Harry Gwala District Municipality [Previously Sisonke District Municipality]: Biodiversity Sector Plan Version: Version 1.0 Date: March 2014 i Biodiversity Sector Plan - Harry Gwala District Municipality 2014 Document Details Authored by: Felicity Elliott & Dr Boyd Escott Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife P.O. Box 13053 Cascades, 3202 Document is available from: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife website, www.kznwildlife.com This guideline should be cited as: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (2014), Harry Gwala Biodiversity Sector Plan, V1.0, Unpublished Report of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, Biodiversity Conservation Planning Division, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, P. O. Box 13053, Cascades, Pietermaritzburg. RECOMMENDED Title Name Signature Date Chairperson: EKZNW , SOCC Chief Executive Officer EKZNW APPROVED Chairperson: KZN Nature Conservation Board - Biodiversity Sector Plan - Harry Gwala District Municipality 2014 Acknowledgements Specialists involved in the development, consulting or review during production of the Harry Gwala District Biodiversity Sector Plan include the following key persons. Name Position Affiliation Mr. Barrie Barnes Senior Community Conservation Officer Mr. Brent Coverdale District Conservation Officer Mr. Pat Lowry District Conservation Officer Mr. Richard Schutte District Conservation Officer Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Dr. Boyd Escott Manager Biodiversity Spatial Planning and Information & GIS Analysis Terrestrial Manager Biodiversity Research Dr. Pete Goodman & Assessment Ms. Debbie Jewitt Biodiversity Research & Assessment (Ecosystem Ecology) Mr. Bheka Nxele/ Felicity Elliott Biodiversity Spatial Planning & Information (Bioregional Planner) Mr Sandile Sithole Biodiversity Spatial Planning & Information (Intern Bioregional Planing) Ms. Heidi Snyman Biodiversity Spatial Planning & Information (Cartography) Ms Bimall Naidoo GIS Technician Terrestrial Mr. Shaun Anderson GIS Specialist Private Consultant Mr. Muzi Luthuli Development Planner Harry Gwala District Mr. Duddley Smith Eco-tourism Municipality Mr. Lawrence Gaxela Director uHuru Consulting - Biodiversity Sector Plan - Harry Gwala District Municipality 2014 Executive Summary The Biodiversity Sector Plan (BSP) has been developed for the Harry Gwala District Municipality as a precursor to a bioregional plan. The purpose of a bioregional plan is to provide a map of biodiversity priorities (identified as Critical Biodiversity Areas1 and Ecological Support Areas2) with accompanying land use planning and decision making guidelines, to inform land use planning, environmental assessment and authorisations as well as natural resource management by a range of sectors whose policies and decision impact on biodiversity. In the province of KZN, a conscious decision was taken that a Biodiversity Sector Plan (BSP) must be developed as a precursor to a Bioregional Plan (BRP). The reason behind this was the identified need for KZN to clearly set out the baseline for the conservation priorities in each of the Districts, before interacting with the various other sector plans, IDPs and SDFs as required by S48 of National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act, 2004 and the Bioregional Guidelines (DEAT, 2009). As such, the BSP for the Harry Gwala District Municipality complies with SANBI’s Bioregional Planning terminology and requirements as well as the guidelines for the development of Bioregional Plans (DEAT, 2009). As an intermediate product the BSP does not however reflect the interaction with other sector planning tools and the gazetting of the document. The Harry Gwala Biodiversity Sector Plan comprises of three main products: A report which includes: Descriptions and maps detailing the biophysical characteristics of the District; Descriptions of methodology employed and protocols followed in the development and identification of the Critical Biodiversity Areas and Ecological Support Areas; and recommended land use guidelines for biodiversity feature areas. A digital map of the Harry Gwala District summarising the biodiversity priorities, linkages and management guidelines of the Biodiversity Sector Plan. A supporting GIS layer containing biodiversity features. The Harry Gwala Biodiversity Sector Plan should be used by all sectors that are involved in land use planning and decision making and multi sectoral spatial planning. Users should include reactive decision-making such as Environmental Impact Assessment and land Use applications; Proactive users such as spatial planners, IDPs, SDFs and zoning schemes; and Proactive conservation such as stewardship and protected area expansion, as well as alien clearing, monitoring and research programmes. The following tasks are essential within the Harry Gwala District to achieving biodiversity targets in the long term: 1 Critical Biodiversity Areas, are those areas of natural or near-natural features, habitats or landscapes that include terrestrial, aquatic and marine areas that are considered critical for (i) meeting national and provincial biodiversity targets and thresholds (ii) safeguarding areas required to ensure the persistence and functioning of species and ecosystems, including the delivery of ecosystem services; and/or (iii) conserving important locations for biodiversity features or rare species. Conservation of these areas is crucial, in that if these areas are not maintained in a natural or near-natural state, biodiversity conservation targets cannot be met. 2 Ecological Support Areas, are those area required to support and sustain the ecological functioning of the critical biodiversity areas - Biodiversity Sector Plan - Harry Gwala District Municipality 2014 All planners, environmental consultants and developers must consult the BSP map to determine the biodiversity conservation status of land which is under application for development or land use change. The land use guidelines within this document must be consulted to determine which land uses and land management types are compatible based on the biodiversity status of the land. When decision-making covers land within proximity of municipal boundaries, district and local municipal level planners must ensure collaboration with planners from adjacent municipalities regarding alignment of biodiversity conservation planning, and land use change applications Protected Areas and areas identified as critical for biodiversity or ecosystem maintenance, by the BSP, must be appropriately buffered from development and land use change impacts. Best practise land management to be put in place. Alien clearing programs put in place. - Biodiversity Sector Plan - Harry Gwala District Municipality 2014 Table of contents Document Details ......................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements...................................................................................................................... iii Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... iv Table of contents ......................................................................................................................... vi List of appendices ...................................................................................................................... viii List of figures ............................................................................................................................. viii List of tables ................................................................................................................................ ix List of boxes ................................................................................................................................. ix List of Abbreviations ..................................................................................................................... x Definition of Terms ...................................................................................................................... xi 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Description of the study area ................................................................................................... 2 1.2 Aim and Objectives of the Biodiversity Sector Plan .................................................................. 4 1.3 Purpose of a Biodiversity Sector Plan ....................................................................................... 4 1.4 Legal Background ..................................................................................................................... 6 1.5 Intended Users of the Biodiversity Sector Plan ......................................................................... 7 2. Biophysical overview of the Harry Gwala District Municipality ......................................... 9 2.1 Physical characteristics ............................................................................................................. 9 2.1.1 Climate ...................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1.2 Topography ............................................................................................................................. 11 2.1.3 Geology ................................................................................................................................... 13 2.1.4 Hydrology