/AIDS HIV and AIDS guidelines HIV, AIDS and (and associated associated diseases disease) Advance Staff Ensure good (1) Implement staff capacity program Strategic Capacity human resource Resource (2) Develop an institutional development and Building, management Management administration program Institutional Developme

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High level Operational Objective Sub-objective Initiative objective plan (3) Performance management plan in place nt

Improve Improve the Financial income to cost income to cost (1) Manage cost to income ratio sustainabili ratio ratio continuously ty Achieve good (1) Do legal review Risk corporate Manage risk (2) Develop compliance plan Manageme governance profile effectively nt management (3) Monitor plan

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3 OPERATIONAL PLANS TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES

This section deals with the discrete, but often interlinked programs making up the approach to issues and lead management actions in the park. They represent the efforts by the park to achieve the Desired State. Each subsection of this management plan is a summary of a particular program, which are supported by details contained in lower level plans, referred to but not included here.

The programs are divided into the five activity groupings reflected in the SANParks Biodiversity Custodianship Framework, namely Biodiversity and Heritage Conservation, Sustainable Tourism Building Cooperation, Effective Park Management and Corporate Support. SANParks corporate policies provide the guiding framework for most of these sections and are not repeated here except by reference.

3.1 Biodiversity and Heritage Conservation

3.1.1 Park expansion The WCNP is situated in an internationally & nationally identified priority conservation area by the South African national conservation assessment (Driver et al. 2005). As such, the conservation and expansion of WCNP remains important for SANParks in its attempt to further the protection of the threatened marine environment and the botanically diverse remaining fragments of the lowland fynbos vegetation types in an otherwise highly fragmented and transformed landscape.

The objective for the park is to create a park that conserves the land-seascape characteristic of the southern Western Cape coastal region. The expansion programme is in full congruence with SANParks accepted biodiversity values and follows the SANParks land acquisition framework. The envisaged expansion options to consolidate this important biodiversity across the marine, terrestrial and wetland environments are expected to be affected by the environmental legislation governing these areas. The desired state of the park, in the context of park expansion, includes: • The unification of the marine protected seascape incorporating its diverse marine- island-lagoon-mainland linkages; • The consolidation of untransformed lowland fynbos including poorly represented sandveld fynbos and renosterveld vegetation types into a contiguous marine- terrestrial park unit; • The minimisation of visual and hard boundary impact of inappropriate surrounding developments on the parks aesthetic qualities. • Develop an ecotourism product in synergy with the parks conservation goals and regional development plans.

The 34,389 ha large park with its Fynbos and Wetland biome representations, has seven vegetation types, of which four are endangered (Hopefield Sand Fynbos, Saldanha Flats Strandveld, Saldanha Granite Strandveld, Cape Inland Salt Pans). Although the park does not have a fine scale systematic conservation plan as of yet, planned expansion direction is in line with the regional CAPE initiative that is aimed at building a comprehensive protected area system in the Cape Floristic Region, and conserving poorly protected vegetation types such as the endangered Hopefield Sandveld Fynbos. In this regard the proposed terrestrial expansion includes a consolidation component of 501 ha state land adjoining Posberg, 1,110 ha around Langebaan, and a marine inclusion of the 13 ha Vondeling Island. Other expansions include a southern 1,951 ha component, an eastern 32,468 ha and an extension to the 16 mile beach marine protected area. This would take the park to its desired state of about 70 000 ha. Acquisition of non state land would cost a minimum of R70 million.

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During the 2006-10 management cycle its expected to acquire about 3502 ha for about R7.0 million.

3.1.2 Resource Use SANParks is committed to a policy which includes investigating avenues for communities to benefit through participation in national park development, while still maintaining effective conservation of resources. At present, two forms of extractive resource utilization are permitted in WCNP. These are regulated harvesting of marine biota for bait and food purposes, and felling alien tree species for firewood. In the former instance, 11 ‘traditional’ fishers have permits to gill net mullets in Langebaan Lagoon MPA, while the general public is permitted to collect bait and line fish in accordance with legislation of the Marine Living Resources Act of 1998 (MLRA).

Contractors are used to harvest firewood from alien tree species in allocated sections of the park. Extractive resource use is the biggest threat to the marine environment in the South- western Cape Bioregion (Lombard et al. 2004), and staff from WCNP and MCM undertake regular patrols to encourage compliance with the legislation through summons and prosecutions. In future the above and other potential natural resource use activities will be aligned with the SANParks corporate policy on extractive use, which is still to be developed.

3.1.3 Rehabilitation Old agricultural land: Significant tracts (c. 730 ha) of old agricultural land occur in the park, largely within the strandveld vegetation and concentrated at Postberg, Mooimaak, Massenberg / Nuwepos and Abrahamskraal. Reestablishment of indigenous vegetation on these old lands should be attempted but may be hampered by: (i) high cost of intensive rehabilitation efforts, (ii) lack of knowledge of effective rehabilitation methods, (iii) potentially irreversible changes having occurred, i.e. soil enrichment and loss of seedbanks and underground rootstocks, and (iv) continuous disturbance by herbivores. The strip-cultivated lands (e.g. at Abrahamskraal) have better potential for natural recovery due to the proximity of indigenous seed source. In the absence of sufficient funds and/or clear guidelines for the active reestablishment of strandveld, management actions should focus on creating conditions conducive to natural recovery and succession of the vegetation. Of importance in this process is the reduction of physical disturbance by limiting herbivory and trampling through the removal of high numbers of herbivores, and particularly extra-limital concentrate grazers, as well as preventing fires. Fixed-point photography and monitoring of vegetation recovery using herbivore exclosures on the old lands at Postberg should continue. Additional photographic records should be kept of areas undergoing natural recovery and/or facilitated rehabilitation to evaluate progress.

