Preliminary Biodiversity Conservation Plan for Limpopo

Preliminary Limpopo Conservation Plan Report April 2011

Contact Person : Lizanne (E.J.) Nel. Plot 187 Tweefontein, Polokwane, Limpopo. Postnet Suite 123, Private Bag X 9676, Polokwane, 0700. Fax: (088015) 263 6274. E-mail : [email protected] INDEX

CONTEXT OF THE REPORT ...... 3 4.6.2 Species data ...... 24 4.6.3 Data integrity and management ...... 24 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...... 4 4.6.4 Regional integration ...... 25 CONTRIBUTORS ...... 4 5 SPATIAL ASSESSMENT ...... 25 LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS...... 5 5.1 AQUATIC RESULTS ...... 25 1 PURPOSE OF A PROVINCIAL CONSERVATION PLAN ...... 6 5.2 TERRESTRIAL RESULTS ...... 32 2 LEGAL MANDATE AND FRAMEWORK ...... 6 6 PROTECTED AREA ASSESSMENT ...... 36

3 SYSTEMATIC CONSERVATION PLANNING ...... 8 6.1 PROTECTION LEVELS OF VEGETATION TYPES...... 36 4 PLANNING APPROACH FOR LIMPOPO ...... 9 6.2 THE PROTECTED AREA NETWORK ...... 37 6.3 CORRIDORS ...... 38 IMPOPO LANNING OMAIN 4.1 L P D ...... 11 6.4 KEY FINDINGS ...... 40 LANNING NITS 4.2 P U ...... 12 6.5 RECOMMENDATIONS ...... 40 4.3 BIODIVERSITY FEATURES ...... 14 4.3.1 Biodiversity Pattern Features ...... 14 7 LANDUSE PLANNING ...... 41 4.3.2 Biodiversity Process Features ...... 15 7.1 INTRODUCTION ...... 41 4.3.3 Aquatic Ecosystems Features – NFEPA ...... 17 7.2 CROSS-CUTTING LAND-USE PRINCIPLES ...... 42 4.3.4 Landuse Pressure Features ...... 17 7.3 TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS ...... 42 4.4 PROTECTED AREAS ...... 17 7.3.1 Land Management Classes...... 43 4.5 CONSERVATION TARGETS ...... 18 7.3.2 Land-use Types ...... 44 4.5.1 Biodiversity Pattern Targets ...... 18 7.3.3 Land-use Guidelines ...... 46 4.5.2 Biodiversity Process Targets ...... 19 7.4 AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS ...... 53 4.5.3 Aquatic Ecosystem Targets ...... 19 8 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 61 4.6 CHALLENGES AND CONSTRAINTS IN DATA ...... 24 4.6.1 Data gaps ...... 24

LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES

FIGURE 1 PLANNING AREA, WITH ALL TRANSFORMED AREAS AND PLANNING UNITS. 11 TABLE 1. DATASETS USED FOR THE TRANSFORMED LAYER...... 12 FIGURE 2: FORESTRY AREAS COMPARED WITH HIGH WATER YIELD AREAS ...... 13 TABLE 2: CATEGORIES OF PROTECTED AREAS BASED ON LEVEL OF PROTECTION...... 17 FIGURE 3: PLANNING UNITS – HEXAGONS VS. GEOGRAPHICAL PLANNING UNITS ...... 14 TABLE 3 BIODIVERSITY PATTERN FEATURES AND TARGETS...... 20 FIGURE 4: COMPOSITE OF SPECIES DISTRIBUTION DATA...... 15 TABLE 4 BIODIVERSITY PROCESS FEATURES AND TARGETS...... 20 FIGURE 5: AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE USE OF SURROGATES IN MODELLING ...... 16 TABLE 5. AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM FEATURES AND TARGETS ...... 21 FIGURE 6. RIVER STATUS AS PER THE NFEPA PROCESS...... 26 TABLE 6. GENERAL ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES NOT SPECIFICALLY MODELLED ...... 23 FIGURE 7: FEPAS FOR THE LIMPOPO WATER MANAGEMENT AREA...... 28 TABLE 7. STATUS OF THE BIOMES IN LIMPOPO ...... 36 FIGURE 8: FEPAS FOR THE LEVHUVHU & MUTALE WATER MANAGEMENT AREA ...... 29 TABLE 8: VEGETATION TYPES (< 50% OF TARGET PROTECTED INSIDE PAS) ...... 37 FIGURE 9: FEPAS FOR THE CROCODILE & MARICO WATER MANAGEMENT AREA ...... 30 TABLE 9: SUMMARY OF THE CURRENT PROTECTION OF VEGETATION TYPES ...... 37 FIGURE 10: FEPAS FOR THE OLIFANTS WATER MANAGEMENT AREA ...... 31 TABLE 10. LEVEL OF PROTECTION OF THE PLANNING AREA IN LIMPOPO ...... 38 FIGURE 11. PERCENTAGE OF THE PLANNING AREA ALLOCATED TO EACH OF THE TABLE 11. AREAS UNDER PROTECTION BY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROTECTED AREAS ... 38 BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT CATEGORIES...... 32 TABLE 12 BIODIVERSITY PROCESS CORRIDORS WITH THEIR DESCRIPTIONS...... 41 FIGURE 12. VEGETATION TYPES IN LIMPOPO...... 33 TABLE 13: SUMMARY OF TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION CATEGORIES... 42 FIGURE 13. PROTECTED AREA CATEGORIES IN RELATION TO IRREPLACEABLE AREAS. . 34 TABLE 14. LAND MANAGEMENT CLASSES FOR TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS...... 43 FIGURE 14. RESULT OF THE BIODIVERSITY SPATIAL ASSESSMENT ...... 35 TABLE 15.LAND-USE CATEGORIES AND LAND-USE TYPES...... 44

TABLE 16. LAND-USE TYPES SUITED TO EACH LAND MANAGEMENT CLASS ...... 46 TABLE 17. LAND-USE GUIDELINES FOR EACH LAND MANAGEMENT CLASS...... 47 TABLE 18. AQUATIC LAND MANAGEMENT CLASSES WITH GUIDELINES...... 54

Project team Lizanne Nel (4Life Promotions), Dawie Jansen Van Vuuren and Deon de Witt (MetroGIS) and Samantha Taljaart & Paul Claassen (Environomics)

All rights reserved by the Government of the Republic of South Africa in the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environmental and Tourism. No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environmental and Tourism (LEDET). The information contained in this report is subject to change without notice.

Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environmental and Tourism 20 Hans van Rensburg Street Private Bag X 9484 Polokwane 0700

Disclaimer and Warranty While every endeavour has been made to ensure the accuracy of the P-LCP, neither the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environmental and Tourism, 4Life Promotions, Environomics, MetroGIS, nor the authors accept any legal responsibility, direct or indirect, resulting from the use of the information contained in this report for any purpose whatsoever.

Trademark Acknowledgement ARC/INFO™ and ArcView™ are registered trademarks of Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). All text and tables were produced with Microsoft Word™ and Microsoft Excel™, registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

The endemic Euphorbia sekhukhuniensis

CONTEXT OF THE REPORT

The Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) is Biodiversity Areas (CBAs) identified. Data and analyses that are not directly related mandated to develop a Conservation Plan for Limpopo by the South African to the objective, and that have been reported on elsewhere, are omitted. Constitution and the National Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004). These and other statutes such as the Constitution, require that the state provide for a conserved and Implementation of the LCP and capacity building should be dealt with in Phase 3 healthy environment that supports sustainable development that is safe and when the LCP will be mainstreamed into the main sectors of the economy. There healthy for all citizens. should also be a substantial public awareness and education component.

LEDET appointed the project team in February 2010 to assist with the development As the target readership will include people other than conservation planners which of Limpopo Provinces’ first Systematic Conservation Plan (LCP), using available may not necessarily be Geographical Information System (GIS) experts, an effort datasets as a baseline for the planning process. The LCP would serve as baseline for was made to produce a concise and easily understandable report, making use of conservation planning and sustainable development in Limpopo in the future. It tables and maps where possible. The P-LCP is available on electronic format, would: obtainable for the Biodiversity Directorate at LEDET.  guide provincial government in implementing its biodiversity mandate, including improvement of the provincial protected area network; and Euphorbia groenewaldii  provide biodiversity information in supports of land-use planning and environmental decision-making.

As a result of resource constraints, a Preliminary Conservation Plan for Limpopo (P- LCP) was done, in two phases. Phase 1 focussed primarily on acquiring relevant data sets available and establishing a stakeholder database. Phase 2 focussed on the conservation planning process using available data and inputs from various experts.

Where critical gaps in the data collected were identified, measures were taken to address those within the resources available. Surveys and processes to generate new baseline information, and to do extensive modelling could not be done within the resource limitations. The improvement of the baseline should therefore be done on a continuous basis to update existing data and to fill data gaps as part of the review and continual improvement process of the LCP.

This report is a synopsis of the outcomes of Phase I and Phase 2, with a brief description of how the conservation planning process was conducted and Critical 3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Entabeni Private Nature Reserve Lessing Jan LEDET Eagan Vincent For a process as important and complex as systematic conservation planning, Kruger Johan diverse data sets and information are required. Good quality, applicable and up-to- Pienaar Kobus date data and information is often difficult to acquire and very expensive for a Steenkamp Karen Dr. variety of reasons, especially sensitive biodiversity data that is crucial for conservation planning. Visagie Riaan

The collection of information and data for this process would have been impossible Mpumalanga Parks Board Lötter Mervyn without the co-operation and contributions of several people and a number of Rural Development and Land Reform organisations. LEDET, as well as the authors, wish to express sincere gratitude to all South African National Biodiversity Institute Hankey Andrew Dr. contributors for their inputs during the conservation planning process for their Pfab Michelle support. Smith Tammy

Willoughby Selwin

CONTRIBUTORS South African National Parks Holnes Stephan Dr. University of Limpopo Engelbrecht Dereck Dr. Agricultural Resource Council - Institute for Soil Climate and University of Johannesburg Witkowski Edward Prof. Water Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Nel Jeanne Private Individuals Becker Rolf Van Deventer Heidi Nel Gawie

Plowes Darrel Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Collette Annelize Truter Jaco Van der Merwe Izak Van der Walt Retha Department of Environmental Affairs Marais Deon Department of Water Affairs

LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

LEDET Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism ALMC Aquatic Land Management Class LMC Land Management Class ARC Agricultural Research Council MBCP Mpumalanga Biodiversity Conservation Plan ARC-ISCW Agricultural Resource Council - Institute for Soil, Climate and Water MEC Member of the (provincial) Executive Council BHU Broad Habitat Unit MPB Mpumalanga Parks Board BLMC Biodiversity Land Management Class NEMA National Environmental Management Act CBD Convention on Biological Diversity NGO Non-governmental Organisation CBA Critical Biodiversity Area NP National Park C-Plan Conservation Plan NPAES National Protected Areas Expansion Strategy CSIR Council for Scientific and Industrial Research NSBA National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment DEAT Department of Environment Affairs and Tourism PA Protected Area DWA Department of Water Affairs PESC Present Ecological Status Class EIA Environmental Impact Assessment P-LCP Preliminary Limpopo Conservation Plan FEPA Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area SADC Southern African Development Community FESA Freshwater Ecosystem Support Area SANBI South African National Biodiversity Institute GIS Geographic Information System SANParks South African National Parks IUCN World Conservation Union SCP Systematic Conservation Planning LCP Limpopo Conservation Plan SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment

1 PURPOSE OF A PROVINCIAL CONSERVATION  3. Significant Areas - very limited choice for meeting targets - protection needed; PLAN  4. Important and Necessary Areas with greater choice in meeting targets - protection needed; “Our path towards sustainable development, poverty reduction and enhanced  5. Ecological and Processes Corridors - mixed natural and partially human well-being for all, is therefore dependent on how effectively we conserve transformed areas, identified for long term connectivity; biodiversity” (Ferrar & Lotter, 2007).  6. Areas of Least Concern – natural areas with the least potential conflict with development; and Biodiversity includes the full range of variety and variability within and among living  7. Transformed Areas - areas that do not contribute to meeting targets. organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur, and encompasses ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity, including ecological For LEDET, a provincial Biodiversity Conservation Plan will further serve to processes and patterns. Biodiversity is not evenly distributed throughout the encourage environmental regulators to be pro-active in dealing with competing landscape with some areas having higher levels of biodiversity than others do. land-use options considered for economic development and biodiversity These areas may include both a higher number of species or ecosystems, and a conservation. It will focus attention on critically important conservation areas, large number of threatened species. without neglecting the responsibility to improve the quality of life of people through sustainable development. The challenge we face is to determine which terrestrial and aquatic features in the landscape are critical for conserving biodiversity and Biodiversity Conservation Plans should be seen as the vehicle for the Biodiversity maintaining ecosystem functioning in the long term, and then acquiring Sectors’ a primary input into the various multi-sectoral planning tools such as the necessary resources to address these priorities. Spatial Development Frameworks (SDF’s). It should also be used as an input in development decision making, including Strategic Environmental Assessments A spatial biodiversity conservation plan considers biodiversity variability by collating (SEAs) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). and mapping information about biodiversity features (distribution patterns, ecological processes); existing protected area network; and land-use patterns, in relation to conservation targets, to identify Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBA’s). This 2 LEGAL MANDATE AND FRAMEWORK enables us to focus resources on priority areas for conservation and to develop broad land-use guidelines to manage competing land-uses. Globally, there is growing emphasis on biodiversity conservation as a result of the growing pressure on, and consumption of the world’s natural resources. In South A LCP maps the distribution of the Province’s known biodiversity into seven Africa, the strong and expanding economy also result in pressure on our globally categories, ranked according to ecological and biodiversity importance and their recognised biodiversity, with loss and degradation of natural habitat being some of contribution to meeting the quantitative targets set for biodiversity features. the biggest pressures on biodiversity. The categories are:  1. Protected Areas - already protected and managed for conservation; Policy and laws to protect biodiversity operate at many levels:  2. Irreplaceable Areas - no other options available to meet conservation  Global / International / Multinational - including NEPAD targets - protection crucial;  National / Regional - including SADC  Provincial / Sub-regional - including good neighbour agreements (TFCAs)

 Municipal, both Local and District The P-LCP can further encourage more sustainable land management through the Municipal Property Rates Act, Act 6 of 2004. The property rates system can reflect LEDET is mandated to develop a Conservation Plan for Limpopo by the South property values inclusive of the conservation state of the property where legally African Constitution and the National Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004) and has a binding conservation restrictions or obligations are relevant. Proclaimed protected legal responsibility to provide for a conserved and healthy environment that areas, whether state or privately owned, are automatically eligible for rates supports sustainable development that is safe and healthy for all citizens. exclusion in terms of the Municipal Property Rates Act.

