EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY BIODIVERSITY REPORT | 2008 ENHANCING URBAN NATURE THROUGH A GLOBAL NETWORK OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS MAYOR'S MESSAGE EXECUTIVE MAYOR’S MESSAGE The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has set itself the goal of sustainable development, which balances the protection of the environment with the improvement of the socio-economic well being of the inhabitants of Ekurhuleni. The Local Action for Biodiversity (LAB) Project is a 3 year project which was According to the Millennium Development Goals (Goal 7 Target initiated by the City of Cape Town, supported by the eThekwini Municipality 1) and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (24), “Human (Durban), and developed in conjunction with ICLEI – Local Governments activities are having an increasing impact on the integrity of ecosystems that provide essential resources and services for Sustainability and partners. ICLEI is an international association of local for human well-being and economic activities. Managing the governments and national and regional local government organisations natural resources base in a sustainable and integrated man- that have made a commitment to sustainable development. LAB is a project ner is essential for sustainable development.” within ICLEI’s biodiversity programme, which aims to assist local governments Ekurhuleni’s open space systems and biodiversity is under severe in their efforts to conserve and sustainably manage biodiversity. pressure from both competing land uses and a shortage of re- sources. The continued growth of Ekurhuleni’s population and economy is increasing the pressure on available land. Local gov- Local Action for Biodiversity involves a select number of cities worldwide and ernment is tasked with service provision and ensuring that social focuses on exploring the best ways for local governments to engage in urban and economic development proceeds within the carrying capac- biodiversity conservation, enhancement, utilisation and management. The ity of the biological resource base. It is therefore a significant Project aims to facilitate understanding, communication and support among front-line manager of global biodiversity. decision-makers, citizens and other stakeholders regarding urban biodiversity Biological and natural resources are a keystone of the global en- issues and the need for local action. It emphasises integration of biodiversity vironment and provide the pillars upon which we build communi- considerations into planning and decision-making processes. Some of the ties, nations and civilizations. They also maintain the life sustain- ing systems of the biosphere and are a fundamental part of our specific goals of the Project include demonstrating best practice urban natural, cultural and spiritual heritage. biodiversity management; provision of documentation and development of biodiversity management and implementation tools; sourcing funding from Ekurhuleni has joined the International Local Action for Biodi- versity project, launched by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sus- national and international agencies for biodiversity-related development tainability, in order to participate in the global drive towards the projects; and increasing global awareness of the importance of biodiversity management and conservation of its natural resources. at the local level. Local governments globally have begun to take a fresh look at fu- ture environmental sustainability. Ekurhuleni is committed to en- The Local Action for Biodiversity Project is hosted within the ICLEI Africa sure that biodiversity issues and concerns must therefore become Secretariat at the City of Cape Town, South Africa and partners with ICLEI, IUCN, fully integrated into local planning and policy making processes. Countdown 2010, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), and RomaNatura. For more information, please visit: www.iclei.org/lab Clr. Ntombi Lentheng Mekgwe Executive Mayor Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality EXECUTIVE MAYOR'S MESSAGE August 2008 BIODIVERSITY REPORT | EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY | 2008 PREFACE ABBRIVIATIONS CONTENTS This document forms part of a set of biodiversity reports pro- LIST OF Abbreviations MAYOR'S MESSAGE . 1 duced by participant cities of the Local Action for Biodiversity PREFACE . 2 (LAB) Project. It represents a critical starting point: a status quo CBD: Central Business District assessment of biodiversity and its management in each LAB city. ABBRIVIATIONS . 2 Each biodiversity report covers four key themes*, namely: DEAT: Department of Environmental Affairs and Tour- CONTENTS 3 ism . Ecology INTRODUCTION . 4 EBOSS: Ekurhuleni Biodiversity and Open Space Strat- Governance egy PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT . 6 Integration EMF: Environmental Management Framework BIODIVERSITY CONTEXT OF BIODIVERSITY . 8 Participation 1. Geology . 9 EMM: Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (also the 2. Topography . 10 Each biodiversity report will be drawn upon to contribute sig- land area it administers) 3. Sub-surface hydrology . 10 nificant and useful information for the compilation, by the LAB 4. Surface hydrology . 10 Project Team, of a Biodiversity Toolkit document. This document ESSDR: Eastern and Southern Service Delivery Regions 5. Water quality . 11 will contain best practice theory and examples, principles, strate- GDACE: Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conserva- 6. Rainfall and climate . .12 gies etc. for use by cities to better manage and integrate biodi- tion and Environment 7. Vegetation types . .13 versity into planning. The Toolkit will in turn contribute towards 8. The use of land . .14 further steps in the LAB process. GDS: Growth Development Strategy BIODIVERSITY DESCRIPTION . 16 GIS: Geographical Information System 1. The definition of biodiversity . 16 The five steps in the LAB process are as follows: 2. Biodiversity in the EMM . .16 IAIA-CB- International Association for Impact Assessment Step 1: Development of a biodiversity report that documents 3. Threats to biodiversity . .20 the current state of biodiversity and its management BIA: – Capacity Building in Biodiversity and Impact 4. Biodiversity management . .23 Assessment within each city OPEN SPACE CLASSIFICATION . 24 Step 2: Ensuring long-term commitment by city leadership to IDP: Integrated Development Plan 1. Introduction . 24 2. Defining natural open space in Ekurhuleni . 24 LAB: Local Action for Biodiversity sustainable biodiversity management through LAB cit- 3. Field work . 25 ies formally signing a local government biodiversity LDO’s: Land Development Objectives 4. Identified open space elements in the EMM . .29 declaration LSDF: Local Spatial Development Framework GOVERNANCE . 30 Step 3: Development of a 10-year biodiversity action plan and 1. Biodiversity in city management . 30 MSDF: Metropolitan Spatial Development Framework 2. Biodiversity projects . .30 framework that will include commitments to biodiversi- NGO’s: Non-Governmental Organisations 2.1. LAB Project 1: Rietspruit Grassland and Wetland Conservation and Recreation Project . 30 ty implementation plans and integration within broader 2.2. Lab Project 2: Swartspruit Grassland and Wetland Conservation and Recreation Project NSDR: Northern Service Delivery Region city plans (correspond to Metropolitan node 3) . .32 2.3. LAB Project 3: Elsburgspruit Urban Conservation and Recreation Rehabilitation Project RAG: Residents Action Group Step 4: LAB cities’ formal acceptance of their 10-year biodiver- (corresponds in part to Local Node: K) . 33 2.4. LAB Project 4: Glen Austin Bullfrog and Bird Sanctuary . .35 sity action plans and frameworks RSDF: Regional Spatial Development Framework 2.5. LAB Project 5: Leeupan Regional Park Project . .36 Step 5: Implementation of five new on-the-ground biodiversity SANBI: South African National Biodiversity Institute 2.6. LAB Project 6: Bill Steward Ridge Conservation and Recreation Project . 38 3. Policies and guidelines . .39 interventions by the end of the three-year project SARDB: South African Red Data Book SEA: Strategic Environmental Assessment INTEGRATION . 40 These reports create a unique opportunity for profiling the im- 1. Mainstreaming biodiversity management into city governance . .40 portance of urban biodiversity, and innovation in its manage- SOER: State of the Environment Report 2. Interaction with other agencies . 41 ment, on a global scale. They are the foundation not only of the 3. International initiatives . 41 long-term plans that each city will develop to enhance, protect and develop their urban biodiversity, but also collectively form PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND AWARENESS . 42 1. Public participation and access . .42 the basis for the development of LAB as a highly effective global 2. Biodiversity awareness-raising/education projects . .42 urban biodiversity initiative. REFERENCES . 44 LAB Project Team IMPRINT . 45 May 2007 Cape Town *Some cities’ Biodiversity Reports do not follow this specific order or these spe- cific headings 2 BIODIVERSITY REPORT | EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY | 2008 BIODIVERSITY REPORT | EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY | 2008 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION to THE EKURHULENI outcrops in the area. Some of these may have been occupied as construction of railway lines to supply the Johannesburg gold Unemployment is high at 48% and a further 34% of the popula- early as the 16th century. Pottery shards and metal items are fields with coal. The lines were later linked to the Orange Free tion is not economically active. Only 18% of the population is Metropolitan