Alien invasive plants: The terrestrial component of the park is extensive (c. 29,000ha), and containing large areas (>19,000 ha) of strandveld and smaller ones of sand plain fynbos. The fynbos, strandveld and ecotones along coastal and mobile dunes are the most susceptible to invasion by alien invasive plants (AIPs). Eradication of AIPs in the dune fields will ensure reinstatement of sand movement. The overall level of AIP infestation in the park is generally low to moderate. An exception is the south region of the park, where historically wood harvesting was permitted. Through inappropriate clearing methods and high levels of disturbance the AIP problem has worsened. A total of seven AIP species (excluding emergent and garden weeds) have been recorded in the park. They are Acacia cyclops (rooikranz), A. saligna (Port Jackson willow), Pinus pinaster (pines), Eucalyptus globulus (blue gum), Myoporum serratum (manatoka), Datura ferox (thorn apple) and Nicotiniana glauca (wild tobacco). Acacia cyclops is most abundant and widespread. Management should correctly manage the clearing of woodlots to: (i) ensure effective AIP control, (ii) ensure that follow-up operations are undertaken in previously cleared areas, as well as (iii) being proactive in areas bordering the

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Alien marine invertebrates: The distribution and abundance of alien invertebrate species in the Saldanha Bay - Langebaan Lagoon system have recently been evaluated (Robinson et al. 2004). The alien Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis occurs as scattered individuals on the rocky shores of the lagoon, while the European periwinkle Littorina saxatilis and alien anemone Sagartia ornata had limited distributions, but sizeable populations (>2 million individuals) within the lagoon. A single carapace of the European shore crab Carcinus maenas has also been recorded. This crab species could pose a major threat to the indigenous invertebrates should it become established in the lagoon (Robinson et al. 2004; 2005). A further threat is the extensive colonization of the intertidal sandflats by the Mediterranean mussel, as occurred in the late 1990s, since it markedly affects the faunal composition of the sandflats (Branch & Steffani 2004). The dangers posed by the European periwinkle and the alien anemone are presently unquantified, but appear slight. Park Management should strive to be proactive and actions should include: (i) equipping field rangers with a list and full description of invasive species that could potentially invade the park, (ii) routine inspections of key areas, (iii) removal of all established mussel beds from on the intertidal sandflats, and (iv) setting traps for the European shore crab should this species be detected in the lagoon. The knowledge on the distribution and abundance of existing alien species in the park, as well as other potential invader species in the region should be regularly updated. .

Alien/extra-limital vertebrates: Large numbers of extra-limital herbivores occur within the Postberg contractual area, some of which have spread to the remainder of the WCNP. The 2005 aerial census recorded 25 Blue wildebeest, 32 Gemsbok, 48 Kudu, 79 Bontebok and 100 Springbok within WCNP. The Conservation Services Division made various requests in the past for the removal of these species but to no avail. Exotic or extra-limital species compromise natural biodiversity and ecosystem functioning as a result of competitive exclusion and associated effects). In the context of WCNP these species were furthermore found to inhibit natural recovery of the old lands at Postberg (Heydenrych 1995). Further spread of extra-limitals from Postberg to remaining areas of the park would be unacceptable, and removal of these species from the entire park (including Postberg) is a matter of high priority (see also Faunal Management and Reintroduction).

3.1.4 Faunal Management and Reintroduction The purpose of the herbivore management and reintroduction plan is to strive towards a herbivore complement indigenous to the strandveld and sandplain fynbos vegetation, while ensuring that these herbivores do not adversely or irreversibly alter the biodiversity of these vegetation types. The main focus of the plan is cross-linked to the rehabilitation plan, to remove extralimital herbivore species from the Postberg section of WCNP.

Herbivore management in WCNP will no longer be based on stocking rates, but rather on the results of monitoring of herbivore impacts on vegetation. Human and capital budgeting will be required to establish monitoring to ensure that existing and introduced herbivores do not unacceptably alter the Desired State of the WCNP. Some of the monitoring is crosslinked with fire or SSC monitoring already in place.

3.1.5 Species of Special Concern The WCNP supports populations of several species of special concern (SSC). These include 35 Red Data plant species; South Africa's most endangered marine mollusc Siphonaria compressa (Herbert 1999); the Cape sand snake Psammophis leightoni leightoni and the melanistic Cape girdled lizard Cordylus niger, both Near Threatened; breeding populations of six Red Data ‘seabird’ species African penguin Spheniscus demersus, bank cormorant

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Phalacrocorax neglectus, Cape cormorant Phalacrocorax capensis, Cape gannet Sula capensis, Leach’s storm petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa and African black oystercatcher Haematopus moquini; nine species of waterbirds where the size of local populations in the park regularly exceeds one percent of the world population; and the highest population density of the Vulnerable black harrier Circus maurus in South Africa.

Plant SSC occur predominantly on limestone and granite outcrops, in sand plain fynbos and fynbos / strandveld transitional habitats. Unique plant communities may also occur in seasonal marshes and seeps. Threats to plant SSC include invasion by aliens, physical disturbance and overuse by herbivores (particularly on limestone outcrops), inappropriate fire regimes (particularly in fynbos areas), and groundwater abstraction from aquifers (affecting wetlands).

The mollusc S. compressa is threatened by habitat destruction through deterioration of the eelgrass beds and bait collecting activities. Threats to the Cape sand snake are habitat transformation, pesticides and road kills.

Breeding seabird colonies are vulnerable to human disturbance, predation and/or displacement by seals, and avian diseases. In the lagoon the birds would be affected by boating activities and destruction of their food base.

Management actions to conserve SSC should include both internal activities such as alien plant clearing, institution of an appropriate fire regime in fynbos areas, park zonation with respect to recreational activities (particularly boating), as well as external activities such as negotiations with the Postberg Syndicate and the SANDF.

Two mammal species are potentially SSC in WCNP, as they are nationally redlisted species. These are the bontebok Damaliscus dorcas and Grant’s golden mole Eremitalpa granti. The bontebok, however, is extralimital to WCNP and should be relocated to other SANParks as soon as the genetic integrity of the WCNP population has been verified. Threats to the continued existence of Grant’s golden mole appear to be use of the sanddunes upon which they depend for habitat. However, further investigation of the autecology of this species is required to verify this and to identify additional sources of threat.