In terms of the Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004), the Minister or the Member of the A LCP will also guide local land-use planning through the development of Executive Council (MEC) for Environmental Affairs in a province may determine a Environmental Management Frameworks (EMF) as indicated in Section 24 (2 & 3) of geographic region as a bioregion for the purposes of the Act and publish a plan for the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (Act 17 of 1998). EMF the management of biodiversity in that region. This plan is termed a ‘bioregional development may result in the identification of specific geographical areas (guided plan’, and must contain “measures for the effective management of biodiversity” in by conservation plans such as the P-LCP), for which development guidelines are the region. formulated that control environmental impacts of activities through the planning process. A bioregional plan must contain a map of Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBA), including terrestrial and aquatic features and ecological corridors. The The EIA Regulations (2010), promulgated in terms of NEMA (107 of 1998), makes provision for the initiation, adoption and use of EMF’s as a proactive environmental map must reflect the following four main categories: management decision support tool that must be taken into account in the . Existing protected areas; consideration of applications for environmental authorizations in terms of the . Critical biodiversity areas; regulations. . Other natural habitat; and . Areas where no natural habitat remains. Systematic biodiversity plans also provide an important basis for identifying which ecosystems are at risk. The Biodiversity Act provides for listing threatened and It must further contain guidelines for land-use planning and decision- protected ecosystems. making, linked to biodiversity features and categories on the map. A provincial conservation plan is not a Bioregional Plan and do not have The following categories of threatened ecosystems may be listed in terms of the legal status. However, because it identifies CBA’s and provide broad land- act: use guidelines, it will be critical in the process of developing Bioregional  Critically endangered ecosystems – have undergone severe ecological Plans and other planning frameworks that do have a legal status. degradation and are at an extremely high risk of irreversible transformation;

 Endangered, or Vulnerable ecosystems – have reduced degradation and It will assist Local Government in contributing to environmental performance as risk, each less than the category above; required by the Municipal Systems Act (2000). According to the Draft Guideline,  Protected ecosystems – that are not threatened but nevertheless are local and district municipalities should integrate CBA’s into their planning worthy of special protection. frameworks such as Integrated Development Plans (IDP’s), Spatial Development

Frameworks (SDF’s), zoning schemes.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations (2010), published in terms In this instance, the relative irreplaceability of planning units was calculated using of the National Environmental Management Act (Act no. 107 of 1998), further Marxan. This irreplaceability value is defined as the likelihood of a particular parcel makes provision for the status of ecosystem published in terms of the Biodiversity being needed to meet biodiversity targets. Based on the number of runs, the Act, to guide development decisions. frequency of selection of planning units can be used to derive an irreplaceability value. If 1000 runs are chosen, irreplaceability will range from 0 (never selected) to As signatory to several international conventions and treaties intended to benefit 1000 (always selected – i.e. irreplaceable). For the P-LCP 30 000 runs were chosen biodiversity and the environment at a global scale, the LCP will contribute to South to get a good statistical spread of results. It allows users to decide which sites Africa complying with international conservation obligations. should be placed under some form of conservation management; accepts and displays these decisions, and then lays out the new pattern of options. In the further development of the LCP, once more detailed species information is 3 SYSTEMATIC CONSERVATION PLANNING available, it is suggested that at least 100,000 runs and a billion iterations be considered in order to highlight the areas which has the greatest need for immediate conservation action. In order to fulfil strategic objectives of representivity, complementarity and efficiency, whilst also addressing constraints and opportunities, conservation Using planning software such as Marxan it is possible to devise a reserve system planning must be systematic and transparent (Pressey, 1999). that objectively satisfies a number of ecological, social & economic criteria. Marxan

is unique in that it is able to address three important functions namely: According to Margules & Pressey (2000), the underlying principle for Systematic  Incorporating boundary cost (Marxan is able to cluster units (i.e. lower Conservation Planning (SCP) is to identify representative samples of biodiversity boundary cost), as selecting planning units on biodiversity features alone that are located where they can best persist over time. The amount of biodiversity may result in a very fragmented and dispersed portfolio of CBA’s; requiring protection must then be quantified by setting a target for each  Incorporating planning unit cost (can be used, for example, to minimise biodiversity feature. This numerical target indicates how much of the feature needs land-use conflicts by avoiding areas with high development potential); and to be maintained or conserved, in order for it to persist and contribute to long term  ecosystem functioning. Setting clump targets (select clumps of biodiversity features so that they meet clump targets e.g. group of wetlands). Irreplaceability is a measure assigned to an area (e.g. a planning unit) that reflects the importance of that area, in the context of the planning domain, for the Marxan aims to minimise the cost of the above three functions by adding a cost achievement of the regional conservation targets. According to Pressey et. al. value to them, and then trying to minimise planning unit portfolio costs. The (1994) this can be defined in two ways: software program calculates the combined cost of all the planning units in the portfolio. If a planning unit does not contribute to a conservation target it receives  The potential contribution of a site to a conservation goal or the likelihood a lower value than one that does. of that site being required to achieve the goal; and

 The extent to which the options for achieving a system of conservation The six steps for SCP as described by (Margules,T 2000) were used in Limpopo, but areas that is representative are reduced if that site is lost or made it should be further extended to include a public participation process where unavailable. comments on the LCP are solicited, and outcomes are mainstreamed into important sectors and landuse plans at municipal level through decision support tools such as The technical aspects of the calculation of irreplaceability values are discussed in Environmental Management Frameworks (EMF’s). Pressey et. al. (1994) and Ferrier et. al. (2000).

4 PLANNING APPROACH FOR LIMPOPO

In 2006, a national cross-sectoral policy process was undertaken to identify The systematic conservation planning approach used in Limpopo differs from other National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas (NFEPA) (Roux et. al., 2005). FEPAs provinces in that as a first step, a Preliminary Limpopo Conservation Plan (P-LCP) were determined through a process of systematic biodiversity planning and was developed using available data, to achieve the following immediate involved collaboration of over 100 freshwater researchers and practitioners. The requirements of LEDET: Technical report for this process was recently (Nel et. al., 2011) FEPAs were  Understanding what data is available for conservation planning in identified based on a range of criteria: Limpopo, highlighting challenges, constraints and steps required to be

addressed to improve data for future refinement of the P-LCP;  Representing river wetland and estuary ecosystem types;  Use available data to develop a decision support tool to assist LEDET to  Representing free-flowing rivers; evaluate the impact of increasing habitat transformation on the  Maintaining water supply areas in areas with high water yield and high biodiversity of Limpopo; and groundwater recharge;  To use a systematic approach in determining priorities for conservation  Identifying connected systems; action and resource allocation, while continuously improving on  Representing threatened fish species and associated migration corridors; conservation planning efforts.  Preferentially identifying FEPAs that overlapped with: The process used in establishing the P-LCP with very limited funds, time and factual  Any free-flowing river; inputs was based on the systematic conservation planning steps of Margules  Priority estuaries identified in the National Biodiversity Assessment 2011; (2000), but steps such as Implementation and Monitoring should form part of and future processes. The best available datasets and input from various experts were  Existing protected areas and DEA’s focus areas for protected area used (Appendix A). Where integrity of datasets where questionable, it was not expansion. used, or in some cases, datasets were “cleaned” and augmented with other datasets to improve quality, within the time and resources available. The results of NFEPA for Limpopo, was used for aquatic ecosystems in the P-LCP.

Although the importance of an integrated and inclusive process is recognised by A summary of the conservation assessment process followed in the P-LCP, is LEDET, the aquatic and terrestrial analyses were not integrated into a single indicated below. assessment. The following important principles were however recognised and as a result, measures were taken to address these in developing the P-LCP: A: INPUT  Importance of conserving aquatic biodiversity within healthy sub- catchments; 1. Review conservation planning processes of other provinces – lessons learned.  Importance of high value sub-catchment areas should influence selection  Specific attention was given to the conservation planning processes of of terrestrial priorities towards these areas; Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Western Cape.  Future land-use pressures should influence the terrestrial assessment to  In all of the cases, much more resources were available for the avoid these areas; and conservation process than in Limpopo.  Providing land-use guidelines for biodiversity conservation at the strategic  All provinces used fixed planning units and some datasets such as the land- or planning level should address both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. use layer for Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Western Cape are more recent

(Limpopo having the oldest Land-use data layer of all provinces). Species  Various options were considered and the geographical planning unit was data were also much more comprehensive for the other provinces. selected as the best option.  The use of fixed planning units that do not coincide with biodiversity  Attributes for biodiversity pattern and process were attached to the pattern in some cases resulted in allocation of CBA’s in impractical areas planning units. such as already developed industrial zones.  Data sets on both land classes as well as threatened species were used in  The results of the National Freshwater Ecosystems Priority Areas (NFEPA) the development of specific GIS datasets, which were exported into were not available to many of the provinces and different assessment structured data tables. processes were used for aquatic ecosystems by the various provinces. Limpopo had the benefit of having the dataset available for the 6. Conservation targets were determined for biodiversity features. conservation planning process.  Quantitative conservation targets were set for biodiversity features.  National guidelines and specialist input guided the determination of 2. Data on the biodiversity of Limpopo was collected from various organisations targets. and individual biodiversity experts.  Because of limitations in the data, a conservative approach was used for  Data was reviewed and data sets that were sufficiently consistent to serve targets (these should be less risk averse in future exercises when better as surrogates for biodiversity across the planning region were selected. information is available).  No new surveys were conducted.  Some of the older datasets such as the land cover data set of 2001 was B: ASSESSMENT augmented with newer data on build-up areas and agricultural field’s data.  Biodiversity experts and SANBI were consulted and information on 7. Calculate the most efficient pattern of planning units required to meet localities of rare and/or threatened species were collected. biodiversity targets.  Important datasets that would be required for future processes were  GIS manipulation, Marxan and expert input was used to map the identified. Province’s known biodiversity into seven categories, ranked according to ecological and biodiversity importance and their contribution to meeting 3. The planning domain for Limpopo was determined. targets set for biodiversity features.  The planning area for conservation assessment was determined using  Marxan was used to determine Irreplaceable Areas ; Significant areas; provincial borders and cutting out totally transformed areas from it to Important and necessary areas; and Areas of Least Concern. reduce the statistical evaluations for these areas that lack contribution to conservation targets. 8. Existing protected and conservation areas were evaluated.  The NFEPA planning units are nested within the terrestrial planning units.  The current protected area network was mapped and the extent to which quantitative targets for representation and design have been achieved 4. Biodiversity pattern and process features were identified. within these, were evaluated.  Biodiversity features were identified to be used in the planning process.  Best available datasets were used for all features 9. Priority areas for expansion of the protected area network were highlighted.  Where possible, surrogates were used to address gaps in data.  Existing protected areas were used as a basis for an expanded system.  Priority areas for consideration as additions to established areas were 5. Best design for planning units was selected and attributes attached. highlighted.

 Specific site allocation and protected area design was not addressed and 4.1 Limpopo Planning Domain further refinement is required.  Ecological corridors between CBA’s were mapped using expert input. Limpopo is located within the greater savannah biome, commonly referred to as Bushveld, with a small representation of grassland and forest biomes. The bio Outputs of the P-LCP include: geographical location of the province, large altitudinal ranges, complex geology,  A concise P-LCP report and viewer; varied climate and topography contributes to a highly diverse landscape, rich in  Poster of Critical Biodiversity Areas and Protected Areas; and biodiversity, with three declared centres of endemism.  Land-use planning guidelines linked to the CBA’s.

Figure 1 Map of the Limpopo planning area, with all transformed areas and planning units.

Totally transformed areas include areas where there was a complete change in The choice of planning units has huge implications on the efficiency with which character or condition1, and where the indigenous vegetation cover has been conservation targets are met, as well as protected area design. During the planning removed or damaged to the extent that it cannot reasonably be re-established. process, geographical information is embedded in the planning units that must Transformation results in serious and permanent loss of biodiversity and have at a minimum three attributes: fragmentation of ecosystems, which in turn, lead to the failure of ecological  Unique identification number; processes. Remnants of biodiversity may survive in transformed landscapes.  Cost; and  Conservation status (already conserved, available to be conserved, or Table 1. Datasets used for the transformed layer. excluded from analysis).

TRANSFORMATION FACTOR % of LIMPOPO Planning units can be made up out of any polygons including fixed forms such as Cultivated land (DAFF 2009/2010 fields data) 9.7% grids and hexagons, or geographical units. The planning unit used for most of the Built up areas: residential, industrial, business, sport fields, urban and 2 conservation plans in South Africa to date, is the hexagon. The use of a regular or manicured parks (2001 Land cover data updated by EMF information, fixed planning units such as hexagons however results in major trade-offs and refined by EIA/GIS built-up areas 2010) 3.5% omissions and the benefit of using fine scale data is lost as data is adapted to the Mining areas (2001 Land Cover data set) 0.2% “fixed form” of the hexagon, which has no relation to distribution of biodiversity.

For this reason, geographical planning units that are better aligned to the natural Plantation forestry was not included in the transformation layers. The data from the environment, biodiversity patterns and ecological processes, were used for the LCP. 2000 Landcover map that was available is relatively old and it is known that the situation on ground has changed significantly over the last eleven years, with much Consideration was given to mesozones within the mesoframe grid as used by the invasion of these plants into sensitive threatened mountain grassland areas. Geospatial Analysis Platform (GAP) of the CSIR as planning unit, because it provides Excluding these areas from the beginning, would seriously influence the selection of a common meso-scale geospatial platform for the assembly, analysis and sharing of the threatened grassland areas and high water yield areas as CBAs, using old data strategic geospatial information, typically used in Limpopo for economic planning. (Figure 2). It should however be noted that 0.8% of Limpopo was taken up by The 50km2 size of the units is however to coarse for spatial conservation planning plantation forestry in 2001, and the transformation status of especially grasslands that should have implementation value at local level and it is also not related to as indicated in this report is very conservative. distribution of biodiversity. Data from the LCP can however be translated back into

mesozones to enable its strategic consideration in the context of other available Naturally bare rock or land was not included, and man-made dam structures of any geospatial information and alignment with the economic planning initiatives. size were not included as they do have a function in respect to aquatic life albeit in an altered way. Broad land classes based on vegetation types, and quaternary catchments, were used as the basis for the geographical planning units in the P-LCP. Lombard (2003) 4.2 Planning Units found in their research in the Cape Floristic Region that land classes alone as surrogates for species in conservation planning, do not sufficiently address certain species. Localities for threatened species’ distribution were therefore also used in defining planning unit, as well as wetlands, rivers and boundaries of protected 1 Def. The Oxford Universal Dictionary. areas. A total of 108 000 planning units were used for the P-LCP. 2 Where possible, manicured areas that form part of open space systems need to be identified separately as they may play a role later in the process when corridors and links are identified.

