ILEMBE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY WETLAND REPORT | 2017 LOCAL ACTION FOR BIODIVERSITY (LAB): WETLANDS SOUTH AFRICA Biodiversity for Life South African National Biodiversity Institute Full Program Title: Local Action for Biodiversity: Wetland Management in a Changing Climate Sponsoring USAID Office: USAID/Southern Africa Cooperative Agreement Number: AID-674-A-14-00014 Contractor: ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability – Africa Secretariat Date of Publication: March 2017 Author: K. Robinson DISCLAIMER: The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. FOREWORD ILembe District Municipality is well endowed with whilst at the same time, meeting the developmental many natural resources including rivers, wetlands, needs of the district. estuaries, coastal forests, dunes and several Additionally, through the development of the unique vegetation types. Human activities such as EMF, iLembe District Municipality also recognises urbanisation, agriculture & livestock farming as well that further studies and work on the ground needs as the development of informal and rural settlements to be undertaken in order to better understand and within close proximity to environmentally sensitive improve management of the natural resources of the areas put these resources at risk. district. ILembe District Municipality is participating Section 24 of the South African Constitution states in the Local Action for Biodiversity: Wetlands that “everyone has a right a) to live in an environment South Africa (LAB: Wetlands SA Project). The project that is not harmful to their health and well-being and is assisting iLembe District Municipality in gaining a b) to have the environment protected, for the benefit solid understanding of the wealth and value of the of present and future generations”. The National wetland resources within the district as well as what Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998) can be further done to preserve and better manage (NEMA) gives effect to Section 24 of the Constitution, them for the long term benefit for all. ILembe District particularly by encouraging development that takes Municipality is of the firm conviction that preserving into consideration the preservation of South Africa’s the wetlands will not only yield benefits from ecological natural resources. NEMA thus provides iLembe services, but it will also assuage the loss of wetlands District Municipality with the framework upon which that has been noted globally. Finally, the preservation environmental management is to be undertaken of wetlands, and other natural resources, will serve within the district. as catalyst towards the attainment of the district In light of this, iLembe District Municipality developmental vision: “To be a world-class African has developed the iLembe District Municipality destination with excellent services and quality of life for Environmental Management Framework (EMF). its people”. The EMF not only ensures that iLembe District Municipality is compliant with the South African Constitution and NEMA but also ensures that iLembe District Municipality is compliant with other NAME: CLLR. S.S. GUMEDE key international policies such as Agenda 21, the Municipal Mayor Sustainable Development Goals, the Rio Declaration ILembe District on Environment and Development and the United Municipality Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. Through compliance with the EMF, iLembe District Municipality is making key decisions towards preserving and protecting the valuable natural resources within the district for both current and future generations, ILEMBE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY: WETLAND REPORT I 2017 1 ICLEI – LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FOR SUSTAINABILITY [email protected] +27 21 202 0381 www.africa.iclei.org www.twitter.com/ICLEIAfrica ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is the In order to strengthen the role cities and local leading global network of over 1,500 cities, towns and governments play in the pursuit of greater regions committed to building a sustainable future. sustainability through the collaborative design and By helping the ICLEI Network to become sustainable, implementation of integrated urban development low-carbon, ecomobile, resilient, biodiverse, resource- and effective biodiversity management, the ICLEI efficient, healthy and happy, with a green economy Cities Biodiversity Center (ICLEI CBC) was created and smart infrastructure, we impact over 25% of the in 2009. The ICLEI CBC is located in Cape Town, global urban population. South Africa, embedded in the Africa Regional Office of ICLEI. We offer cities a broad portfolio of ICLEI Africa’s work is conducted by a dynamic and supportive services through our dedicated team of passionate team of professionals that seek to work passionate, skilled and dynamic biodiversity and with cities to ensure a more sustainable future, with a urban development experts. specific focus on urban biodiversity matters. 2 2017 I ILEMBE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY: WETLAND REPORT ICLEI CITIES BIODIVERSITY CENTER LOCAL ACTION FOR BIODIVERSITY PROGRAMME [email protected] +27 21 202 0381 www.africa.iclei.org www.twitter.com/ICLEIAfrica The ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center aims to create buffers further biodiversity loss, improves the urban BiodiverCities, which promote urban biodiversity for standard of living, and provides local opportunities the many benefits they offer, including human well- for global education and awareness. being, poverty alleviation, habitat conservation, air and water quality, climate change adaptation and ICLEI’s Local Action for Biodiversity (LAB) programme mitigation, food provision, fortified infrastructure is a unique global biodiversity programme run by resilience, and happiness of citizens. The ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center. The LAB Program is aimed at improving and enhancing ecosystem BiodiverCities are aware that ecosystem services management at the local level, and is recognized contribute towards many essential municipal globally as the leading results-driven local government services, as well as towards the local economy, biodiversity initiative. Currently, LAB is working on sustainability and social well-being of their cities. wetland restoration in South Africa under the Local Biodiversity in cities provides a critical contribution Action for Biodiversity: Wetlands South Africa (LAB towards achieving the global biodiversity targets. It Wetlands SA) project. ILEMBE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY: WETLAND REPORT I 2017 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������1 ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������2 ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������3 Local Action for Biodiversity Programme ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������3 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������6 List of Figures and Tables ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������7 Executive Summary ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������8 Introduction �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������9 1 I WHATISAWETLAND? ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10 1�1 Types of Wetlands ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������10 1�2 Classifying Wetlands ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������11 1�3 The Value of Wetlands ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������12 2 I WHATISBIODIVERSITY? ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������13 3 I WETLANDSANDBIODIVERSITYINILEMBE DISTRICTMUNICIPALITY �����������������������������������������������������������14 3�1 Mapping wetlands in iLembe District Municipality �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������15 3�2 Wetlands in iLembe District Municipality �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������17 3�3 Strategic Water Source Areas within iLembe District Municipality �����������������������������������������������������������������19
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