3.1.6 Fire Management The management of fire is important for the conservation of both vegetation types at WCNP i.e. West Coast Strandveld or Langebaan Fynbos/Thicket Mosaic (called ‘strandveld’) and Hopefield Sand Plain Fynbos (called ‘sand plain fynbos). Strandveld should be protected from fire and physical disturbance should be kept to a minimum. Sand plain fynbos on the other hand is fire-dependent, i.e. fire is required to stimulate plant recruitment and retain maximum species richness. The frequency, intensity, season and size of fires are critical determinants of fynbos composition and structure. Fires at 15-40 year intervals are deemed suitable for sand plain fynbos. Burning should be done in late summer/early autumn in weather conditions when fires could be expected to be sufficiently hot to stimulate plant recruitment.

Fires in the ecotone/transition between sand plain fynbos and strandveld are essential to maintain the ecotones, and fire should not be artificially suppressed indefinitely. The marshes around the Langebaan lagoon should not be burnt but the reed beds may be left to burn during wild fires, although active burning is not necessary. In general, fire management should not be too rigid as variation in all components of the fire regime is desirable to attain patchiness in the vegetation and maximise diversity. Herbivory has to be managed so that overuse of recently burnt vegetation and disproportionate physical disturbance of sensitive habitat types (e.g. wetlands, limestone outcrops) do not occur. Alien plant control operations have to be aligned with fire management.

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Records should be kept of fires occurring in and around WCNP, preferably in GIS format. Fire management procedures should at all times comply with the regulations of the National Veld and Forest Fire Act (101 of 1998).

3.1.7 Freshwater Wetlands Isolated seeps and marshy areas occur in Strandvled areas surrounding Langebaan Lagoon. It is probable that these wetlands are maintained by groundwater. Small shallow temporary pans occur along the coastal shelf, frequently with Arthrocnemum littoreum around the pan edges. It is assumed that these pans are maintained by precipitation. Apart from knowing that these wetlands occur in WCNP there is very little information on their distribution, extent or functioning. Wetlands in West Coast Strandveld are, however, known to be very sensitive to lowered water tables, and hence are vulnerable to overuse of aquifers. Actions required to conserve known wetlands, and generate information for the development of a comprehensive wetland management strategy include: ƒ Mapping of the distribution of freshwater wetlands with subsequent ground-truthing subject to the availability of sufficiently small-scale, color, aerial photographic images. ƒ Assessment of the extent of invasion of known wetlands by opportunistic weeds and other invasive plant species, and the prioritization of appropriate control or eradiation actions. ƒ Encourage the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry to monitor the maintenance of natural water tables, especially adequate winter recovery, in vulnerable areas. ƒ Disallow infrastructure development (roads, buildings etc.) in wetlands.

3.2 Cultural Heritage Resources

The park and the West Coast area incorporate various cultural heritage sites, with a number of archaeological and palaeontological sites and material described in previous reports. The Park is well known for the discovery of human footprints, known as ‘Eves Footprints’, next to the Langebaan lagoon. In 1998 an archaeological scoping study was done on a number of known sites. This identified the need to locate and assess the significance of archaeological sites in the park. The known sites detailed in the scoping report and the new sites located in the survey were all shell middens. The presence of pottery dates the sites to within the last 2000 year and links the sites to KhoeKhoe herders. The shell middens in the Park have been the subject of a number of research projects. The 1998 scoping survey has identified Vlaeberg and Kreeftebaai as sites with research potential. During the same year, archaeological investigations were conducted in the Geelbek Dunes. The results of these investigations indicated the presence of Late and Middle Age artefacts spatially associated with faunal remains. Excavations were also conducted to locate buried finds and study site formation processes. More than 2,200 faunal remains and 800 lithic artefacts were documented.

The conservation of these sites and their related oral history are part the conservation mission of the park. An Oral History Collection Project and a Cultural Mapping Project, both of which are implemented with the purpose of identifying and cataloguing all Cultural Heritage assets associated with the WCNP, are currently being developed in conjunction with local community members, organisations representing community interests, as well as relevant academic institutions and researchers. It is envisaged that a local Cultural Heritage Forum will be established to form working groups to co-ordinate activities. Local youth will be trained as field researchers and will work in conjunction with the community working groups. The project will be managed in line with legislation relating to property rights and intellectual property rights, and objectives covering research, recording of oral history, interpreting and mapping cultural heritage and management plans will be set.

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3.3 Sustainable tourism

3.3.1 West Coast National Park Zoning Plan The primary objective of a park zoning plan is to establish a coherent spatial framework in and around a park to guide and co-ordinate conservation, tourism and visitor experience initiatives. A zoning plan plays an important role in minimizing conflicts between different users of a park by separating potentially conflicting activities such as game viewing and day- visitor picnic areas whilst ensuring that activities which do not conflict with the park’s values and objectives (especially the conservation of the protected area’s natural systems, its biodiversity and heritage resources) can continue in appropriate areas. The zoning of West Coast National Park was undertaken in conjunction with the Peace Parks Foundation, and went through a public participation process. The zoning was based on an assessment of the park’s biophysical resources, and an assessment of the park’s current and planned infrastructure. The zones used in this initial process have been converted into the standard SANParks use zones (with some minor modifications to ensure compatibility) in order to ensure compatible outputs.

Overview of the use zones of West Coast National Park: The use zoning plan for West Coast National Park is shown in Figure 3. Full details of the use zones, the zoning process, the Park Interface Zones (detailing park interaction with adjacent areas) and the underlying landscape analyses are included in the West Coast National Park Zoning Document. • Primitive Zone: The prime characteristic of the zone is the experience of wilderness qualities with access controlled in terms of numbers, frequency and size of groups. The zone has wilderness qualities, but with limited access roads (mostly 4x4) and the potential for basic small-scale self-catering accommodation facilities or small concession lodges. Views of human activities and development outside of the park may be visible from this zone. In WCNP, Primitive areas were designated to protect most of the sensitive areas from high levels of tourist activity. The areas designated Primitive include the park east of the R27, the islands, lowland areas adjacent to the Langebaan Lagoon, the coastal strip inland of 16 Mile Beach, and most of the southern sections.