Figure 2: Forestry Areas compared with High Water Yield Areas

Features used for planning units of the P-LCP include the following: To create a systematic derived conservation plan with a strong spatial content,  Quaternary catchment areas; available geographical datasets with good integrity on components of biodiversity  Vegetation types; that address community diversity, species diversity and genetic diversity, including  Wetlands and rivers buffered 150m; ecological processes and pattern, were used.  Protected Areas; and Hexagon  Species locality data. An extensive list of data has been sourced and evaluated for the conservation as planning assessment process. Most of the geographical data was available as primary In the NFEPA process, sub-quaternary catchments were used as planning units. datasets, but some data with sufficient attribute data, were also extracted from unit They were modelled in ArcHydro, using a combination of digital elevation data and various datasets to create secondary or value added datasets. the 1:500 000 rivers used by Department of Water Affairs. Catchment boundaries were delineated around each river segment which resulted in 9 417 sub-quaternary 4.3.1 Biodiversity Pattern Features Geographical catchments (Nel et. al., 2011). These are roughly nested within the quaternary planning unit catchments that were used in defining the planning units for the P-LCP. Terrestrial biodiversity data or surrogates for biodiversity features, were captured in GIS and allocated to planning units. Data sources included SANBI, expert 4.3 Biodiversity Features biologists, NGO’s and landowners. See Table 3.

Table 3 Biodiversity pattern features with their descriptions and targets. Figure 3: Fixed planning units – hexagons vs. geographical planning units

Broad Habitat Unit (BHU), a land class that is a surrogate for landscape diversity, especially vegetation pattern, is commonly used as surrogate for biodiversity pattern. During this assessment, vegetation pattern as defined by the Vegetation Type dataset from SANBI, (Veg map, 2006) was used as a basis for biodiversity pattern.

As recommended by Lombard (2003), species data were also included in the planning process to make provision for species who share the following characteristics: rarity, limited ranges, Red Data Book status, specialised habitats not Hexagon defined by broad habitat units, and distributions driven by historical rather than as planning contemporary ecological factors, species data were also included. Lombard (2003) unit indicated that combining both land class and species data in conservation planning, requires only 0.1–0.8% more land for viable conservation options (depending on species targets) than targeting land classes alone. Geographical planning unit

Only threatened taxa for which sufficiently precise locality data were available, 4.3.2 Biodiversity Process Features were used in the P-LCP. Priority was given to local endemics and LEDET’s responsibility for protecting these endemics. The consolidated specie data table The rationale for the design for persistence is discussed in (Cowling, 1999). This consists of 46,924 records of plant, bird and reptile species, representing as many entails identifying areas critical for the indefinite ecological functioning of spatial polygons. important biodiversity and conservation areas that will continue to sustain evolutionary process and ecosystem services. The processes that maintain and In many cases where historical data was available, it was collected at a quarter generate biodiversity are vast, but some data sets were identified where processes degree scale that is not sufficient for conservation planning. Data sets received are reflected as spatial components. The spatial surrogates given represent the from SANBI are presented either as points or as quarter degree polygons. Neither natural habitat features required to maintain the corresponding processes, and are of the two is sufficient for analysis and was refined using surrogate data layers. An reflected in example of this process for Encephalartos inopinus is discussed briefly. Table 4 Biodiversity process features with their descriptions and targets.” The spatial requirements for different processes may be nested or overlapping in many Based on habitat description, Encephalartos inopinus occurs on cliffs in dolomitic cases. Discussions with biodiversity experts expanded on the available data. areas. The vegetation layer that highlights dolomite grassland, and the data layer that highlights steep slopes were subsequently used as surrogates to refine the Plant herbivore processes involving mega-herbivores, and predator-prey processes species’ distribution within the quarter degree grid of known distribution. See involving top predators (Boshoff & Kerley, 1999), have not been included as Figure 5: An illustration of the use of surrogates to model distribution of the separate processes in the conservation assessment as large tracks of land, between threatened Encephalartos inopinus within the quarter degree grid of known 250 000 and 1000 000 ha would be needed. The Kruger National Park is secure and distribution, using the vegetation layer that highlights dolomite grassland, and the large enough to make provision for these processes, and selection of other large layer that highlights steep slopes. Distribution of species that went extinct in the protected areas for this purpose would have masked the results of areas important wild in recent years was included in the process to ensure that areas are identified for other ecological processes. Similarly, natural fire regimes that needs large areas for reintroduction and species rescue programs. (50 000-100 000 ha) that are remote from human settlement, are also catered for within the KNP. See Table 6. Figure 4: Composite of species distribution data. Catchments that are in good condition based on the NFEPA, were used as surrogates for plant herbivore processes involving large herbivores and predator- prey processes involving smaller omnivores and predators (Boshoff & Kerley, 1999). The assumption being that catchments that are in good condition would be better suited to these processes than others in poorer condition. Selecting areas based on their existing size and fenced status, is not a good indicator of long term potential of an area to accommodate these processes. This surrogate layer was not included in the Marxan process, but was included in the final category of “Significant areas” to guide land-use management in these important area.

Example of surrogate vegetation layer (Dolomite Grassland) used for Encephalartos Example of surrogate layer (Steep Slopes) used inopinus, underlying the quarter degree grid of know distribution. for Encephalartos inopinus.

Figure 5: An illustration of the use of surrogates to model distribution of the threatened Encephalartos inopinus within the quarter degree grid of known distribution, using the vegetation layer that Integrated species highlights dolomite grassland, and the layer that map, highlighting highlights steep slopes. modelled distribution of Encephalartos inopinus

4.3.3 Aquatic Ecosystems Features – NFEPA were included in the assessment process. Specific attention was given to areas earmarked for mining expansion and urban growth. These factors were combined into one GIS layer representing areas of likely conflicts with biodiversity and The process for the NFEPA is outlined in the Technical Report for the National therefore high-risk areas for meeting biodiversity targets. Site selection for Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas project (Nel et. al., 2011). The main features protection is made to avoid these areas if options exist for meeting targets used were for rivers, wetlands, species, estuaries and groundwater, to identify elsewhere. areas of high groundwater recharge. All aquatic features used in the NFEPA process are reflected in Table 5. Aspects to be considered in future, include climate changes risks; high risk areas for

alien plant infestation; and agricultural expansion areas. The Waterberg and The 1:500 000 river spatial layer of Department of Water Affairs was used for rivers, Letaba-Olifants Environmental Management Frameworks were considered to and smaller streams connected to estuaries (National Biodiversity Assessment, determine which areas were earmarked for agricultural expansion, and these were 2011) were added to produce the river network used for planning. taken into account when placement of corridors were considered, even though it

was not used as a cost factors in the Marxan assessment. Wetlands were delineated using augments of water bodies and wetlands from the National Land Cover 2000 with inland water features from Department of Land Affairs’ Chief Directorate: Surveys and Mapping (DLA-CDSM). All of these have been 4.4 Protected Areas classified as either ‘natural’ or ‘artificial’ wetlands to derive a National Wetland layer (Nel et. al., 2011). The protected area network layer was updated and mapped to show current levels of protection for terrestrial biodiversity features. Threatened fish species from the Red Data lists of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) threatened categories were used, as well as sub- Table 2: Categories of protected areas based on level of protection. quaternary catchments where groundwater recharge is three times higher than the DESCRIPTION CATEGORY TYPE OF PROTECTED AREAS average for the related primary catchment. FORMALLY PROCLAIMED Proclaimed National & Provincial Protected PROTECTED AREAS (strong 1 Areas; National Wilderness and Forestry Nature 4.3.4 Landuse Pressure Features legal and institutional structures) Reserves; Municipal Reserves. AREAS WITH SOME FORM OF Core Areas of World Heritage Sites and RAMSAR Sites (those not proclaimed); State Forests; According to Pressey et. al. (1996), the assessment of landuse pressures and threats LEGAL STATUS (heterogeneous 2 to biodiversity is critical in conservation planning, and strategic priorities for assemblage with varying degrees Proclaimed National & Provincial Heritage Sites of protection and defensibility) 3 establishing a protected area network must be guided by irreplaceability and and Private Nature Reserves National Protected Area Expansion Strategy; Un- vulnerability. Those areas that have high irreplaceability because they are essential AREAS proclaimed Provincial Parks; Core Areas of EARMARKED/DESIGNATED 3 for achieving representative targets, and that are highly vulnerable to threatening Biospheres that are not Proclaimed Protected FOR CONSERVATION processes, should be the priorities for conservation action. Areas.

When considering development options, it is important to avoid areas where biodiversity is threatened, or where there is an anticipated conflict with existing or 3 Types of areas indicated in italics could not be included because the available data likely future land-uses. For this reason, factors that put pressure on natural habitats was of insufficient quality.

This data layer however has significant challenges to be addressed by LEDET in the The biodiversity systems we manage are not static, they are dynamic, both future, as many of the provincial nature reserves are not formally proclaimed, and temporally and spatially, while the rapidly expanding knowledge base generated by an updated data layer for private nature reserves and heritage sites are not scientists has also highlighted the complexity of ecosystem structure and function. available. The changing socio-economic and political environments in a developing country with a constant change in norms and values also influence conservation practice. Conservancies and Natural Heritage Sites are legally and administratively weak at present and were not considered as providing effective long-term protection due to 4.5.1 Biodiversity Pattern Targets their uncertain future. Appendix B gives a list of all the protected areas and their classification used in the P-LCP. The National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment produced a conservation target for each of the 441 vegetation types of the SANBI revised vegetation map for South 4.5 Conservation Targets Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland (Mucina et. al., 2005). These targets were proportionally assigned to the percentage of each of the 56 vegetation types that The biodiversity systems we manage are not static, they are dynamic, both occur in Limpopo (Appendix C). temporally and spatially. The rapidly expanding knowledge base generated by scientists has also highlighted the complexity of ecosystem structure and function. Targets for the vegetation types that occur in Limpopo range from 19% to 31%, The changing socio-economic and political environments in a developing country except for Critically Endangered Vegetation types, where a target of 100% was with a constant change in norms and values also influence conservation practice. allocated. The Wolkberg Dolomite Grasslands were also given a target of 100% because so many threatened species occur within this vegetation type, as well as Conservationists operate in a multidimensional decision making environment, many caves and tufa’s with associated biota of which very little is known. which demands realistic conservation targets that can ensure, amongst other aspects, that we: As a minimum, species targets were based on the thresholds developed for the  use available information to guide decision making; IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (1994). The system aims to provide an  are pro-active in highlighting critical areas for conservation action; explicit, objective framework for the classification of the broadest range of species  know how much of a feature needs to be conserved in the long term; according to their extinction risk.  manage for a defined end point;  are able to monitor performance; According to the IUCN, species targets should aim to:  get consistency in management action; and  Avoid an increase in the extinction risk of Endangered and Vulnerable  reach consensus in the allocation of resources towards conservation species or the extinction of Critically Endangered species; action.  Improve the conservation status of Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable species; and The methods for setting these targets should be explicit and transparent. Given the  Prevent other conservation-worthy species (e.g. Near Threatened, Rare, dynamic environment in which we operate, they are however not cast in stone and Endemic, Orange List species) from meeting the IUCN criteria for can be adjusted as new information becomes available and requirements of society Vulnerable. change. It should however always be done through a structured and well- documented processes, with explicit reasons for changing targets.

In order to achieve this, the following minimum targets would apply: information was available on known breeding sites of the threatened birds and  All known populations of Critically Endangered, Endangered and reptiles, a target of 10 % for birds and 20% for the one reptile were set, based on Vulnerable species listed under the IUCN Red List Criteria of B, C or D and expert input. taxa listed under the Orange List categories of Critically Rare, Rare and Rare-sparse must be conserved in situ; 4.5.2 Biodiversity Process Targets  For all Threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable) species solely listed under the IUCN Red List Criteria of A or E as well as any other Ecological processes include various natural cause-and-effect relationships such as conservation worthy species (e.g. Near Threatened, Rare, Endemic or migration, pollination, soil erosion, etc. These processes are complex and often Orange List species(IUCN, 2001): difficult to measure or to manage and plan for and few can be represented spatially 4 o 11 locations must be conserved in situ, thereby avoiding a on a map. Ecological processes are however as important to the persistence of Vulnerable listing under the B criterion in the event that the biodiversity as the biological feature i.e. species, itself. species is subject to a decline or extreme fluctuations. In the absence of any obvious threat, 11 populations/localities must be Although many ecological processes are conserved along with the protected biota, conserved in situ. some are not. The most obvious processes not covered, include those involving 5 o At least 10 000 mature individuals must be conserved in situ, species movement and connectivity. These processes can be spatially represented thereby avoiding a Vulnerable listing under the C criterion in the and are incorporated into the P-LCP as ecological corridors. Natural ecological event that the species is subject to a decline or extreme corridors such as rivers and mountains sustain the natural landscape by providing fluctuations. pathways for species to travel between different areas, and assist protecting hydrological systems. For species recovery:  The number of locations must be increased to at least 11 (if species is Expert input was used to identify biodiversity processes and ecological corridors naturally rare, this may not be possible); and that could be mapped to cater for long-term processes, landscape-scale movement  The number of mature individuals must be increased to at least 10 000; of biota, and to provide links following high-value biodiversity areas. Quantitative targets were set for the appropriate spatial components of processes, while Based on the above, targets for threatened plant species in Limpopo that did not ecological corridors were superimposed on the Marxan results to provide linkages meet the national target, were set at 100% of known localities. As very little between CBAs.

