SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY INSTITUTE ANNUAL REPORT 2005 - 2006 Copies available from: SANBI SANBI Private Bag X101 Private Bag X7 Pretoria Claremont 0001 7735 tel: (012) 843 5200 tel: (021) 799 8800 fax: (012) 804 3211 fax: (021) 762 3229 website: www.sanbi.org August 2006 ISSN 02-7460 Layout and Design: Davidson Design Solutions (02 689 2566) Annual Report 2005 –2006 THE SANBI LOGO Our logo is based on the flower of Strelitzia reginae (bird of paradise or crane flower), a species that is endemic to the east coast of South Africa. The Strelitzia flower has fascinated biologists for centuries, due to its adaptation to pollination by birds, a symbiosis between the animal and plant kingdoms which symbolises the new mandate of SANBI. Strelitzia reginae is a uniquely South African plant that has become a garden favourite world-wide, reflecting our commitment to promoting the sustainable use, conservation and enjoyment of our rich biodiversity by all people. MANDATE The functions of the South African National Biodiversity Institute are detailed in the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act No. 10 of 2004 and include inter alia, to: • monitor and report on the status of the Republic’s biodiversity; • undertake and promote research on indigenous biodiversity and its sustainable use, and establish, manage, control and maintain herbaria and collections of animal specimens; • collect, generate, process, coordinate and disseminate information about biodiversity and maintain databases; • manage, control, and maintain all National Botanical Gardens, with facilities for horticultural display, environmental education, visitor amenities and research; • coordinate and promote taxonomy; • assist in the development of a national biodiversity framework, bioregional plans and strategies; • coordinate programmes in conservation and sustainable use of indigenous biological resources and the rehabilitation of ecosystems. VISION The vision of SANBI is: To be the leading institution in biodiversity science in Africa, facilitating conservation, sustainable use of living resources, and human well-being. MISSION The mission of SANBI is: To promote the sustainable use, conservation, appreciation and enjoyment of the exceptionally rich biodiversity of South Africa, for the benefit of all people. CONTENTS CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT .........................................................................................................2 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S OVERVIEW ................................................................................4 HIGHLIGHTS 2005 – 2006 .........................................................................................................6 BIOREGIONAL PROGRAMMES, POLICY AND PLANNING .......................................................8 CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE RESEARCH .........................................................20 SYSTEMATICS RESEARCH AND COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT .........................................24 NATIONAL BOTANICAL GARDENS .........................................................................................28 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND OUTREACH .................................................................49 ECOSYSTEM REHABILITATION: WORKING FOR WETLANDS ..............................................53 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT .....................................................................................55 FINANCIAL SERVICES ............................................................................................................59 DONATIONS, GRANTS AND SPONSORSHIPS........................................................................60 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ..................................................................................................6 STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BOARD ...............................................................67 REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE .....................................................................................67 SUMMARY OF KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ................................................................68 REPORT OF THE AUDITOR-GENERAL ...................................................................................7 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION ...................................................................................72 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE ........................................................................73 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS ...........................................................................74 CASH FLOW STATEMENT ........................................................................................................75 NOTES TO THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ..............................................................76 CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT work of SANBI into the future. In the coming year, we expect to engage more deeply with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to clarify and reach agreement on the long-term business case. On the scientific front, the Board has agreed to use the managed network model as the primary model for developing the activation of the full scope of the mandate of SANBI. This is a complex set of relationships that need to be defined and structured and work will continue into the new financial year. With respect to the knowledge management role of the Institute, a two-year process was put in place that begins with a gap analysis of national capacity. Finally, the Board also identified the challenges of building scientific capacity and the transformation of SANBI. I am pleased to report that the Board has made substantial progress in the majority of these challenges, and we are confident that given the appropriate support we will complete the tasks we set out for ourselves. This Annual Report covers the period from April 2005 to the end of March 2006. During Growth in the national economy, targeted for this period SANBI has been challenged with 6% in Government’s Accelerated and Shared the continuing process of institutionalisation, Growth Initiative, will require increasing levels following the enactment of the new Act and the of strategic decision support, to facilitate the appointment of the new Board. use and management of our natural resources and biodiversity, especially if such growth is At the Board level, the focus has been on to be matched by environmental sustainability. developing a three-year high-level strategic SANBI is committed to contributing to this plan that responds to the mandate of SANBI. need by rapidly expanding its capacity, and The Board has reviewed its operational systems that of the three tiers of Government, to ensure and structures in order to align its focus with environmental health for all, as enshrined in the the broader mandate of the Institute, and has Constitution. also initiated a process to stabilise the Institute by developing a business case for SANBI and A fundamental shift in emphasis from classical addressing the challenges with respect to research and nature protectionism to the active organisational development. mainstreaming of biodiversity benefits across economic sectors and production landscapes, The focus of the Board strategy has been on has brought relevance and vitality to SANBI’s corporate governance, with the aim of putting in programmes. In reviewing the science strategy, place clear Board governance procedures and the continuum of activities from discovery, systems and developing appropriate strategies inventory, assessment to conservation and to ensure alignment and full compliance with the sustainable use of biodiversity has been PMFA. The second area identified for attention positioned in two main thrusts – biological was developing a comprehensive strategy for systematics and collections, and conservation attaining legislative coherence in support of science and sustainable use research. These the SANBI mandate. The main activities were two research programmes have become research and analysis to establish the areas of increasingly integrated with SANBI’s biodiversity potential overlap or conflict – more work and policy and planning, and outreach programmes. focus will continue into the coming year. A third While much has been achieved in the science area of focus was a critical analysis of SANBI’s programmes – with over 350 publications in the financing strategy, taking into consideration the peer reviewed, electronic and popular literature complexity of its role as a producer of public – greater priority will be needed in the coming goods, a partner in international research and years to address the ‘taxonomic impediment’ a service provider though its facilities. This that characterises zoological systematics in work led to the Board engaging in a process Africa. of developing a sound business case for the 2 This Annual Report illustrates how many such I would like to congratulate and thank the CEO, contributions by SANBI to good environmental Professor Brian Huntley, his management team governance have already been made in the past and indeed the staff of SANBI for their hard work financial year. Particularly exciting has been the in the past year and acknowledge that without growth of the various bioregional programmes them this report, its content and form, would not (CAPE, STEP, SKEP, Grasslands) and the societal have been possible. as well as environmental benefits flowing from our many Extended Public Works Programme- funded activities within the Greening the Nation and Working for Wetlands projects.