• Low Intensity Leisure Zone: The underlying characteristic of this zone is motorized self-drive access with the possibility of small basic camps without facilities such as shops and restaurants. Facilities along roads are limited to basic self catering picnic sites with toilet facilities. In WCNP, Low intensity leisure areas were designated in the current game, flower and landscape viewing areas, and along current access routes from the south.

• High Intensity Leisure Zone: The main characteristic is that of a high density tourist development node with amenities such as shops, restaurants and interpretive centres. This is the zone where more concentrated human activities are allowed, and is accessible by motorized transport on high volume transport routes. In WCNP, High intensity leisure areas were designated in the existing high usage areas of Geelbek, Kraalbaai, Preekstoel and Langebaan. The R27 through-road also falls within this zone.

Overview of the Special Management Overlays of WCNP: Special management overlays which designate specific areas of the park that require special management interventions were identified. Two areas were designated:

• Special Conservation Areas - Dune Protection: The sensitive mobile dunefield system requires special protection, and will be managed to minimize impacts on sediment transport processes.

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• Special Conservation Areas - Salt Marsh: This sensitive habitat types was identified for special protection in order to reduce any potential loss and minimize any ongoing impacts in these areas.

In addition to the above Special Management Overlays, three marine zones were designated:

• Marine A: This area is managed as a Marine Controlled Zone with enforcement of the Marine Living Resources Act. Fishing and motorized vessels are allowed.

• Marine B: Access to this zone is controlled, and fishing and the use of any motorized vessel can only take place on the authority of and in accordance with a permit obtained from the management authority.

• Marine C: This is an exclusion zone, with entry, the use of vessels and the catching or disturbance of fish being strictly prohibited.

Current status and future improvements: The current park use zonation is based on an underlying biophysical analysis combined with an assessment of the park’s current and planned infrastructure. However, the zoning plan is not a full Conservation Development Framework (CDF) as certain elements underlying the CDF such as an environmental sensitivity-value analysis and a tourism market analysis have not been incorporated into the park use zonation. A full CDF will be developed for West Coast National Park within the current update cycle. Additional special management overlays which designate specific areas of a park that require special management interventions (e.g. areas requiring rehabilitation) will also be identified.

3.3.2 Tourism Background The tourism potential of this park is underdeveloped. Accommodation facilities and more structured tourist activities may encourage tourists to stay longer, which will have an impact on income. Currently it is used for day visits although the day visitors’ areas need to be upgraded. The roads are in a good condition, which increases the accessibility of the park. The lagoon is a unique feature of the park and can be used for boat safaris and other water recreation activities. A tourism plan was prepared. Fishing and water sports are very popular in the area. The port of Saldanha, the West Coast Fossil Park and Club Mykonos – a time share casino and marina - are some of the attractions around the park.

3.3.3 Tourism Products

Accommodation WCNP has no traditional rest camps, but has the following accommodation facilities exists: • Duinepos. Concessionaire managed 8 x 4-bed units currently being upgraded with private funding. Conference facilities and a pool are planned. • Geelbek. Converted stables with 35 beds, kitchen and ablutions for school groups. • Abrahamskraal. A 9-bed self-catering unit which was upgraded recently. An old building is also used as group accommodation on occasion. • Jo-Anne’s Beach Farmhouse. An 8-bed self-catering unit with a cottage next to it (cottage is being upgraded). The house has no electricity, and bedding is not provided. • Bossieskraal. A recently upgraded luxury unit with 8 beds. This unit is currently not accessible to the general public due to contractual agreements. It was upgraded recently. • Kraalbaai. Two privately run houseboats on permanent moorings providing 24 and 6 beds respectively. The larger houseboat is privately owned, while the smaller belongs to the park.

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FIGURE 3: Zoning of West Coast National Park

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Day Visitors, Restaurant, and other Facilities • Reception and information office. Currently in Langebaan, but will be relocated to the Langebaan entrance gate currently being constructed. • Entrance gates at Langebaan and on the West Coast Road are currently being upgraded with EPWP funding. A park home serves as a seasonal n internal entrance gate at Postberg. • Kleinmooimaak has ablution facilities next to the lagoon. • Geelbek. A very popular restaurant operated by a concessionaire. • Kraalbaai. A very popular day visitor’s facility with jetty, small information office and internal entrance gate structure. Phase one of a rest camp development has been approved (5 units). A further 5 units on stilts in the lagoon are envisaged. • Tsaarsbank is a picnic spot with ablution and braai facilities. The facilities are in a bad condition. • Plankiesbaai is a seasonal picnic facility with braai places and ablutions. • Preekstoel is a seasonal picnic facility with braai places and ablutions. The facilities will be upgraded. • Bird Hides are provided at Seeberg and Geelbek. • Nature trails – a seasonal two-day Postberg hiking trail of 24 km with an overnight stop at Plankiesbaai (camping only) and a Strandveld trail of 14 km are provided.

Tourism roads network A road network of 80 km, ± 50 km of which is tarred and ± 30 km gravel. These roads are in a good condition, but upgrading is planned in future. The provisional allocation of Infrastructure Development funds, plus the next round of EPWP funding, will hopefully provide the funds for resurfacing roads.

3.3.4 Tourist Activities Coastal recreation: These activities take place on the Lagoon, but it are not organised by the Park; hence it generates no income for SANParks. These activities take place on the Lagoon, but it are not organised by the Park; hence it generates no income for SANParks. • Angling • Diving • Island cruises • Fishing • Sailing • Snorkelling • Boating • Skiing • Canoeing • Windsurfing

Nature trails: • Postberg Nature Trail is a two-day hiking trail of 24 km with an overnight stop at Plankiesbaai (Camping Site – not developed). • Strandveld Trail is a one- or two-day hiking trail of 14 km.

Birdlife: The park is renowned for its birdlife. Over a quarter of southern Africa’s bird species are represented in the park.

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3.3.5 Tourism Roads In total the park as a road network of 80 km, ± 50 km of which is tarred and ± 30 km gravel. These roads are in a good condition, but upgrading is planned in future. The park has two main entrances, one at Langebaan and one on the West Coast road.

3.3.6 Access Accessibility to this park is excellent. The R27, the main route along the West Coast, runs through the park. Signage in the park will be improved to create a tourist friendly environment.