4.5.3 Aquatic Ecosystem Targets 4 Location is defined as a geographically or ecologically distinct area in which a single threatening event can rapidly affect all individuals of the taxon present. The size of the Quantitative biodiversity targets were set for fish species, river ecosystem types, location depends on the area covered by the threatening event and may include part of wetland ecosystem types, priority wetland clusters and free-flowing rivers (Nel one or many subpopulations. Where a taxon is affected by more than one threatening et.al. 2011). Similarly to the terrestrial species, a target of 100% were allocated to event, location should be defined by considering the most serious plausible threat (IUCN, confirmed critically endangered or endangered species, and some populations of 2001) 5 species that are in the IUCN threatened categories and some populations of special Mature individuals is defined as the number of individuals known, estimated or inferred to concern (e.g. those with very restricted distributions in South Africa). be capable of reproduction (IUCN , 2001). 19

Table 3 Biodiversity pattern features with their descriptions and targets. FEATURE DESCRIPTION EXTENT TARGET 64 283ha Azonal Biome; 39 750ha Forests Targets are proportion of national target, Biome; 353 120 Grassland Biome; 10 439 except for Critically Endangered Vegetation types 56 Vegetation types occur in Limpopo. 645 ha Savannah Biome (Outside Vegetation types where the targets have Transformed Areas). been set on 100%. Threatened Species (known, modelled and/or Birds 17 Species. 10% of modelled area. breeding sites/ areas in Limpopo).

Plants Known and modelled localities. 13 Species. Euphorbias, buffered 150m. 100% of threatened plant localities.

Reptiles Known localities. 1 Species. 20% of known locality.

Table 4 Biodiversity process features with their descriptions and targets. FEATURE DESCRIPTION EXTENT TARGET 11% of area based on national targets for Ecological diversification of Three Centres of Endemism Wolkberg 292 774 Ha; Sekhukhune 540 926 protection. Wolkberg 32 205 Ha; plant lineages in relation to Ha and Soutpansberg 633 408 Ha Sekhukhune 59 502 Ha and Soutpansberg fine-scale edaphic gradients 69 675 Ha Sensitive hydrological systems and associated specialist 20% or approximately 41 770 Ha to be Dolomite areas with caves and underground aquifers. 208848 Ha biotic and a-biotic formally protected components Migration along and between 20% or approximately 430 570 ha to be Ridges and escarpments corridors with a gradient > 8% 2 152 849 Ha ridges and escarpments formally protected

Sub-quaternary catchments where mean annual High water-production areas equate to High yield catchments runoff is three times higher than the average for the 30% of the area is 321 266 Ha 1 070 887 Ha related primary catchment

Floodplain ecosystem, its hydrological functioning and Nylsvley RAMSAR site and its upper Nylriver floodplain system 100% of the area movement of species along the system catchment area 20

Limpopo section of the KNP and Health 1 070 887 Ha Healthy Quaternary Plant-herbivore processes Healthy natural areas between 5-10 000ha (not quaternary catchments from the NFEPA Catchments included in the “Important involving medium-sized necessarily demarcated by existing fences). dataset. 984 180 Ha of KNP and 1 070 887 and Necessary layer” of the CBA layer map herbivores. Ha Healthy Quaternary Catchments. to guide landuse management. Limpopo section of the KNP and Health 1 070 887 Ha Healthy Quaternary Predator-prey processes Healthy natural areas between 5-10 000ha (not quaternary catchments from the NFEPA Catchments included in the “Important involving smaller necessarily demarcated by existing fences) dataset. 984 180 Ha of KNP and 1 070 887 and Necessary layer” of the CBA layer map omnivores and predators Ha Healthy Quaternary Catchments. to guide landuse management.

Table 5. Aquatic ecosystem feature with their descriptions and targets as described in Nel et. al. (2011). FEATURE DESCRIPTION TARGET

Rivers

Distinct combinations of Level 1 eco-region (Kleynhans et. al., 2005), flow descriptions from Department of Rural Development and Land Reform: National Geospatial Information (DRDLR-NGI), and slope categories from 20% of total length per type. River ecosystem types Rowntree and Wadeson (1999). River ecosystem types were used for

representing the diversity of rivers across the country. They can be regarded as coarse-filter surrogates of biodiversity, conserving the diversity of many common and widespread species, and their associated habitats. Combines data on present ecological state of rivers (Kleynhans, 2000) and River condition available present ecological state updates, river health data, reserve Rivers had to be in a good condition to be chosen as FEPAs. determination data, expert knowledge and natural land cover data. Rivers without dams that flow undisturbed from their source to the confluence with a larger river or to the sea. Acknowledging that not all of these are likely to remain free flowing in the light of development needs, 20% of total length per eco-region group. Free-flowing rivers flagship free-flowing rivers were identified based on their representativeness

of free-flowing rivers across the country, as well as their importance to ecosystem processes and biodiversity value. These flagship rivers should receive top priority for retaining their free-flowing character.

FEATURE DESCRIPTION TARGET Wetlands Classifies wetlands based on a hydro-geomorphic approach to Level 4a of the national wetland classification system (SANBI, 2010) using a GIS protocol for automation. These were then combined with groupings of the vegetation 20% of total area per type. Wetland ecosystem types map of South Africa (Mucina & Rutherford, 2006) to derive wetland ecosystem types that were used to depict the diversity of wetland ecosystems across the country. Uses the proportion of natural land cover in and around the wetland as an Wetland condition was used to favour the selection of wetland Wetland condition indicator to model wetland condition. For riverine wetlands, the condition of FEPAs, although wetlands did not have to be in a good condition rivers was also taken into account. to be chosen as a FEPA. Ranks wetlands according to conservation importance using a combination of special features and modelled wetland condition. Special features included Wetlands of high conservation importance were selected for expert knowledge on features of conservation importance (e.g. extensive Wetland ranks representation first, proceeding to lower ranking wetlands only if intact peat wetlands, presence of rare plants and animals) as well as available necessary. spatial data on the occurrence of threatened frogs and wetland-dependent birds.

Groups of wetlands within 1 km of each other and embedded in a relatively natural landscape. This allows for important ecological processes such as 20% of total area per wetland vegetation group Wetland clusters migration of frogs and insects between wetlands. FEPAs were identified to represent clusters in each wetland vegetation group.

Species Five types of conservation areas: Fish Sanctuaries (areas required to meet fish population targets); Fish Migration Corridors (areas required for migration between required habitats, usually Fish sanctuaries were identified at the scale of sub-quaternary catchments. Fish sanctuaries between main stem and tributary habitat); Rehabilitation and Fish localities from the fish database of the South African Institute for Aquatic Translocation Areas (areas crucial to the survival of the highly Biodiversity (SAIAB) and Albany Museum were used to guide the choices, and threatened fish species they support); and Upstream were updated with expert knowledge during the regional review workshops. Management Areas (areas that need to be managed to prevent degradation of downstream Fish Sanctuaries and Fish Migration Corridors).

FEATURE DESCRIPTION TARGET Water supply areas High water yield areas are not all FEPAs, but the recommendation Sub-quaternary catchments where mean annual runoff is three times higher is that they should be maintained in a good condition (A or B High water yield areas than the average for the related primary catchment. ecological category) to support the sustainable development of water resources in each Water Management Area. High groundwater recharge areas are not all FEPAs, but the High groundwater recharge Sub-quaternary catchments where groundwater recharge is three times recommendation is that the surrounding land should be managed areas higher than the average for the related primary catchment. so as not to adversely impact groundwater quality and quantity.

Table 6. General ecological processes not specifically modelled, but which were assumed to be catered for in the proposed landuse categories of the P-LCP without having to set specific targets and land aside. FEATURE DESCRIPTION Pollinator relationships (Goldblatt et. al., 1998; Steiner, 1998). Protecting vegetation types as BHU to cater for these relationships.

Large (50 000-100 000 ha) areas that are remote from human settlement. 984 180 Ha Natural fire regimes. catered for in Limpopo section of KNP.

Plant herbivore processes involving mega-herbivores. Catered for within KNP.

Predator-prey processes involving top predators (Boshoff & Kerley, 1999). Mega-sized areas between 250 000-1 000 000 ha catered for in KNP. Ecological diversification of plant lineages in relation to mesoclimatic and larger scale Mesoclimatic and larger scale edaphic gradients between centres of endemism, currently edaphic gradients. to be included in corridors.

Faunal seasonal migration, including between lowland and upland. Areas spanning lowland-upland gradients. Currently not specifically catered for.

4.6 Challenges and Constraints in Data Challenges with the Limpopo species data can be summarized as follows:  there was no reliable data available for certain threatened species; It must be born in mind that GIS data is created with specific goals and objectives in  for some threatened species, data was very old; mind by the various owners / custodians of the data. The spatial extent of an  areas of the province are poorly sampled with no absence/presence data; operation (national, provincial or local), budgetary constraints and purpose have an and effect on the quality of the data. Challenges and constraints with data and  in some cases, data was only available at quarter degree square level. information available for the LCP are discussed briefly. As no benchmarks exist for GIS data, the assessment of the data was mostly subjective and influenced by Where necessary, surrogate datasets were used to model distribution of some of experience in the use of data for environmental management purposes. the species. Due to the lack of data for certain taxonomic groups, some species that may be rare, have limited ranges, Red Data Book status and specialised 4.6.1 Data gaps habitats not defined by broad habitat units, and distributions driven by historical rather than current ecological factors, have not been included in this assessment. It The generation of data is a continuous process. The best available data with good is expected that this will not have serious implications for the expanded protected integrity was used for the LCP conservation assessment. As new data becomes area network as some species in this group has been catered for, and Lombard available in future, it should be added as part of the iterative planning process. (2003) indicated that the contribution of species to the percentage of land required for viable conservation, is less than 0.8%. Attention should be given to the following datasets:  categories of protected areas; Once biodiversity monitoring programs provide updated information on the above,  updated landuse map, including forestry areas; existing layers can be improved as part of the iterative conservation planning  distribution data for all threatened species, especially covering poorly process. sampled areas such as the former homelands;  datasets on approved development licenses for mining, forestry and 4.6.3 Data integrity and management developments requiring environmental authorisations;  climate change and alien plant invasion risks; During phase I, the general lack of meta-data for individual datasets that have been  data on special features such as caves, tufa’s, special geological features, acquired was evident. Spatial accuracy, which in turn determines its value for heritage sites etc.; and integration with other datasets, was also a challenge for some datasets. The quality  features that extend into neighbouring countries and provinces. of the data also varies according to the scale at which data was captured. Different operational methodologies were also often applied when data was captured. Gross 4.6.2 Species data errors in some datasets have been detected which resulted in them not being used.

The use of geographical data is also limited by the type and quality of attribute Acquisition of sensitive species data is dependent on the availability of presence values, especially where interpretation of the data is required. In many of the absence data on species for the entire province, and whether or not agreements datasets that have been assessed, attribute values or units were not described or can be reached for its sharing. The distribution of threatened species in Limpopo is specified. Where this could not be addressed through follow up sessions with the not regularly mapped or monitored by LEDET, and data had to be sourced from owners or generators of the data, it was excluded. other reliable sources such as experts in the various taxa and SANBI. 24

The availability of various datasets, some better than others (without a specific terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity in Limpopo. It calculated the smallest area protocol for data clearance and management) resulted in different datasets being required to meet all targets while minimizing land-use conflict and protecting used for the same attribute in previous planning processes. In many cases various important aquatic areas. datasets for the same attribute were received. 5.1 Aquatic Results The following protocol was followed:  Where available, national datasets for which DEA are the custodians, were Aquatic ecosystems are critical to sustain our living landscapes, but are very used; sensitive to disturbance and over utilization. The three basic drivers for aquatic  Official datasets provided by other organisations were used; ecosystems that define their health and ecological characteristics are:  Where other datasets were available, they were assessed, and only those  Hydrology – the presence and the flow of water; with good integrity and metadata were used;  Geomorphology (physical land surface) – the types of rock, soil and the  Where datasets were old, but critical for the process, they were slope of the surfaces over which the water flows; and augmented with more recent datasets; and  Water Quality (chemical and physical) – the measure of dissolved  Only datasets with good integrity were used e.g. the dataset for chemicals, pollutants and sediment in water. proclaimed private nature reserves were not used. The water resource as well as the condition of the catchment and associated Appendix A gives a breakdown of all data received, assessed and used. landuse impact on aquatic ecosystem health. This health can be measured by monitoring changes in aquatic biota, such as fish, aquatic insects and vegetation. 4.6.4 Regional integration Although it can give an indication of the catchment condition in upper catchments, it does not necessarily reflect the condition of the catchment it flows through Linkages exist between Limpopo Province and neighbouring provinces as well as because of its linear character and the accumulation effect along the length of the neighbouring countries. Water catchments and landscapes dominated by system. escarpments, valleys and other topographical features are shared with other provinces and countries. Regional Integration should be done as part of the Figure 6 reflects the status of rivers in Limpopo, as determined in the NFEPA conservation planning process. The dataset for these areas are however not readily process. On a national scale, 57% of river ecosystem types are threatened. In available, or in the case of the provinces, different planning units and Limpopo, tributaries are in a better condition than main rivers, with two areas just methodologies were used in the assessment process, providing some challenge north of Groblersdal towards Marble Hall and Gompies that do not have acceptable with regard to regional integration. An attempt should be made to address this water quality. better in future processes. Most rivers to the east of the province, outside of the KNP, are either “moderately” or “largely” transformed, while rivers in the Drakensberg Escarpment are in the best condition. The Limpopo River systems have the biggest diversity of aquatic 5 SPATIAL ASSESSMENT habitats (Nel et.al, 2011).

Marxan was used to locate CBA’s to achieve pattern and process targets for

Figure 6. River Status as per the NFEPA process.

