Mpumalanga Biodiversity Sector Plan Handbook
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MPUMALANGA BIODIVERSITY SECTOR PLAN HANDBOOK MPUMALANGA BIODIVERSITY SECTOR PLAN HANDBOOK ERS IV R S M E T S Y S O C E E L I T P E R D R I B Y L F R E T P T L A U N B T H S I F G RO L F MAMMA 2014 BOTSWANA NAMIBIA Ehlanzeni MBOMBELA Nkangala MAFIKENG MPUMALANGA North West Gert Sibande ZIMBABWE BOTSWANA Limpopo MOZAMBIQUE POLOKWANE Free StateNAMIBIA Ehlanzeni KIMBERLEY MBOMBELA Nkangala MAFIKENG PRETORIA KwaZulu-NatalJOHANNESBURG Mpumalanga Gauteng BLOEMFONTEIN Gert Sibande SWAZILAND North West LESOTHO PIETERMARITZBURG Free State KIMBERLEY KwaZulu-Natal Northern Cape BLOEMFONTEIN LESOTHO PIETERMARITZBURG Northern Cape SOUTH AFRICA Eastern Cape BHISHO Eastern Cape Western Cape CAPE TOWN BHISHO ISBN: 978-0-620-61137-4 Western Cape This handbook is published by the Mpumalanga Provincial Government, in Nelspruit, 2014. It may be freely copied, reproduced quoted and disseminated in any form, especially for educational and CAPE TOWN scientific purposes, provided the source is properly cited in each and all instances. The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency welcomes comment and feedback on the handbook, in particular the identification of erros and omissions. Provision of new information that should be incorporated into any revised edition of the Biodiversity Plan or this handbook would be particularly appreciated. For this or any other correspondence please contact: MPUMALANGA TOURISM AND PARKS AGENCY SCIENTIFIC SERVICES TEL: 013 759 5300 Other MBSP Products MBSP wallmap MBSP web map http://conservation3.arcgisonline.com/Apps/MBSP/ MBSP Android phone app (Mpumalanga Biodiversity Plan in Play Store) MPUMALANGA BIODIVERSITY SECTOR PLAN HANDBOOK T N A L P E L I T P E R D R I B Y L F R E T T U B H IS F G FRO AL M A M M Suggested Reference: MTPA. 2014. Mpumalanga Biodiversity Sector Plan Handbook. Compiled by Lötter M.C., Cadman, M.J. and Lechmere-Oertel R.G. Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency, Mbombela (Nelspruit). Lead Contributors: Mervyn Lötter - Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency Mandy Cadman Richard Lechmere-Oertel dardlea Department: Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs MPUMALANGA PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT iii MPUMALANGA BIODIVERSITY SECTOR PLAN HANDBOOK Contents Contents ............................................................................................................................................................iv List of Tables ....................................................................................................................................................vii List of Figures ..................................................................................................................................................viii List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................ix Foreword ...........................................................................................................................................................x Overview ........................................................................................................................................................xii 1 Introduction to the Mpumalanga Biodiversity Sector Plan ..................................1 1.1 Why Does Mpumalanga Need a Biodiversity Sector Plan? ..................................................................... 2 1.2 The Purpose of a Biodiversity Sector Plan .............................................................................................. 4 1.3 Scope, Objectives and Uses ................................................................................................................... 6 1.3.1 Scope of the MBSP ....................................................................................................................... 6 1.3.2 Objectives of the MBSP ................................................................................................................ 7 1.3.3 Relationship between the MBSP and the MBCP ........................................................................... 7 1.3.4 Intended users of the MBSP ......................................................................................................... 7 1.3.5 What the MBSP can be used for ................................................................................................... 8 1.4 The Legislative and Policy Framework for Implementation ..................................................................... 9 1.4.1 National legislation and policy ...................................................................................................... 9 1.4.2 Alignment with national biodiversity planning tools .................................................................... 11 1.4.3 The policy context for integrating the MBSP into spatial planning at the local level ..................... 11 2 Biodiversity Profile of Mpumalanga ............................................................................... 13 2.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 13 2.2 Terrestrial Ecosystems .......................................................................................................................... 14 2.2.1 Biomes ....................................................................................................................................... 14 2.2.2 Vegetation types ......................................................................................................................... 17 2.2.3 Threatened ecosystems and endemic vegetation types ............................................................... 17 2.3 Freshwater Ecosystems ......................................................................................................................... 19 2.3.1 Wetlands .................................................................................................................................... 19 2.4 Other Special Habitats and Ecosystems ................................................................................................ 21 2.4.1 Centres of endemism.................................................................................................................. 21 2.4.2 Other features of special biodiversity importance ....................................................................... 22 2.5 Species of Special Concern .................................................................................................................. 22 2.5.1 Medicinal plants: ........................................................................................................................ 24 2.6 Patterns of Land-use and Other Drivers of Habitat Change .................................................................. 25 2.6.1 Land-use pressures and habitat change ....................................................................................... 25 2.6.2 Climate change as a driver of habitat change .............................................................................. 26 2.6.3 Recorded and anticipated shifts in climate in Mpumalanga ........................................................ 27 2.6.4 Habitat fragmentation and vulnerability to climate change ......................................................... 27 iv MPUMALANGA BIODIVERSITY SECTOR PLAN HANDBOOK 3 Spatial Assessment and Map Products ..................................................................... 29 3.1 Developing Maps of Critical Biodiversity Areas .................................................................................... 30 3.1.1 Description of the map categories used ...................................................................................... 31 3.1.2 Map of terrestrial critical biodiversity areas ................................................................................. 31 3.1.3 Map of freshwater critical biodiversity areas................................................................................ 36 3.1.4 Extent of land incorporated in CBAs, ESAs and other map categories .......................................... 36 3.2 Technical Advances Made in the Development of the CBA Maps ....................................................... 36 3.2.1 Planning units ............................................................................................................................. 36 3.2.2 Land cover ................................................................................................................................. 38 3.2.3 Protected areas ........................................................................................................................... 38 3.2.4 An improved network of ecological corridors and inclusion of features important for climate change resilience............................................................................................................ 38 3.2.5 More recent and better quality data ........................................................................................... 39 3.3 Data Layers Used ................................................................................................................................. 41 3.3.1 Terrestrial biodiversity data layers ............................................................................................... 44 3.3.2 Freshwater biodiversity data layers .............................................................................................