3.3.7 Financial Analysis The Park showed a significant decrease in income since 2004 to 2005 compared to 2003 (Table 1).

Table 1: Overall operational revenue of the park

Total revenue Tourism specific % of total Total revenue expenditure 2003 R 2,081,705.73 R 765,614.75 36.7% R 3,824,472.81 2004 R 1,955,150.69 R 340,861.39 17% R 4,222,076.48 2005 R 2,202,972.59 R 316,282.09 15.6% R 4,049,993.76

3.3.8 Marketing The park receives around 30 000 visitors annually, but most of them are day visitors, partially due to the lack of accommodation - people en route to other destinations up the West Coast or those owning a holiday home in Langebaan. Various age groups visit the park but little data exists; once accommodation is established, marketing research should be conducted on a regular basis. The Western Cape is the main domestic market, but quite a number of international visitors and visitors from other provinces come for bird watching. A local marketing policy will be developed.

3.4 Building cooperation

3.4.1 Co-operative Governance The park is committed to implement the policies and achieve the strategies of SANParks as an organ of state and to ensure the effectiveness of park management. To be able to do so WCNP will focus on the SANParks strategic objectives including the following: • To establish cooperative management the park will establish an ethos of cooperative governance with national, provincial and local departments and agencies within government. • To put in place a risk management plan, an internal audit function and other mechanisms to ensure financial systems comply with the Public Finance Management Act and with other applicable regulatory frameworks and the King 2 requirements. • To ensure effective supply chain management that promotes effective procurement and black economic empowerment in compliance with legislation.

Key governmental organisations that will provide support within the ambit of their administrative functions include parastatals (SANParks and WCNCB), local authorities (West Coast District Municipality, Saldanha Bay Municipality and Swartland Municipality), particularly with regard to Integrated Development Planning and tourism related functions, and national and provincial government structures.

Non-governmental organizations include the West Coast Biosphere Reserve, conservancies as well as organized civil society structures such as civic and residents’ associations.

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Farmers’ and landowners’ organizations are the most significant groupings in the context of achieving co-operative governance and hence as a collective they are a significant partner. Multi-stakeholder forums include the Integrated Development Planning forums as well as the Fire Protection Agency (FPA) for the area.

At a strategic level it is essential to influence the Integrated Development Planning objectives of the local authorities, the focus of farm planning activities of the Department of Agriculture, planning for catchments by DWAF, as well as the focus of local tourism bodies.

3.4.2 Environmental Interpretation The park wishes to build constituencies amongst people in support of SANParks’ conservation endeavours by playing a significant, targeted and effective role in promoting a variety of educational opportunities and initiatives. The park will continue to focus attention on youth outreach and environmental education to build a conservation constituency for the future. The main goal of the WCNP is to enhance biodiversity conservation through the promotion of a conservation ethic and developing park-community relations. The greatest part of the work conducted by this department is directly or indirectly related to environmental interpretation and education and focuses on the various park user groups and local communities. This involves developing an understanding of the environment, and developing values and skills that will help learners to contribute to the protection and improvement of the environment. The program includes talks, shows and educational excursions.

Environmental interpretation is provided by a variety of trails at Geelbek and Postberg, and excursions highlighting marine, botanical, dune ecology, cultural, bird and saltmarshes and canoeing and camping experiences. A Kids in Parks programme is run to provide “kids” the opportunity to visit and experience park supported by four partners (DEAT, Pick ‘n Pay, the Department of Education (DoE) and Liebertrans). In addition to increasing access to national parks for kids, the programme also seeks to give them the opportunity to experience and interact with the wonder of our natural and cultural heritage and to explore the importance of conservation. Other programmes include Morula Kids and calendar day celebrations, while the park also provides a traditional Open Day annually when communities are encouraged to visit the park for free. In addition, visitor programs, teacher support and development, environmental education networks and youth development programs such as the Junior Honorary Rangers Program are provided.

3.4.3 Local socio economic development The aim is to play a significant, targeted and effective role in contributing to local economic development, economic empowerment and social development in communities and neighbouring areas adjacent to National Parks by partnering with Local Government to form part of the Integrated Development Plans (IDPs), participating in Government Programmes to contribute to local skills development by supporting learnerships, implementing training programmes and creating business opportunities.

The park involves people from the surrounding towns as follows:

• People and Conservation Department provides support for small local business – e.g. catering for educational groups. • Conservation Department provides concession opportunities, currently for the Houseboat, Geelbek Restaurant and Duinepos. • The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) will remain a significant focus area of the organisation to effectively contribute to the creation of temporary jobs in the short term, sustainability by investigating exit opportunities and entrepreneurial opportunities. • Working for Water Programme - employs 66 people i.e 6 teams of 10 each plus supervisor from local communities are employed through the Work for Water Programme.

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Courses were offered to workers relevant to their work (first aid, HIV/AIDS, chain saw operation, herbicide application, personal finance). • Coast Care Programme – employs 44 people employed through the CoastCARE programme. Workers are from communities in Langebaan and Vredenburg. Courses are presented in first aid, health and safety, herbicide application, primary health and personal finance,

3.4.4 Constituency Building The park has the objective to establish and maintain meaningful and beneficial relationships with a wide range of stakeholders supporting SANParks’ core business. The aim is to enhance biodiversity conservation through conservation ethics and developing healthy community custodianship. Co-operative, collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships are essential to reach park goals and ultimately to ensure sustainability. Both formal and informal partnerships are initiated, maintained and nurtured with Government, conservation entities, business partners, communities, various NGO’s, CBO’s, the media, customers and employees. These arrangements are underpinned by Guiding Principles for SANParks Stakeholder Participation.