Only 18 % of mountain catchment areas in the RSA, that play a critical role in  Wetland or estuary FEPA: Connected freshwater systems and surrounding securing our water supplies in South Africa, are formally protected (Nel et.al, 2011). land that need to be managed in order to maintain wetlands in good The highest water yield areas in Limpopo are shown in Figure 2. A very small condition will need to be identified at a finer scale and in management percentage of these areas are currently protected, while plantation forestry also plans for individual wetland and estuary FEPAs. (The wetland layer for occurs predominantly in these sensitive but critical areas. Detail analyses of the Limpopo has limited information and surveys are needed to improve it.) current situation on the ground are needed. Because these areas are also important for persistence of terrestrial biodiversity, it has also been included in the terrestrial  Wetland cluster: Wetland clusters are groups of wetlands embedded in a biodiversity process targets to influence areas selected by Marxan to protect CBAs. relatively natural landscape. This allows for important ecological processes such as migration of frogs and insects between wetlands. In many areas of The NFEPA project produced maps indicating the freshwater ecosystem priority the country, wetland clusters no longer exist because the surrounding land areas per Water Management Area. These or FEPA maps are available in the NFEPA has become too fragmented by human impacts. On the map, an orange Atlas or electronically on the atlas DVD or the SANBI Biodiversity GIS website outline is drawn around groups of wetlands that belong to a wetland (http://bgis.sanbi.org) (Nel et. al., 2011). On each of the maps, protected areas are cluster. On a national scale, 65% of wetland ecosystem types are also indicated. In the NFEPA process, type 1 protected areas are “existing protected threatened. areas”, and type 2 protected areas have been identified as part of DEA’s Protected Area Expansion Strategy.  Fish sanctuary and associated sub-quaternary catchment: Fish sanctuaries are sub-quaternary catchments that are essential for It should be noted that as mentioned above, the NFEPA process used sub- protecting threatened freshwater fish that are indigenous to South Africa. quaternary catchments as planning units. These are however roughly nested within The sub-quaternary catchment is marked with a fish symbol on the map. A the quaternary catchments that were used in defining the planning units for the red fish indicating that at least one population of critically endangered or terrestrial assessment of the P-LCP. The NFEPA identified, represents the most endangered fish species occur within that sub-quaternary catchment. A efficient portfolio of planning units able to meet all the aquatic biodiversity targets. black fish indicates the presence of at least one population of vulnerable or near threatened or a population of special concern. In Limpopo, no sub- Four Water Management Areas fall wholly or partly in Limpopo (Figures 7-10). quaternary catchments are indicated for critically endangered or Different categories of FEPAs are shown on the maps, each with differing endangered fish species, but several are indicated for vulnerable or near management implications as per Nel et. al. (2011): threatened fish populations.

 River FEPA and associated sub-quaternary catchments: The purpose of  Fish Support Area and associated sub-catchment: Fish sanctuaries for this FEPA is to achieve biodiversity targets for river ecosystems and fish rivers in a good condition (A or B ecological category) were identified as species, and was identified in rivers that are currently in a good condition FEPAs, and the whole sub-quaternary catchment was shaded as dark (A or B ecological category, Figure 6). Their FEPA status indicates that they green. The remaining fish sanctuaries in rivers lower than an A or B should remain in a good condition in order to contribute to the ecological condition were identified as Fish Support Areas, and the whole biodiversity goals of the country. For these FEPAs the whole sub- sub-quaternary catchment was shown in medium-green. Fish Support quaternary catchment is shown in dark green, although FEPA status Areas also include sub-quaternary catchments that are important for applies to the actual river reach shown on the map within such a sub- migration of threatened fish species (these are not marked with a fish quaternary catchment. symbol). 27

Figure 7: FEPAs for the Limpopo Water Management Area.

Figure 8: FEPAs for the Levhuvhu & Mutale Water Management Area

Figure 9: FEPAs for the Crocodile & Marico Water Management Area

Figure 10: FEPAs for the Olifants Water Management Area

 Free-flowing Rivers: Free-flowing rivers are rivers without dams. These  4. Important and necessary areas - less than 50% irreplaceable, but rivers flow undisturbed from their source to the confluence with a larger still required to meet targets, but greater choice in meeting targets - river or to the sea. Free-flowing rivers are a rare feature in our landscape protection needed; and part of our natural heritage and there are nationally, only 62 large  5. Ecological Corridors and Processes - mixed natural and partially free-flowing rivers, representing 4% of our river length. In Limpopo, the transformed areas, identified for long term connectivity; only two free-flowing rivers are the Mutale and Mohlapitse rivers. (Figures  6. Areas of Least Concern – areas of natural habitat that could be used 8 and 10). to meet some targets but not needed now, natural areas with most choices; and  Upstream Management Area: Upstream Management Areas, shown in  7. Transformed Areas - virtually all natural habitats has been very pale green, are sub-quaternary catchments in which human activities irreversibly lost and areas do not contribute to meeting targets. need to be managed to prevent degradation of downstream river FEPAs and Fish Support Areas (NESA). Upstream Management Areas do not Categories 2, 3, 4 and 6 were determined by analysis in Marxan. Transformed areas include management areas for wetland FEPAs, which need to be were excluded from the planning area very early in the process and “Ecological determined at a finer scale. Corridors” were selected based on expert judgement along rivers, altitudinal gradients and mountain ridges. Figure 14 shows the result of the biodiversity  Phase 2 FEPA and associated sub-quaternary catchment: Phase 2 FEPAs assessment, while Figure 11 shows the percentage of the planning area allocated to were identified in moderately modified (C) rivers. The condition of these each of the biodiversity assessment categories. Phase 2 FEPAs should not be degraded further, as they may in future be considered for rehabilitation once good condition FEPAs (A or B ecological Figure 11. Percentage of the planning area allocated to each of the biodiversity category) are considered fully rehabilitated. assessment categories.

5.2 Terrestrial Results

The irreplaceability values for each planning unit determined by Marxan, were sorted into meaningful biodiversity assessment categories ranked according to ecological, biodiversity importance, and their contribution to meeting the quantitative targets set for biodiversity features. These categories together with the protected areas are:  1. Protected areas - already protected and managed for conservation;  2. Irreplaceable Areas - 100% irreplaceable, no other options available to meet conservation targets - protection crucial;  3. Significant areas - 50% - 99% irreplaceable, very limited choice for meeting targets - protection needed;

Figure 12. Vegetation Types in Limpopo.

Figure 13. Protected Area Categories in relation to Irreplaceable Areas.

Figure 14. Result of the biodiversity spatial assessment, indicating Critical Biodiversity Areas.

6 PROTECTED AREA ASSESSMENT Limpopo contains four of South Africa’s nine biomes: azonal (alluvial vegetation, freshwater wetlands and saline vegetation); grassland (highveld and escarpment hills), savannah (escarpment foothills and lowveld) and forest (south and east facing The traditional method of conserving biodiversity is by establishing a network of escarpment valleys). formally Protected Areas or Nature Reserves. The effectiveness of the existing protected area network should be assessed in relation to the achievement of the Table 7. Status of the four biomes in Limpopo identified conservation targets for Limpopo. Ha % % BIOME % PROTECTED IN LIMPOPO OF LIMPOPO TRANSFORMED Although some broad-scale analyses have been carried out to evaluate the Azonal 72 205 0.6 11.0 67 importance of the various protected areas in conserving the spectrum of Vegetation biodiversity in Limpopo, the focus has been on selected biodiversity features and Forests 40 081 0.3 0.8 75 biodiversity richness. The result being that resources allocated to conservation, are being spent on conservation areas that are not representative or effective in Grassland 378 908 3.0 6.8 67 conserving the full spectrum of biodiversity, both pattern and process, as well as all Savannah 12 083 163 96.1 13.6 34 levels from ecosystem to genetic diversity. From the above table, it is clear that the Savannah Biome is the least protected, but Determining the most effective protected area system is constrained by the fact most transformed in Limpopo. A large percentage of the protection of this Biome is that there is an existing protected system. This system forms the basis for further within the KNP, highlighting the need to address conservation outside the KNP in planning and as such, it is appropriate to consider the effectiveness of the system in vegetation types that are under serious threat such as the Madikwe Dolomite term is of identified biodiversity conservation targets for Limpopo. The P-LCP is the Bushveld and the Springbokflats Thornveld (Appendix C). The latter being under first scientific assessment of the protected area network of Limpopo, in terms of serious threat from commercial agriculture. LEDET’s mandate. The existing protected area network in Limpopo is shown in Figure 13. Even though it seems that large percentages of the Azonal, Forest and Grassland Biomes are protected, it should be interpreted with great caution, because of the 6.1 Protection Levels of Vegetation Types following reasons:  These three Biomes together comprises less than 4% of Limpopo; The analysis measures the extent to which the biodiversity targets for each  Both the grassland and indigenous forestry areas in Limpopo are located in vegetation type have been met within the current PA network (Category 1 PAs). the same areas earmarked for plantation forestry (Figures 2 and 12); The results for the Province are summarised in Appendix C, displaying the following:  These areas are also the high water yield areas in the province (Figure 2);  The 56 vegetation types;  The landuse data for these areas are more than ten years old and could  4 Biomes; not be augmented in this study, with experts indicating that significant  Percentage natural habitat remaining for each (outside transformed area); transformation of land in these areas have taken place during this period;  Ecosystem status; and  Targets for each of vegetation type; and  Small land-use changes in these areas therefore may actually have a  Proportion of the biodiversity target protected in formal protected areas. significant impact on the conservation status of these very sensitive areas.

Table 8: Vegetation types for which less than 50% of their conservation target is Table 9: Summary of the current protection of vegetation types in Limpopo. achieved (< 50% of target protected inside PAs) % OF TARGET IN NUMBER OF FORMALLY PROTECTED PROTECTION LEVEL % of Target VEGETATION TYPES CONS CONSERVATION protected in AREA VEGETATION TYPE BIOME TARGET % STATUS Protected 0 Zero 2 (-1 VhaVenda Miombo) Areas >0-5 Hardly 4 Sekhukhune Plains Bushveld 28% Vulnerable Savannah 42.0 >5-50 Poor 11 Western Sandy Bushveld 19% Least threatened Savannah 38.1 >50-100 Moderately 9 >100 Well 31 Central Sandy Bushveld 24% Vulnerable Savannah 36.2

Makhado Sweet Bushveld 24% Vulnerable Savannah 35.2 6.2 The Protected Area Network Dwaalboom Thornveld 22% Least threatened Savannah 34.3

LEVEL OF PROTECTION Springbokvlakte Thornveld 35% Endangered Savannah 33.1 Table 10 indicates that the main source of bias in the current PA network is the presence of such a large part of the KNP within Limpopo (>72% of formal PAs). All Polokwane Plateau Bushveld 25% See text Savannah 32.3 categories of PAs comprise 19.4% of Limpopo, but only 11.9% without the KNP. Roodeberg Bushveld 21% Least threatened Savannah 26.3 The fact that only 2.8% of Limpopo is protected within formal PAs outside of KNP is Mucina Mopane Bushveld 20% Least threatened Savannah 16.3 alarming. Critically Woodbush Granite Grassland 100% Grassland 14.4 endangered These biases are a result of the ad hoc manner in which the protected area system Loskop Thornveld 23% Vulnerable Savannah 14.1 in Limpopo has been assembled. Many of the protected areas were land purchased

by Department of Works to acquire land tenure for the establishment of the official Limpopo Sweet Bushveld 20% Least threatened Savannah 4.9 road network system in the province, while others, such as Atherstone Nature Northern Afrotemperate 32% Least threatened Forests 3.9 Reserve, have been donated to government for conservation. Forest

Madikwe Dolomite Bushveld 19% Least threatened Savannah 2.7 From Appendix B and Table 10, it is clear that although there are many indigenous Granite Lowveld 24% Vulnerable Savannah 1.7 forests that have some form of protection (category 2), it comprises less than 1% of Gravelotte Rocky Bushveld 20% Least threatened Savannah 0.6 the planning area, indicating highly fragmented portions of land where ‘edge effect’ Leolo Summit Sourveld 75% Vulnerable Grassland 0.0 can have a significant impact. It would be advisable to consider protection of these indigenous forests and the grasslands within which they do occur as consolidated, VhaVenda Miombo See text Savannah 0.0 larger PAs that would be much more effective in achieving conservation objectives and focussing resources.

Table 10. Level of protection of the planning area in Limpopo with and without Table 11. Areas under protection by different types of Protected Areas KNP for each of the PA categories.

% % % of PLANNING TYPE LEVEL AREA (HA) PLANNING PLANNING CATEGORY TYPE OF PROTECTED AREA DESCRIPTION CAT. AREA AREA AREAS PROTECTED PROTECTED PROTECTED Forest Wilderness Area 1 19 297 1% – KNP (Ha) – KNP + KNP World Heritage Sites 1 28 710 2% Proclaimed National Core of Biospheres 1 65 717 5% FORMALLY & Provincial PROCLAIMED Protected Areas; National Park (excluding KNP) 1 73 677 5% PROTECTED National Wilderness 1 366 121 2.8 10.3 Provincial and Local Reserves 1 178 719 13% AREAS and Forestry Nature 23% Reserves; Municipal National Park 1 1 057 857 74% Reserves. 1 423 977 100% AREAS WITH Core Areas of World World Heritage Sites 2 2 214 7% SOME FORM OF Heritage Sites and 2 30 903 0.2 0.2 LEGAL STATUS RAMSAR Sites (those Indigenous Forests 2 28 688 93% 2% not proclaimed) 30 902 100% National Protected Area Expansion Un-proclaimed reserves 3 117 554 10% AREAS Strategy; Un- EARMARKED/DES Biosphere Zones 3 163 219 14% proclaimed Provincial IGNATED FOR 3 1 173 324 8.9 8.9 NPAES 3 892 587 76% Parks; Core Areas of CONSERVATION Biospheres that are 1 173 360 100% 75% not Proclaimed

Protected Areas.

TOTAL 1 570 347 11.9 19.4 6.3 Corridors The largest percentage of Category 1 PAs comprises the KNP (74%), with Provincial The purpose of ecological corridors is to provide dedicated pathways for long-term and Municipal PAs second (13%), and other National Parks contributing 5%. In biological movement. Corridor width was guided by the underlying layer. Due to the Category 2, Indigenous Forests make the biggest contribution. Un-proclaimed PAs existing fragmentation of natural habitat in corridors, their boundaries should be comprises only 10% of areas earmarked for conservation, and some of these are treated as a guideline rather than a precise measure and therefore the area not located within Irreplaceable Areas. earmarked for corridors have not been determined.

