Isandlwana Heritage Reserve KwaZulu-Natal South Africa Protected Area Management Plan Prepared by Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Protected Area Management Planning Unit And Isandlwana Heritage Reserve Planning Committee & AMAFA (Developed 2015) Citation Isandlwana Heritage Reserve: Management Plan. Version 1.0 (2015), Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Pietermaritzburg. AUTHORISATION This Protected Area Management Plan for Isandlwana Heritage Reserve is recommended by the Isandlwana Heritage Reserve Planning Committee (NRPC), a multi-disciplinary team consisting of: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Magda Goosen Protected Area Management Planner R Zikhali District Conservation Officer Z Maseko Manager P Ngwenya District Ecologist NW Amafa aKwaZulu-Natali James van Vuuren Deputy Director Support Technical and IT Services ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN i TABLE OF CONTENTS AUTHORISATION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I APPROVAL ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- III TABLE OF CONTENTS------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V AMENDMENTS PAGE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IX PREFACE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- X EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- XI ABBREVIATIONS---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- XIII 1. BACKGROUND ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 1.1. PURPOSE OF THE PLAN ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 1.2. STRUCTURE OF THE PLAN-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 1.3. INTRODUCTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 1.4. THE VALUES OF ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 1.5. PLANNING APPROACH ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 1.5.1. Protecting and managing protected area ecosystems -------------------------------------------------------- 6 1.5.2. Ecosystem-based management ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 1.5.3. Adaptive management ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 1.5.4. Collaboration and transparency ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8 2. DESCRIPTION OF ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE AND ITS CONTEXT ---------------------------------------------------------- 9 2.1. INSTITUTIONAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE ----- 9 2.1.1. Proclamation status of Isandlwana Heritage Reserve ------------------------------------------------------- 10 2.1.2. Public Trust Doctrine -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 2.1.3. Invasive specie s control in terms of the Biodiversity Act --------------------- 10 2.2. THE POLICY FRAMEWORK GUIDING THE MANAGEMENT OF ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE --------------------------- 10 2.3. THE REGIONAL AND LOCAL PLANNING CONTEXT OF ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE ----------------------------------- 11 2.3.1. The National Protected Area Expansion Strategy ------------------------------------------------------------- 12 2.3.2. The Provincial Protected Area Expansion Plan ----------------------------------------------------------------- 12 2.3.3. EIA Regulations in terms of NEMA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 2.4. THE HISTORY OF ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 2.4.1. Origins of the name of Isandlwana Heritage Reserve ------------------------------------------------------- 13 2.4.2. Location and extent of the Isandlwana Heritage Reserve -------------------------------------------------- 13 2.4.3. History of conservation in Isandlwana Heritage Reserve --------------------------------------------------- 14 2.4.4. History of eco-cultural tourism in Isandlwana Heritage Reserve ----------------------------------------- 14 2.5. ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT OF ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE --------------------------------------------------------------- 15 2.5.1. Climate and weather ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15 2.5.2. Topography ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16 2.5.3. Geology and soils ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 18 2.5.4. Hydrology ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 2.5.5. Vegetation --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 2.5.6. Fire regime -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 2.5.7. Invasive species -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 2.5.8. Mammalian fauna ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 For full species list see Appendix H. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 2.5.9. Avifauna ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 For full species list see Appendix H. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 2.5.10. Herpetofauna ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 2.5.11. Invertebrates ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25 2.5.12. Fish -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25 2.6. CULTURAL CONTEXT OF ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE ----------------------------------------------------------------- 25 2.7. SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONTEXT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26 2.8. OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT WITHIN ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE ------------------------------------------------- 27 2.8.1. Infrastructure ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27 2.8.2. Staffing establishment ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 27 2.8.3. Funding levels at Isandlwana Heritage Reserve --------------------------------------------------------------- 27 ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN v 2.8.4. Management effectiveness in Isandlwana Heritage Reserve ---------------------------------------------- 28 2.9. SUMMARY OF MANAGEMENT ISSUES, CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES ------------------------------------------------- 29 3. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31 3.1. ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE VISION ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 31 3.2. OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC OUTCOMES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31 4. ZONATION PLAN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34 4.1. ZONATION OF ISANDLWANA HERITAGE RESERVE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34 4.2. CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 35 5. ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 39 6. OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 40 6.1. DETERMINATION OF PRIORITIES FOR STRATEGIC OUTCOMES --------------------------------------------------------------- 40 6.2. LEGAL COMPLIANCE AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 41 6.3. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 41 6.4. BUFFER ZONE PROTECTION AND REGIONAL MANAGEMENT ----------------------------------------------------------------- 44 6.4.1. Protected area expansion and buffer zone management -------------------------------------------------- 44 6.4.2. Local and regional