Co-operative governance systems are being developed and strengthened for the Park. These aim to promote inclusively and to ensure compliance with legislation through improved relationships and collaboration with government and various governing bodies, including: Governing Bodies: • Conservation – Marine and Coastal Management, Cape Nature • Tourism – SATOUR • Communities – Ward Committees, Local Council Sub Committees

All spheres of government: • National government – relations managed through DEAT, engagement with DWAF, Public Works • Provincial Government - Departments of Planning, Environment and Tourism, Agriculture, Education • Local Government planning e.g. IDP’s and LED’s SDF’s (Spatial Development Framework)

Conservation entities: • National and International conservation agencies - Cape Nature, National Biodiversity Institute, Biosphere Reserve • Research houses, institutions and universities – University of Cape Town, University of Western Cape, Rhodes University, Cape Technikon, University of Plymouth • Relevant conservation related Non-governmental Organisations – WESSA, West Coast Fossil Park • Bioregional initiatives – Biosphere Reserve

Business partners: • Concessionaires operating businesses in National Parks – Houseboat, Geelbek Restaurant and Duinepos • Contracted commercial operators – Gravity • Tourism bodies- Local tourism bodies

Communities: • Property Associations – Langebaan Ratepayers Association • Local Association and Forums – Langebaan and Saldanha Tourism Association, Poverty Relief Steering Committee, Saldanha Forum, Cape Bird Club, West Coast Bird Club, EcoEd, Yacht Club, Water Sports Association

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• Non Government and Community Based Organisations – DOIT project, Multipurpose Community Centre, Net Fishers committee

Employees: • SANParks regards its employees as a most valuable asset and foundation for organisational competency. West Coast National Park invests in staff development, strives towards employment equity and endeavour to uphold employee rights. To this end transparent liaison is promoted with:

The media: • SANParks fosters good medial relations. Not only is the media regarded as an ally to market our tourism products, but also as key communication tool to keep stakeholders informed and to promote a positive image of SANParks.

Customers: • Visitors to West Coast National Park are regarded as the number one financial resource that enables us to fulfil the organisations’ conservation mandate.

3.5 Effective park management

3.5.1 Environmental management (includes waste, energy, water, NEMA compliance):

The basic principles and key result areas of the Corporate Policy are incorporated into an Environmental Management System (EMS). A Management Policy, Strategic Management Plan and procedures have been developed into an EMS for the WCNP based on the ISO 14001 standard.

The EMS sets out strategies, actions, deliverables, indicators and timeframes. Each Key Result Area is directed by a number of strategies, while each strategy is implemented through a set of actions and in a number of deliverables. The implementation of the strategies by the implementing department(s) is monitored using indicators within a set time frame. The Park Manager is ultimately responsible for all activities in the WCNP, and plays a supervisory role for all implementing departments.

The Key Result Areas are introduced by brief statements of SANParks’ corporate approach, the current situation for the Park and the strategic intent in addressing these. Indicators were established and tracked for all key result areas. For monitoring the progress and performance of management the defined strategic objectives, the measurable progress on actions and the delivery of defined products are all used as indicators in this SMP.

A brief description of how impacts are currently managed: • Waste management: The park recognises that health is an important issue at any working place and in doing this, it collects all refuse, which is kept together in their refuse bags and taken to the dumpsite on a regular basis. • Pollution control: The greatest threat to the park is from marine pollution and particularly oil pollution. The park is a participant in the local Oil Spill Contingency Plan for which the Departments of Transport and Environmental Affairs and Tourism, through the South African Maritime Safety Association, have overall responsibility. Seabirds likely to be affected by oil pollution are treated according to the SANCCOB bird rescue plan. • Managing impacts from tourist, contractors: Whenever necessary, the Park uses the relevant staff to monitor, control and guide tourists and/or contractors to behave in an appropriate/responsible manner within the Park. The monitoring of tourists and contractors includes but is not limited to littering and diverging from dedicated paths and roads.

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• Building sites: Building sites such as storerooms are kept clean, any leaks which cannot be fixed are dealt with by using sand or sawdust to absorb it, which is later collected and disposed of at the municipal landfill. The park tries to keep all building sites/areas as clean as possible to avoid high cleaning costs. Construction sites falling under the EPWP programme are regulated according to individually tailored Environmental Management Plans.

An EMS provides a mechanism for environmental management throughout all areas and departments at park level and focuses on environmental aspects at an operational level which can be directly controlled and managed. The outcome of this standard must be integrated with the national park management framework. The following objectives are achieved by implementing this plan: • continual improvement of environmental management; • compliance to environmental law; and • showcasing environmental responsibility.

The EMS focuses on the following requirements: • Environmental aspects: Identification of environmental aspects which the facility controls and over which it may be expected to have an influence, and determination of aspects considered significant. • Legal and other requirements: Identification and communication of legal and other requirements applicable to the park. • Environmental Objectives and Targets: Development of objectives and targets for each significant environmental aspect considering significant environmental aspects, technological options and financial, operational and business plans, and the views of interested parties. • Environmental Management Programs: Establishment of environmental management programs (EMPs) as a means for achieving objectives and targets. These programs define the principal actions to be taken, those responsible for undertaking those actions and the scheduled times for their implementation. • Training, Awareness and Competence: Identification, planning, monitoring and recording training needs for personnel whose work may create a significant impact upon the environment. • Operational Control: Identifying operations and activities associated with significant environmental aspects that require operational controls in procedures, practices or environmental management programs. • Emergency Preparedness and Response: Identification of potential for and responding to accidents and emergency situations and for preventing and mitigating the environmental impacts that may be associated with them.

3.5.2 Safety and Security Safety Security for the park is included in three different plans:

Visitor Safety and Security Plan. The strategic intent of this safety and security plan is to: • ensure that effective visitor safety measures are in place, • ensure the safety and security of SANParks employees and concessionaires, • ensure that tourist perceptions are managed in order to protect the brand and reputation of SANParks and SA Tourism at large.

This document addresses both the strategic and operational aspects of Visitor Safety and Security within the framework of the SANParks Security Plan. Its context is personal safety and not all aspects of the Occupational Health and Safety requirements.

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The Plan is informed by analysis of the following aspects: • The identification of high risk/use areas. • Associated crime statistics for each identified area. • The associated risks and criminal behaviour for each area.

The strategic intent of the safety and security plan is to firstly ensure that effective visitor safety measures are in place, and secondly to ensure that tourist perceptions are good to protect the brand and reputation of SANParks and SA Tourism Industry.