A note of caution: this data layer needs attention, but it is expected that the tendencies would stay the same, even if actual figures changes one the data is cleaned and verified. 38

The following principles guided selection of corridors:  The Nyl Floodplain Corridor: links the Escarpment Corridor along a Dolomite process feature with Makapan World Heritage Site, and  Important biodiversity areas and PAs need to be linked to promote southwards with the Nyl Floodplain system. connectivity;  Rivers, altitudinal gradients and mountain ranges provide for the natural  The Sekhukhune Corridor: splits of the Escarpment Corridor, and runs movement of plants and animals in response to environmental change; along the Olifantsriver to link Potlake Nature Reserve with the Escarpment  NFEPAs should influence selection of corridors where practical; Corridor. It continues south through Sekhukhune to the important  Corridors should follow lines of least transformation and maximum biodiversity areas to the west of Tubatse.. remaining natural habitat; and  Where possible, corridors should be aligned with corridors of adjacent  The Ga-Selati Lowveld Corridor: links the Escarpment with the KNP along provinces, compatible landuse zones of EMF’s available for areas Limpopo the Ga-Selati River. This corridor has been identified as important through and areas identified for important ecosystem processes outside PAs. the Olifants River Catchment EMF.

The corridors selected for the expanded protected area system for Limpopo are  The Soutpansberg – Mutale Corridor: Links Blouberg and Maleboch reflected in Figure 14. Finer scale delineation of these corridors is needed with Nature Reserves with Irreplaceable Areas along the Soutpansberg, consideration of on-site realities. following Roodewal, Ratombo and Entabeni forestry reserves, turning north-east towards KNP along the river FEPA of the Mutale River. The following preliminary corridors have been selected:  The Langjan – Waterberg Corridor: links the Soutpansberg area along  The Steelpoort Corridor: runs from Loskop dam Nature Reserve, and links Blouberg and Maleboch Nature Reserve with the Langjan Nature Reserve the irreplaceable area around Groblersdal, with that of the Eastern Expansion Area, running through the Waterberg Escarpment Irreplaceable Drakensberg, along the process features of the Ridges and Escarpments in Areas along the Waterberg EMF Zone 1 for protection of the natural the Sekhukhune Centre of Endemism, and the Steelpoort River to the environment, till it ends at the irreplaceable area at Marakele National north, where it ends at the Eastern Drakensberg Escarpment. The Park. Steelpoort river was used as a basis. This corridor was aligned with the 7km wide corridor indicated for the same area in the Mpumalanga  The Matlabas - Mokolo Corridor: Links the Langjan – Waterberg Corridor Conservation Plan. through Marakele with the Limpopo River and Botswana along the Mokolo/Matlabas River FEPA.  The Escarpment Corridor: runs North-West from Blyderiverspoort Nature Reserve, along the Dolomite areas of the South-Eastern Drakensberg up to  The Entabeni – Wolkberg Corridor: links the Soutpansberg with the the Lekgalemeetse – Wolkberg Nature Reserve Complex. From there, it Wolkberg along the Northern Mist belt Forests. This corridor has areas runs in a South-Westerly direction along the Dolomite areas of the that have been transformed and smaller scale analysis is required to Drakensberg Escarpment, along the mountains until Chuenespoort ensure the best delineation option.

6.4 Key Findings  The network of corridors provides a good opportunity for long-term biological movement between important biodiversity areas, but Even though measuring of each individual PAs contribution to meeting biodiversity refinement is needed at a finer scale. targets was not done, the location of each PA in relation to the different biodiversity assessment categories was done and can be accessed using the viewer6 developed for the P-LCP. 6.5 Recommendations

From the PA assessment, it is clear that Limpopo has to prioritise its PAs and The following points summarize key findings of the assessment: address the following:  The absence of reliable datasets on all the various classes and categories of  Clean-up the data layer and verify data with proclamation record/site. Pas has a great impact on the results of the assessment.  Compare the verified layer with the CBAs to confirm which PAs  Although it is expected that Private Nature Reserves are potentially (proclaimed and un-proclaimed) fall within Irreplaceable Areas. important for meeting biodiversity targets, this assessment could not be  done due to the absence of reliable data. Determine the contribution of PAs in meeting biodiversity targets.  Proclaim priority PAs to give them formal protection status after  A great deal of useful information was however derived from analysing the consolidating priority areas as far as possible. location of each PA within the available datasets in relation to the different biodiversity assessment categories.  Provide incentives and strategies for conservation of corridors and CBAs under private and communal ownership.  Not all PA and their planning units within contribute to meeting biodiversity targets, which means that some of the PAs in Limpopo seem  The process of proclamation of private PAs should be facilitated. to be redundant in terms of meeting biodiversity targets, such as  SA Natural Heritage Sites that are currently not recognised as PAs should Atherstone Nature Reserve. receive attention and their status reconsidered.  There are biodiversity features that are not afforded any protection at all,  Measuring Conservation Importance, based on a PAs contribution to and many features are inadequately protected with only a portion of their meeting biodiversity targets, is only one way of determining an area’s biodiversity target met within the current PA network. conservation value. Aspects such as land tenure, tourism potential,  Some PAs contain biodiversity features that are not found anywhere else management issues and other aspects should also be considered together in the PA network and are hence of particular value. Specifically, the with the achievement of conservation targets in deciding the best possible Drakensberg Cluster of PAs. option for an expanded protected area network for Limpopo.  The KNP play a very important role in conserving especially certain  Outcomes, are preliminary, and various options are possible. biodiversity processes for which very large areas are required.  Having a PA network without the individual PAs being managed effectively  A high proportion of Irreplaceable Areas occur in PAs in Category 3, with in support of achieving conservation targets, does not contribute to no formal protection. This Category however includes un-proclaimed PAs, achieving conservation objectives and legal mandates. An effective and which may change the scenario in future. goal orientated PA management system is needed.

When conservation resources are scarce, a quantified and strongly scientific method is needed to ensure that resources are where it is needed the most. This 6 An electronic program that will allow users to access all information in an interactive assessment provides the basis for that process, but more work is needed to assess manner. individual PAs contribution to meeting biodiversity targets, has been improved. 40

Table 12 Biodiversity process corridors with their descriptions.

FEATURE DESCRIPTION EXTENT TARGET As much as possible of dolomite corridor. Dolomite Corridor Very sensitive and highly endangered. 208 848 Ha (41 770 Ha)

Nylriver floodplain Corridor Movement of aquatic biota along the corridor. 2 400 Ha (from RAMSAR site to catchment) As much of the floodplain as possible.

All or part of each of the major escarpment and steep slopes areas. Escarpments and ridges Movement of biota along escarpments and ridges. 2 152 849 Ha (430 570 Ha)

River corridors Movement of aquatic biota along the corridor. NFEPA process data set. All or part of each of the river FEPA.

7 LANDUSE PLANNING To facilitate the use of the P-LCP, biodiversity Land Management Classes (LMCs) 7.1 Introduction have been identified, with an objective for each class. Only land-use types that are compatible with maintaining this objective should be allowed within each LMC. This list does not include every possible form of land-use, or all levels of intensity of a A large majority of CBAs falls outside the existing protected area network, landuse specific land-use, but instead provide a broad decision support framework to assess guidelines are needed to guide land-use planning and decision-making across the proposals for land-use change. entire province to avoid or minimize negative impacts in CBAs and FEPAs in the

Province. The purpose of the land-use guidelines provided in the P-LCP is to inform To further guide decision making with regard to land use, the P-LCP recommends land-use decisions at various levels, to achieve improved conservation of management objectives and permissible land-use types for each LMC based on the biodiversity and the persistence of ecosystem functioning in Limpopo. potential impact of these land uses on biodiversity.

Although ecological restoration and rehabilitation should be done for all degraded  Always consider land use potential and compatibility with the P-LCP before areas where possible, resources should first be focussed on PAs and Irreplaceable deciding on desirable land use options for an area. Areas that are degraded.  Always verify information with a site visit as a precautionary measure.  The P-LCP should not be used as a stand-alone document in decision- Broad land use guidelines for each of the biodiversity conservation categories for making and all relevant variables should be assessed against appropriate terrestrial ecosystems, as well as for the FEPAs in Limpopo as defined by Nel et. al. objectives and criteria. (2011) is given below. A list of Land Use Principles that should act as a decision  The P-LCP should not be used for urban and fine-scale planning but support tool in the evaluation of activities across CBAs in Limpopo has also been provides a broad framework to assess the potential impact on biodiversity identified. of different land use options.

7.2 Cross-Cutting Land-Use Principles 7.3 Terrestrial Ecosystems

CBAs  Balance opportunity for human and economic development with the Table 13: Summary of terrestrial biodiversity conservation categories requirements for biodiversity persistence. CBA Category % of Limpopo Landuse  Avoid land-uses that results in vegetation loss in CBAs.  Minimize habitat fragmentation and maintain large intact natural patches Irreplaceable 23.1% in and around CBAs. To be managed for conservation of Highly Significant 34.7% biodiversity through various means.  Always consider ecological processes and persistence issues in relation to Important & Necessary 6.4% CBAs and establish/maintain ecological corridors that connect CBAs. Area of Least Concern 22.5% 35.9% available for development via EIA All Areas Transformed 13.4% planning procedures.  All developments in areas that have been poorly sampled, such as the

former homeland areas, should irrespective of its status i.e. the existing P- LCP, be considered with great caution and biodiversity surveys should be required before decisions about the transformation of such areas are The conservative planning approach for the P-LCP resulted in 23.1% of Limpopo made. being identified as Irreplaceable Areas, critical for biodiversity conservation in the  Minimize land use types and activities that reduce ecological resilience. long-term (Table 12). Other significant and important areas that should be  Plan for cumulative impacts, in particular those predicted for global sensitively managed for biodiversity persistence comprises another 41.1%. The climate change. remainder of Limpopo (35.9 %) allows for sustainable development guided by EIAs.  Minimize the introduction and spread of non-native and invasive species.

7.3.1 Land Management Classes Table 14. Land Management Classes for terrestrial ecosystems.

LAND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT CODE CONSERVATION FEATURES DESCRIPTION CLASS CATEGORY Conservation CLMC1a Category 1 PAs  Proclaimed National & Provincial Parks.  Objective: manage biodiversity for persistence in as natural  Forestry Reserves. state as possible.  Mountain Catchment Areas.  Natural landscapes.  Core Areas of World Heritage Sites.  Managed primarily for biodiversity, but can include wildlife  RAMSAR Sites. production, recreational and educational tourism, conducted in CLMC1b Irreplaceable Areas  Critically endangered vegetation types (ecosystems). natural habitats on extensively managed landscapes.  Critically endangered forest patches in terms of the National Forest  Public or private land. Assessment.  Specified biodiversity conservation management objectives.  Areas essential for meeting biodiversity targets for biodiversity features.  Managed for least significant environmental impact.  Forest clusters identified as critical in the forestry planning process.  Ecologically and sociologically sensitive practices and processes CLMC2 Category 2 PAs  Municipal Reserves; Un-proclaimed Provincial Parks and State Land. throughout. CLMC3 Category 3 PAs  National Protected Area Expansion Strategy Areas.  National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment Priority Areas. Formal PAs (CLMC1a & CLMC3)   Core Areas of Biospheres that are not Proclaimed Protected Areas. Formally approved management plan as per NEMPA regulations. Significant SLMC Highly Significant  Endangered vegetation types and forest patches in terms of the National  Objective: manage biodiversity for a near natural state with Landscapes Areas Forest Assessment. minimal loss of ecosystem integrity.  Expert-mapped areas.  No new transformation of natural habitat should be permitted. SC Significant Ecological  Near Natural Ecological Corridors identified in terms of the P-LCP.  Degraded areas should be rehabilitated to near natural state. Corridors  Functional FLMC Important and  These areas are important and necessary areas of natural vegetation that  Objective: manage for persistence of biodiversity function, Landscapes Necessary Areas play an important role in meeting biodiversity targets. keeping sensitive habitats and ecological corridors intact. FC Functional Corridors  Functional Ecological Corridors identified in terms of the P-LCP, with  Environmental authorisations should support ecosystem sections of transformed land. function and corridors.  Corridors identified in terms of other planning processes. Least Concern LLMC Areas of Least  Remaining natural areas not included in the above CBA categories.  Objective: manage for sustainable development. Landscapes Concern  Environmental authorisations should support ecosystem function, sensitive habitats and corridors. Transformed TLMC Transformed Areas  Urban and rural settlements.  Objective: manage for sustainable development. Landscapes  Cultivated lands.  Plantations.  Mining Areas. 43

7.3.2 Land-use Types Table 15.Land-use Categories and Land-use Types. (Adapted from the MBCP). LANDUSE CATEGORY LANDUSE TYPE DESCRIPTION BIODIVERSITY-FRIENDLY 1. Conservation management  Formal and informal Protected Areas managed for biodiversity, wildlife production, recreation and educational tourism, conducted in natural habitats on extensively managed landscapes on public or private  Limited environmental impact, subject to land. good management.  Specified biodiversity management objectives to maintain or enhance current biodiversity.  Relatively positive in protecting  Controls to manage use of resources at sustainable rates (consumptive and non-consumptive), biodiversity assets and ecosystem administrative and management developments, including zoning, sensitive placement of facilities to limit functioning if done environmentally impact. sensitive.  Ecologically and sociologically sensitive practices and processes throughout.  Have an economic focus on which to 2. Underground linear engineering  Underground linear engineering structures, excluding hazardous substances. concentrate efforts to improve structures  Construction done in highly sensitive manner with proper impact assessment and rehabilitation. biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. 3. Extensive game farming  Game production and related tourism activities on extensive land with natural land cover, and includes sustainable commercial hunting with other consumptive and non-consumptive use of wild natural resources. 4. Extensive livestock farming  Cattle and sheep production off extensive areas of natural (unimproved) veldt; mixed livestock/wildlife options and tourism.  Ecologically and economically sustainable management applied to farm portions above a certain minimum size, based on ecological and economic viability. 5. Rural recreational development  ‘Lifestyle’ or investment-type recreational ownership such as share-block schemes, multi-ownership reserves and eco-estates etc. for extensive land portions with limited development (excluding golf estates).  Maintenance of large tracks of natural land cover with biodiversity friendly management.  Development footprint should be limited to <10% of the property and clustered to limit the transformation impact, with minimum property size of 1000ha. MEDIUM IMPACT RURAL 6. Rural grazing areas  Communal land-used for grazing activities and harvesting of natural resources for traditional use.  Variable support for biodiversity,  Land-use generally does not have (commercial) production orientation due to socioeconomic factors. depending on the size and scale of natural resource use.  Some areas may be used strategically to ensure a degree of local connectivity. HIGH IMPACT RURAL 7. Rural settlement  Communal land-used for residential, cultivation and grazing activities and priority for residential/subsistence  Little in support of biodiversity. needs..  Some areas may be used strategically to  Land-use generally does not have (commercial) production orientation due to socioeconomic factors. ensure a degree of local connectivity. Communal as opposed to private title forms of ownership.  Variation in impacts on biodiversity can 8. Dry-land crop cultivation  All tillage cultivation of non-irrigated crops, mostly single-season annuals, but including perennial and be considerable between crop types but orchard-type tree crops if cultivated with an indigenous grass layer.

is more than offset by good management  Crop production methods that conserve water and protect against soil erosion; more-or-less limited and practices such as minimal tillage, responsible use of fertilisers, pesticides and other agrochemicals and genetically modified organisms rotational cropping, soil and water (GMOs). conservation practices etc. 9. Intensive animal farming  Intensive animal production systems, of domestic or ‘wild’ species, that are dependent on confinement; includes dairy farming and all areas in production support for dairy, including pastures, fodder and grain crops, much of which is usually irrigated.  Intensive production areas with relatively dense development; not dependent on the use of natural vegetation for production. 10. Irrigated crop cultivation  Irrigated crops and orchards.  Intensive production activity with high nutrient and agro-chemical inputs and often two crops per year. 11. Above-ground linear engineering  Aboveground linear engineering structures, such as power lines, all hardened roads, railways, canals and projects pipelines, excluding hazardous substances.  Construction done in highly sensitive manner with proper impact assessment and rehabilitation. 12. Exotic timber production  Timber plantations, mainly Pinus, Eucalyptus and Acacia species.  Monoculture of alien timber species with heavy impact on hydrology and soil erosion and for introduction and spread of a variety of alien invasive plants. URBAN INDUSTRIAL LAND-USES 13. Urban development  Physical, residential, industrial and business development –urban or built landscapes, including peri-urban  Can have significant environmental development, termed ‘rural residential’ by town planners, prescribed as one dwelling unit per hectare. impact, with only ad hoc benefits for 14. Major developments  Non-urban infrastructure development, industrial processing, construction etc, not included in any other biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. category.  Where biodiversity persists, it is 15. Underground Mining  Underground mineral extraction and the surrounding ‘footprint’ of related development, which may include artificially maintained and generally small areas for residential and industrial uses. supports only opportunistic assemblages  Includes waste dumps, settlement ponds and disposal sites both above and below ground. of plants and animals. Ecosystem 16.Above-ground Mining  Strip and opencast mining excavations or quarrying, plus the visual, physical and chemical impacts of these processes are severely disrupted, heavily activities, particularly on ground water reserves. impacted or artificially maintained at high  Mine waste and refuse dumps, urban waste sites and landfill sites for whatever purposes. cost. 17. Water transfer projects  All and any major water transfer projects, substantial impoundments, dams and weirs, pipelines, canals and  These land-uses not only produce the bulk water transfer schemes, including those associated with power generation. highest local impacts but also dominate the dispersed and cumulative impacts.  Require special provision in land-use planning, impact assessment and mitigation.

7.3.3 Land-use Guidelines

Table 16. Land-use Types suited to each Land Management Class and associated biodiversity conservation category. LAND MANAGEMENT CLASS LANDUSE TYPE CLMC1a CLMC1b CLMC2 CLMC3 SLMC SC FLMC1 FC LLMC TLMC Highly Important & Areas of Category 1 Irreplaceable Category 2 Category 3 Ecological Functional Transformed Significant Necessary Least PAs Areas PAs PAs Corridors Corridors Areas Areas Areas Concern BIODIVERSITY-FRIENDLY LAND-USES 1. Conservation management Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 2. Underground linear engineering structures Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 3. Extensive game farming N Y N Y Y Y Y Y Y - 4. Extensive livestock farming N Y R Y Y Y Y Y Y - 5. Rural recreational development N N N N R R R Y Y - MEDIUM IMPACT RURAL LAND-USES 6. Rural grazing areas N N N N R N R R Y - HIGH IMPACT RURAL LAND-USES 7. Rural settlement N N N N R N R R R Y 8. Dry-land crop cultivation N N N N N N R R Y Y 9. Intensive animal farming N N N N N N R R Y Y 10. Irrigated crop cultivation N N N N N N N R Y Y 11. Above-ground linear engineering projects N N N N R R R R R Y 12. Exotic timber production N N N N N N N N R Y URBAN INDUSTRIAL LAND-USES 13. Urban development N N N N N N N N Y Y 14. Major developments N N N N N N R R R Y 15. Underground Mining N N N N R R R R Y Y 16.Above-ground Mining N N N N N N N N R Y 17. Water transfer projects N N N N R R R R R Y

Table 17. Land-use guidelines for each Land Management Class. LAND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT LAND-USE GUIDELINES CATEGORY CLASS CLMC1a Category 1 PAs Land use  Conservation Management, (Land-use Type 1).  They can provide for socioeconomic objectives such as tourism and education.  Encourage cooperative conservation arrangements to enlarge areas.

Development  No development applications to be considered, other than for supporting infrastructure.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development or destruction.

Management  Formally approved management plan is required for each PA (NEMPA).  All operational aspects of managing PAs are subject to their main purpose of protecting and maintaining biodiversity.  Restore degraded areas to natural ecosystem functioning according to restoration guidelines.  Regular environmental monitoring and reporting – to be audited.  Prioritise for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.

Social  Conduct high-level public awareness on biodiversity importance of these areas to key role players.  Develop financial and other incentives to achieve sustainable conservation management. CLMC1b Irreplaceable Areas Land use  Preferred land-use is Conservation Management, (Land-use Type 1). Irreplaceable Areas are the most important  Where appropriate, incorporate into the formal PA system through proclamation under NEMPA. areas for the conservation of biodiversity in  As a large percentage of Irreplaceable Areas are currently managed by private landowners, consideration has to be given to the long-term, outside of the protected area compatible land-uses such as Extensive Game Farming and Livestock Production (Land-use but Types 3 or 4), if well-managed, network, even though some may be and sensitive biodiversity features and vulnerabilities are addressed. conserved inside PAs. There is currently no  Encourage cooperative conservation arrangements such as Protected Environments, conservancies etc. compelling legal or well-administrated incentive scheme to promote sensible Development conservation management of these areas  Development applications to be referred to LEDET for evaluation by biodiversity specialists. outside PAs.  Specialist studies to be conducted as part of development applications. Prospecting licenses not to be issued because of incompatibility and no biodiversity offsets in exchange for biodiversity loss in these areas, as all remaining natural areas are required to meet targets.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development or destruction. 47

Management  Restore damaged areas to natural ecosystem functioning according to restoration guidelines.  Should be managed in ways that have no further negative impact on biodiversity.  LEDET to carry out regular environmental monitoring and reporting.  Prioritise these areas for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.

Social  Conduct high-level public awareness on biodiversity values and use of these areas to key role players.  Develop financial and other incentives to achieve sustainable conservation management. CLMC2 Category 2 PAs Land use  Conservation Management, (Land-use Type 1).  They can provide for socioeconomic objectives such as tourism and education.  Encourage cooperative conservation arrangements to enlarge areas.  Where possible, improve legal status.

Management  Formally approved management plan is required for each PA (NEMPA and Forestry Act).  All operational aspects of managing PAs are subject to their main purpose of protecting and maintaining biodiversity.  Restore degraded areas to natural ecosystem functioning according to restoration guidelines.  Regular environmental monitoring and reporting – to be audited.  Prioritise for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.

Development  Development applications to be referred to LEDET for evaluation by biodiversity specialists.  Specialist studies to be conducted as part of development applications. Prospecting licenses not to be issued because of incompatibility and no biodiversity offsets in exchange for biodiversity loss in these areas, as all remaining natural areas are required to meet targets.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development or destruction.

Management  Restore damaged areas to natural ecosystem functioning according to restoration guidelines.  LEDET to carry out regular environmental monitoring and reporting.  Prioritise these areas for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.

Social  Conduct high-level public awareness on biodiversity values and use of these areas to key role players.  Develop financial and other incentives to achieve sustainable conservation management. SLMC Highly Significant Areas Land use  Land in this category should be maintained as natural vegetation. Land in this category should be maintained  Preferred land-use is Conservation Management, (Land-use Type 1). as natural vegetation and biodiversity  As a large percentage of Highly Significant Areas are currently managed by private landowners, consideration has to be given to compatible land-uses are permissible. compatible land-uses such as Extensive Game Farming and Livestock Production (Land-use but Types 3 or 4), if well-managed, Cultivation-based agriculture and and sensitive biodiversity features and vulnerabilities are addressed (e.g. no pasture enhancement allowed). urban/industrial development should not be  Encourage cooperative conservation arrangements such as Protected Environments, conservancies etc. permitted. Destruction of biodiversity on Highly Significant land may result in the area Development being moved into the Irreplaceable category.  Development applications to be referred to LEDET for evaluation by biodiversity specialists.  Specialist studies to be conducted as part of development applications.  Prospecting licenses not to be issued because of incompatibility and no biodiversity offsets in exchange for biodiversity loss in these areas, as all remaining natural areas are required to meet targets.  Develop a more detailed list of unsustainable land uses for the area that are site- or area- specific, including relevant aspects of scale and extent.  Provision for biodiversity offsets in exchanged for biodiversity loss should only be considered at an exchange rate of at least 250%, i.e. more than twice the area or biodiversity value, calculated as a comparable contribution to targets, and only as a last resort.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development or destruction.  Special mitigation measures required for unavoidable development.

Management  Develop and implement best practice guidelines for all permitted land uses.  Restore damaged areas to natural ecosystem functioning according to restoration guidelines.  LEDET to carry out regular environmental monitoring and reporting.  Prioritise these areas for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.

Social  Conduct high-level public awareness on biodiversity values and use of these areas to key role players.  Develop financial and other incentives to achieve sustainable conservation management.  Consider special projects to develop biodiversity management / sustainable use guidelines and procedures for communal and private land. SC Significant Ecological Corridors Land use  Land in this category should be maintained as near natural vegetation. Significant Ecological Corridors are selected  Identify critical link areas and promoted to a higher biodiversity conservation category. to provide for the natural movement of  Encourage cooperative conservation arrangements such as Protected Environments, conservancies etc to provide for cross- plants and animals in response to barrier movement. environmental change. They are also selected to follow the lines of least Development transformation (maximum remaining natural  Development applications to be referred to LEDET for evaluation of potential development impacts. habitat) and have a near natural character  EIA applications should assess amongst other impacts, the impact of the proposed development on the functionality of the providing links between important ecological corridor. biodiversity areas.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development.

Management  Develop and implement best practice guidelines for all permitted land uses.  Retain existing natural vegetation cover and in critical areas do active rehabilitation and restoration of ecosystem functioning.  Prioritise the monitoring of changes in land use and biodiversity to protect ecosystem functioning and connectivity.  Prioritise these areas for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.  Develop activities/procedures for encouraging free movement of indigenous plants and animals across boundaries and barriers in agricultural landscapes.

Social  Conduct focused public awareness and/or extension efforts on biodiversity values and connectivity to limit natural habitat loss and encourage free movement of plants and animals through biodiversity barriers. FLMC Important and Necessary Areas Land use  Land in this category should be maintained as natural vegetation.  Actively promote sustainable land uses that are dependent on natural habitat such as Land-use Types 1 – 5. 50

These areas are important and necessary  Actively discourage intensive land uses that result in biodiversity loss (Types 6-12). areas of natural vegetation that play an important role in meeting biodiversity Development targets. No significant increase in Land-use  Regulate for compulsory, full EIA procedures. Types 6-12 should be permitted and every  Development applications to be referred to LEDET for evaluation by biodiversity specialists. opportunity to maintain natural land cover  Provision for biodiversity offsets in exchanged for biodiversity loss should only be considered at an exchange rate of at least and ecosystem processes should be taken. 150%.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development or destruction.

Management  Develop and implement best practice guidelines for all permitted land uses.  Develop and implement best-practice guidelines encouraging free movement of indigenous plants and animals across boundaries and barriers in near natural and agricultural landscapes.  Prioritise the monitoring of changes in land use and biodiversity to guide management response to protect ecosystem functioning and connectivity.  Prioritise these areas for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.

Social  Conduct focused public awareness and/or extension services on biodiversity values and uses of these areas, especially to land owners. FC Functional Corridors Land use  Land in this category should at least be maintained as near natural vegetation. Functional Corridors differ from Significant  Identify critical link areas and promoted to a higher biodiversity conservation category. Corridors in that even though Functional  Encourage cooperative conservation arrangements such as Protected Environments, conservancies etc to provide for cross- Corridors are also selected to follow the lines barrier movement. of least transformation (maximum remaining natural habitat), they do not have such a Development near natural character, with the possibility  Development applications to be referred to LEDET for evaluation of potential development impacts. of some sections having developments that  EIA applications should assess amongst other impacts, the impact of the proposed development on the functionality of the may impact negatively on biodiversity. ecological corridor. Mitigation measures to improve connectivity  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development. is crucial.  Develop special mitigation measures for planned and existing land-use activities to improve connectivity.

conservation projects, programmes and activities.  Develop activities/procedures for encouraging free movement of indigenous plants and animals across boundaries and barriers in agricultural landscapes.