Most potential treats are linked to other illegal activities in and around the park, this includes illegal entry/ trespassing, - fishing, flower picking and resource use. Daily park activities that are implemented to mitigate these activities form an important part of this plan. Management measures include the regular analysis of gathered intelligence, the aim to increase the number of Conservation staff to the required level, appropriate and sufficient on-going training of Conservation staff in terms of Law Enforcement and First Aid, acceptance of responsibility by all staff for Visitor and Staff Safety and Security, general awareness of potential of possible criminal activities and the relevant response action to be used in the case of criminal activity taking place and hiking trails to be more regularly patrolled/observations carried out, including at night.

Protection Plan; The purpose of the park protection plan is to provide park management with a dynamic reference document to describe strategies decided upon to be applied in response to problems identified.

The plan addresses the following aspects: • Criminal Information and Intelligence • Threat Analysis • Operational Security • Species Security • Physical Security • Authority and Jurisdiction • Planning for Crisis Management • Performance Crisis Management

Emergency Plan. This plan addresses various identified scenarios and actions prescribed on how to deal with various emergencies.

Key elements of these plans are: • Visitor and Staff Safety and Security • Environmental Crime • Cash in Storage and Transit • Access Control and Infrastructure (Including Document) Security • EMI (Environmental Management Inspector) roll out • Information / Intelligence • The Collection of Information • The Collation of Information • The Dissemination of Intelligence • Counter Intelligence Measures • Determining of Essential Elements of Information (EEI)

3.5.3 Infrastructure Plan

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Tourism Infrastructure: Accommodation, day vsitor facilities, a restaurant, other facilities and the tourism roads network are described in section 3.2.2.

Management and Support Infrastructure: Park Administration Offices A building with some 6 rooms/offices, part of a now demolished hotel in Langebaan, is currently used as offices. The redevelopment of this site is envisaged. Staff Accommodation In the last two years all resident staff have moved out of the Park. The park, however, does have some staff houses in the park as well as in Langebaan. A brief summary: • Postberg has two buildings, both in poor condition and without any services, are situated in this contractual area of the park. • Geelbek has a large house currently rented to a concessionaire and three smaller cottages used by contractual staff and students. • Mooimaak has an old farmhouse and six labourers’ houses. The houses are in a poor condition. • Langebaan. The park has ten staff houses in Langebaan. One of these is relatively large unit, while the other 9 units are small.

Other structures A brief description follows: • Jutten Island. A jetty, 2 units of living quarters, 3 stores and water tanks are situated on the island and are in a poor condition. • Malgas Island also has a jetty, 2 units with living quarters, outbuildings, stores and water tanks in poor condition. • Marcus island has 2 units of living quarters and a storeroom and a predator wall between the island and causeway. • Mooimaak has some storerooms currently used by the technical section as well as a game boma. • Generally dilapidated houses and other structures are to be found in Langebaan, Soutpan, Seeberg, Schryvershoek, Mooimeisiesfontein, Van Niekerkshoop, Massenberg, Uitkyk and Bottelary. The final use of these buildings must still be determined. Some of these buildings may have historical value.

Management roads and tracks The park has some 20 kms of management roads and tracks in reasonable condition.

Fences The section of the park west of the West Coast Road was fenced with game fencing some two years ago, but the fences east of this road remain as fairly poor farm fencing.

Bulk Services Full services are available in Langebaan, while Mooimaak and Geelbek have Escom power. A project to provide water to Kraalbaai is currently underway.

Detailed plans have been prepared for: • Infrastructure maintenance • Infrastructure development • Income generating and local economic development projects • Basic infrastructure projects. • Labour intensive rehabilitation/green projects

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3.5.4 Human Resources and Staff Capacity Building Staff Capacity Building Program: The park has an establishment of 32 staff. No current vacancies exist. The competency level of the staff component is very important if the performance level of the park has to be maintained; hence a staff capacity building programme is necessary.

The corporate balanced score card measure for SANParks measures the percentage of employees who have achieved set goals in terms of defined individual development plans. Every employee will have his/her individual plan to include training needs. The park management will therefore see that all the training and capacity building programs are implemented. The use of the SETA’s for funding the training is explored both at head office and at the park level.

A Work Place skills Development Plan is also produced for the park every year as required by legislation. This is coordinated at head office level, with input from the park and the Employment Equity Forum. Most of the staff is involved and encouraged to make inputs into the plan.

Equity and Diversity

PDI Females Disabilities White Current TOTAL males vacancies DU DL 1 1 CU 1 2 3 CL 2 1 2 BU 4 1 4 BL 20 1 20 A 2 2 2 TOTAL 32

3.5.4 Institutional Development and Administration Institutional arrangements are important for the functioning of the park as the park does not and cannot function in isolation. This is critical for both the protection and management of the park.The following is a list of key institutions which can be seen as important for the functioning of the park. This should however not be seen as the only institutions as there are still many institutions which the park interact with if and when necessary.

Municipalities The Park falls within two municipalities, namely the Saldanha Bay Municipality and the Swartland Municipality. Both of these municipalities resort under the West Coast District Municipality.

Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) MCM is the branch of the national Department of Environment affairs and Tourism (DEAT), which is responsible for the management of marine living resources in terms of marine living resources (MLRA) Act No. 18 of 1998. The lagoon is proclaimed as a Marine Protected Area in terms of this Act and therefore a MCM has a statutory obligation regarding marine living resources in the lagoon. Other Marine Protected Areas adjoin the park and the islands. Strong ties are there fore needed between MCM and SANPARKS at both head office and park level.

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Provincial Conservation agencies The Park is situated in the Western Cape Province. Cooperation is needed with Department of Environment Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP), as well as Cape Nature, the statutory organisation responsible for conservation and nature reserves in the province. These organisations are also involved in the issuing of Record of decisions for development in the province so strong ties are important especially in developments which happens in the periphery of the park.

Department of Environment affairs and Tourism (DEAT) SANParks is management agency for reporting the minister through DEAT. Although for the MPA the reporting is through MCM, there is also a need to report on the terrestrial conservation issues. This in general is the responsibility of DEAT. DEAT is also involved in the funding of infrastructure projects in the park through the expanded public works programme (poverty relief projects). Continuous reporting of this project is thus necessary.

Department of water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) This also includes the National Veld and Forest Fire Act which is necessary for the management of the terrestrial part of the park. DWAF is also involved in the funding of the Working for Water Programme in the park and therefore continuous reporting of this project is thus necessary.

3.5.5 Financial Sustainability Although the park is currently not financially sustainable, it certainly has the potential to become so. The planned development of tourism facilities in Kraalbaai and the redevelopment of the hotel site in Langebaan should go a long way to ensure the future financial sustainability of the WCNP. Projected expenditure for the next five years is given as Table 2.

Item 2006/7 2007/8 2008/9 2009/10 2010/12 2011/12 Operational R5,950 R6,6085 R6,6387 R6,6709 IDP R14,726 Unfunded IDP R7,748 R7,748 R7,748 Infrastructure Maintenance R3,117 1071 427 521 Regional R59 R62 66 70 WfW R1,023 R1,085 R1,150 R1,219 R1,292 R1,370 CoastCare R3,000 R2,000 R1,800 R2,100 R2,000 R2,500 Land acquisition R7,000 Table 2: Projected expenditure for WCNP for the next five years (amounts in R 1,000).

3.5.5 HIV/AIDS HIV & AIDS requires special attention because it is spreading at an alarmingly fast rate in South Africa and the sub-Saharan region generally, as well as within SANParks in particular, having reached pandemic proportions. Whilst it is an integral component of the EAP (Employee Assistance Program), it is accorded priority within the SANParks programming. In the most severely affected settings, there is mounting evidence that HIV/AIDS is eroding human security and capacity, undermining economic development and threatening social cohesion. Inevitably, this situation has serious impacts on business. Hospitality businesses are seen as pivotal players in South Africa’s economy, especially from a job creation perspective. South Africa’s hospitality and tourism industry, of which the organization is a key role player, allows for job creation throughout the country, including rural areas, where HIV prevalence is often high. It impacts on all businesses, both directly and indirectly, resulting in increased costs and reduced productivity. Against this backdrop and because SANParks values its human capital, a comprehensive HIV & AIDS Program which includes Developing an HIV & AIDS Policy; Education and Awareness; Anonymous and Unlinked Prevalence Surveys; Know-Your-Status Campaigns; Lifestyle Management; Care, Treatment & Support

Ref.16/1/5/1/5/20/2 42 WCNP Park Management Plan Version 1 (31 October 2006) as well as Scientific Impact Analyses. The purpose of the HIV & AIDS program is to enable SANParks maintain a healthy and productive workforce within a viable and sustainable organization has now been introduced nationally as well as on park level .

Objectives • To implement an effective workplace HIV/AIDS strategy and programmes for SANParks. • To facilitate the prevention of new HIV infections amongst all SANParks employees. • To manage the impact of AIDS on services and employees, including employee morale, performance, leave and other benefits. • To ensure a safe and supportive working environment for all employees so that disclosure and openness about HIV status is promoted. • To develop capacity to support infected employees. • To integrate the HIV/AIDS Programme into the all-embracing Employee Assistance Programme. • To eradicate the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS, and promote acceptance • To reduce the impact of AIDS on all infected and affected employees.

3.5.6 Legal compliance/risk management

All possible risks are identified on a continual basis. This can include Safety and security risks for both the visitors and staff. Most of this is covered by the Security and Safety programme plan (See Security and Safety programme plan). The best will always be to eliminate the risks if possible, however, in case where it is not possible to eliminate them, strategies on how to manage them will be developed. A check list has been developed for all the possible risks and is monitored daily by park management. This includes risks in activities and accommodation offered by the park. The following is some of the risks identified

Emergency situations For emergencies, an emergency plan is developed and staff is trained on how to react to the emergencies as per the emergency plan.

Accommodation All accommodation has to comply to building legislation. To comply with legislation, an Occupational, Health and Safety committee is established and functional in the park.

Natural disasters: Flooding by rain and high sea waves are possible natural disaster that can occur in the park. In the last three years two flooding by sea waves have occurred. This may become even more frequent with the rising sea levels due to global warming.

Information Technology related risks With most of some information contained in computers these days it is necessary to develop the way to deal with the risks of the loss and exposure of such information. This is dealt with through the corporate policy for the organisation

Financial risks This is dealt with in accordance with corporate policies. Continuous training is done for staff handling the finance for the park as per the delegation frame work.

Communicable diseases This can include both animals and people. Cooperation is therefore necessary with the relevant authorities in the management of such incidences. With regard to people, it may be

Ref.16/1/5/1/5/20/2 43 WCNP Park Management Plan Version 1 (31 October 2006) easy to deal with communicable diseases among park employees in line with corporate policy, but it remains a challenge on how to address this with the many visitors visiting the park annually.

Activities The main activities offered by the park are hiking trails. Proper training is provided for all staff involved in these activities to try and reduce the risks associated with this. With regard to trails, proper signage is maintained on the trails. Trails are well marked. Applicable insurance is also obtained as per corporate policy and efforts are made to get the activities comply with the insurance policies, e.g. proper licensing, and registration of some of the activities as required, e.g. boats, and diving.

Fires Fire can occur either in the veldt or in relation to the facilities and buildings in the park. Veld fires are addressed through the integrated fire program while the response to fires from buildings is addressed through the Occupational Health and Safety as per legislation. An emergency plan is available on how to deal with these situations

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4. REFERENCES

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VISSER, N. H & A. E. SCHOCH. 1973. The geology and mineral resources of the Saldanha Bay area. Geological Survey Memoirs 63:1-150. WYNBERG, R.P. & G.M. BRANCH 1997. Trampling associated with bait-collecting for sandprawns Callianassa kraussi Stebbing : effects on biota of an intertidal sandflat. Environmental Conservation 24 (2): 139 – 148. YSSEL, S. G. 2000. West Coast National Park. Integrated Environmental Management System. Initial Environmental Review. Internal report, South African National Parks.

South African National Parks would like to thank everybody who participated and had input in the formulation of this document notably S G Yssel , Dr R M Randall,Dr N Hanekom, and West Coast National Park staff

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