Social  Conduct focused public awareness and/or extension efforts on biodiversity values and connectivity to limit natural habitat loss and encourage free movement of plants and animals through biodiversity barriers. LLMC Areas of Least Concern Land use  Relative to other LMC’s, these areas serve as preferred sites for urban and industrial development (Land-use Types 13 – 17). These areas contribute to natural ecosystem functioning, ensure the maintenance of Development viable species populations and provide  Standard application of EIA and other planning procedures required. essential ecological and environmental goods  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development. and services across the landscape. Although these areas contribute least to the Management achievement of biodiversity targets, they  Where located close to areas of high biodiversity value, actively promote practises that can provide useful ecological have significant environmental, aesthetic and connectivity or ecosystem services functions, e.g. ecological buffer zones and corridors or water production and restore social values. Compared to other biodiversity ecosystem services. classes, these areas and already transformed  Develop and implement incentives to reverse loss of biodiversity for selected parcels of land where buffer zones and areas serve as preferred sites for connectivity are potentially important. development (Land-use Types 6 – 17). Social  Conduct focused public awareness to promote sustainable development practises. TLMC Transformed Areas Land use  Relative to other LMC’s, these areas serve as preferred sites for urban and industrial development (Land-use Types 13 – 17). Even though this category has lost most of its biodiversity and ecological functioning, Development biodiversity remnants may still occur, but are  Consider the negative impacts of land uses in these areas that have off-site impacts, e.g. controlling use of pesticides, on biologically impoverished and highly neighbouring areas of natural habitat, especially if they are of high biodiversity value. vulnerable. The more transformed a landscape becomes, the more value is placed Management on these remnants of natural habitat. All  Where located close to areas of high biodiversity value, actively promote restoration and rehabilitation of biodiversity. forms of commercial agriculture will benefit  Develop and implement incentives to reverse loss of biodiversity for selected parcels of land having specific biodiversity value. from applying codes of best practice. In  Encourage landowners and developers to use indigenous plants, especially trees, where aesthetic or functional options exist. selecting sites for urban and industrial development, planners need to make a Social special effort to avoid building on areas of  Conduct focused public awareness to promote sustainable development practises. high agricultural potential.

7.4 Aquatic Ecosystems planning and consideration of public and private sector developments that have consequences for water supply and the generation of effluent and hence the Land-use planning needs to take into account the interconnected nature of aquatic functioning of aquatic ecosystems. As land-use guidelines, they are broadly stated ecosystems, and the linkages between catchments, river systems and hydrology of and intended to supplement, not replace, the application of normal EIA procedures. an area. Transformation of catchments can results in stream flow reduction and Any proposed development likely to impact on a river’s ecological drivers can consistency, decline in water quality (through increased sedimentation and potentially alter its functioning. Therefore, all such developments are subject to accumulation of pollutants) and fragmented landscapes and loss of ecosystem EIAs. connectivity. The flow-related connectedness of rivers can further result that the effect of an impact may be felt many kilometres from its source, creating The NFEPA process produced maps per Water Management Area that identify management challenges. Sufficiently large intact and well-connected habitat critical areas for conservation that are sufficient to use in decisions and actions that patches needs to be maintained in each sub-quaternary catchment, to prevent impact on freshwater ecosystems. Managing FEPAs in a good condition is not just significant deterioration of aquatic ecosystems that are essential for livelihoods and about conserving freshwater biodiversity, but it is also a comprehensive approach water as the foundation of sustainable development. to sustainable and equitable development of water resources. Keeping strategically-chosen freshwater ecosystems in a good condition serves a dual The most common development impacts on aquatic ecosystems include: purpose of meeting government objectives for both sustainable water resource  Unregulated water abstraction; development (National Water Act) and freshwater biodiversity conservation  High demand uses such as timber and sugar cane that lowers the water (National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act) (Nel et.al.2011). Different table and lead to stream flow reduction, as well as complex soil changes; categories are shown on the FEPA maps, each with differing management  Negative impacts on the hydrological systems through changes in land implications that will be discussed briefly. cover and surface through activities such as mining and commercial agriculture; Aquatic Land Management Classes (ALMCs) set out suggested catchment  Water pollution resulting from aspects such as acid mine drainage; transformation thresholds. These are a set of recommended permissible upper agricultural pesticides and poor sewage systems or the lack thereof; limits to the loss of natural vegetation cover in each sub-quaternary catchment.  Atmospheric pollution that changes the chemistry of rain water (acid rain); Although the extent of land transformation that should be allowed for each Aquatic  Poor land use management resulting in impacts such as overgrazing, Land Management Class are recommended in Table 17, development in all which leads to degraded land cover and soil erosion, which in turn catchments remains subject to standard DWA requirements regarding limits to contribute to poor infiltration of rainfall and sedimentation of rivers; stream flow reduction.  Poorly planned development infrastructure resulting in changed drainage patterns and storm water damage; Guidelines for quaternary catchments and wetlands should be read together with  Dams, weirs and other stream flow reduction activities that change the terrestrial guidelines, in particular those applying to the Irreplaceable category. downstream hydrology, flow characteristics, migration of aquatic fauna Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem features are intricately combined in wetlands. and flora and local and causing local and downstream channel They area also vulnerability to development and therefore require special measures modification. to ensure functionality and productivity. South African legislation for wetlands dictate that no development applications may go ahead within or affecting These land-use management guidelines for aquatic ecosystems will assist in wetlands without obtaining permits and authorisations from several relevant authorities, with clear penalties for transgressors. 53

Table 18. Aquatic Land Management Classes with associated land-use guidelines

LAND BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT CODE CONSERVATION FEATURES LAND-USE GUIDELINES CLASS CATEGORY Critically Important ALMC1a River FEPAs  Achieve biodiversity targets for river  Objective: Remain in a good condition in order to contribute to the biodiversity goals of the country. FEPAs ecosystems and fish species.  Rivers and their sub-quaternary Land use catchments that are currently in a  Where possible improve the conservation status of land within the sub-quaternary catchment. good condition (A or B ecological category). Development  Development applications in the sub-quaternary catchment to be referred to LEDET for evaluation by biodiversity specialists.  Specialist studies to be conducted by aquatic specialists as part of development applications.  No more than 10 % of the quaternary catchment should be allowed to be transformed.  No significant amount of water abstraction allowed without a water use license provided by DWA.  Specific attention to be given to development impacts on aquatic ecosystems.  No high impact development (Land-use Types 6-17) to be considered within these sub quaternary catchments.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development or destruction.  Special mitigation measures required for unavoidable development in the quaternary catchment.

Management  Restore damaged areas to natural ecosystem function according to restoration guidelines.  Should be managed in ways that have no further negative impact on biodiversity.  LEDET to carry out regular environmental monitoring and reporting.  Prioritise these areas for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.  Where obstacles for aquatic movement occur in rivers, fish passes designed by specialists must be put in.

 Strongly advocate wise water use to targeted role players. ALMC1b  Wetlands  Wetlands  Objective: Need to be managed in a near natural state with minimal loss of ecosystem integrity. FEPAs  Connected freshwater systems and order to maintain these wetlands in good condition. surrounding land. Wetland clusters  Wetland clusters embedded in a Land use FEPAs relatively natural landscape.  Preferred land-use is Conservation Management.  Allows for important ecological  Where appropriate, incorporate into the formal PA system through proclamation under NEMPA. processes such as migration of frogs  Buffer of 20m to be included for all wetlands when delineated. and insects between wetlands.  Where wetland clusters occur, pro-actively promote cooperative conservation arrangements to enlarge joint management areas.

Development  Development applications to be referred to LEDET for evaluation by biodiversity specialists, but where possible no developments should be allowed in wetlands and their buffer zones.  Specialist studies to be conducted as part of development applications - ensure all development applications include an accurate, ground-checked map of all wetlands, as part of the EIA Scoping procedure. (On-site and off-site wetlands that may be affected).  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development or destruction.  Special mitigation measures required for unavoidable development in the quaternary catchment.

Management  Develop wetland management guidelines that address management, restoration and development impact management.  Linkages to other natural areas, according to the specific requirements of the biota and the nature and layout of the system must be addressed.  Degraded wetlands must be restored according to restoration guidelines, with the following areas receiving priority attention: the eye of springs and fountains; critical outflow points; and floodplains.  Should be managed in ways that have no further negative impact on biodiversity.  LEDET to carry out regular environmental monitoring and reporting.  Prioritise these areas for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.  Map all wetlands within each municipality, according to the wetland inventory guidelines developed by DEAT (at 1:50 000 scale).  Controls must be established for livestock grazing and any harvesting of wild plants from any wetland.  Routine wetland management and restoration should be done and should include efforts to control all activities that harm wetlands.

Social  Conduct focused public awareness and/or extension efforts on biodiversity values and connectivity to limit negative impacts and encourage environmentally sensitive development/management.  Develop financial and other incentives to achieve sustainable conservation management.  Strongly advocate wise water use to targeted role players. ALMC1c Free-flowing river  Free-flowing rivers are rivers without  Objective: Should receive top priority for retaining their free-flowing character with less than 10 % FEPAs dams. of total area of quaternary catchment to be transformed.  Rivers flowing undisturbed from their source to the confluence with a larger Land use river or to the sea. Free-flowing rivers  Land in this sub-quaternary catchment should be managed as near natural vegetation as far as are a rare feature in our landscape and possible, with no more than 10% being transformed. part of our natural heritage.  No high impact development (LMC 6-17) to be allowed in these sub-quaternary catchments. Where they do occur, they should be well regulated with new developments.  A 150-meter buffer zone around these rivers should be managed for conservation and no developments allowed within.  Promoted the area to a higher biodiversity conservation category where possible.  Encourage cooperative conservation arrangements such as Protected Environments, conservancies etc to provide for cross-barrier movement and improved protection.

Development  No impoundments, weirs, stream flow reduction activities or obstacles for aquatic biota movement may be allowed within these rivers.  Development applications within the quaternary catchment to be referred to LEDET for evaluation of potential development impacts on free flowing rivers by specialists.  No more than 10 % of the quaternary catchment should be allowed to be transformed.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development.

Management  Develop and implement best practice guidelines for all permitted land uses in the sub-quaternary catchment.  Retain existing natural vegetation cover and in critical areas do active rehabilitation and restoration of ecosystem functioning.  Prioritise the monitoring of changes in land use and biodiversity to protect ecosystem functioning and connectivity.  Prioritise these areas for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.

Development  Development applications with the quaternary catchment to be referred to LEDET for evaluation by biodiversity specialists. No more than 10 % of the quaternary catchment should be allowed to be transformed.  Specialist studies to be conducted as part of development applications by qualified aquatic scientists.  Develop a more detailed list of unsustainable land uses for the area that are site- or area- specific, including relevant aspects of scale and extent. Regulate.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development, pollution or destruction.  Special mitigation measures required for unavoidable development in quaternary catchment.  No new permits should be issued for stocking alien invasive fish in sub-quaternary catchments.  Where obstacles for aquatic movement occur in rivers, fish passes designed by specialists must be put in.

Management  Develop and implement best practice guidelines for all permitted land uses.  Restore damaged areas to natural ecosystem functioning according to restoration guidelines.  LEDET to carry out regular environmental monitoring and reporting in the sub-quaternary catchments.  Prioritise these sub-quaternary catchments for land care projects such as Working for Water, 57

Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.

Development  Development applications with the quaternary catchment to be referred to LEDET for evaluation by biodiversity specialists.  Specialist studies to be conducted as part of development applications by qualified aquatic scientists.  No more than 10 % of the quaternary catchment should be allowed to be transformed.  Develop a more detailed list of unsustainable land uses for the area that are site- or area- specific, including relevant aspects of scale and extent. Regulate.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development, pollution or destruction.  Special mitigation measures required for unavoidable development in quaternary catchment.  Where obstacles for aquatic movement occur in rivers, fish passes designed by specialists must be put in.

Management  Maintain or improve PESC to either A or B, further degradation of PESC should not be allowed.  Strict enforcement of wetland and river conservation management practices.  Develop and implement ‘best practice’ land-use procedures.  Restore damaged areas to natural ecosystem functioning according to restoration guidelines.  LEDET to carry out regular environmental monitoring and reporting in the sub-quaternary catchments.

 Prioritise these sub-quaternary catchments for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.

Social  Conduct focused public awareness and/or extension efforts on biodiversity values and connectivity to limit negative impacts and encourage environmentally sensitive development/management.  Develop financial and other incentives to achieve sustainable conservation management.  Strongly advocate wise water use to targeted role players. Important FEPAs ALMC2 Fish Support Area  Rivers in a good condition (A or B  Objective: Human activities in sub-quaternary catchments need to be managed to prevent FEPA ecological category). degradation of downstream river FEPAs and Fish Support Areas. Improve river condition and remove  Fish sanctuaries in rivers lower than an alien invasive fish to maintain fish populations. A or B ecological condition.  Sub-quaternary catchments that are Land use important for migration of threatened  Land in these sub-quaternary catchments should be maintained as near natural. fish.  No high impact development (Land-use Types 13-17) to be allowed in these sub-quaternary Upstream  Sub-quaternary catchments in which catchments. Where they do occur, they should be well regulated with no new developments. Management human activities need to be managed Area FEPA to prevent degradation of downstream Development river FEPAs and Fish Support Areas.  Development applications with the quaternary catchment to be referred to LEDET for evaluation by  Do not include management areas for biodiversity specialists. wetland FEPAs, which need to be  Specialist studies to be conducted as part of development applications by qualified aquatic scientists. determined at a finer scale.  No more than 15 % of the quaternary catchment should be allowed to be transformed.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development, pollution or destruction.  Special mitigation measures required for unavoidable development in quaternary catchment.

Management  Strict enforcement of wetland and river conservation management practices.  Develop and implement ‘best practice’ land-use procedures.  Restore damaged areas to natural ecosystem functioning according to restoration guidelines.  LEDET to carry out regular environmental monitoring and reporting in the sub-quaternary catchments.  Prioritise these sub-quaternary catchments for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.

Phase 2 River FEPA ALMC3 Phase 2 River  Moderately modified (C) rivers.  Objective: Condition of these Phase 2 FEPAs should not be degraded further, as they may in future FEPA be considered for rehabilitation once good condition FEPAs (A or B ecological category) are considered fully rehabilitated.

Land use  Land in these sub-quaternary catchments should not be allowed to be transformed above 20%.  No high impact development (Land-use Types 13-17) to be allowed in these sub-quaternary catchments. Where they do occur, they should be well regulated with new developments.

Development  Development applications with the quaternary catchment to be referred to LEDET for evaluation by biodiversity specialists.  No more than 20 % of the quaternary catchment should be allowed to be transformed.  Implement appropriate legal penalties for non-compliance such as unauthorised development, pollution or destruction.

Management  Strict enforcement of wetland and river conservation management practices.  Develop and implement ‘best practice’ land-use procedures.  Restore damaged areas to natural ecosystem functioning according to restoration guidelines.  LEDET to carry out environmental monitoring and reporting in the sub-quaternary catchments.  Prioritise these sub-quaternary catchments for land care projects such as Working for Water, Working for Wetlands and NGOs to direct their conservation projects, programmes and activities.

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