Strategic Management Plan for the Orange River Mouth Ramsar site (Version 0.4) Cover Pages Please note that the cover pages and associated logos are still to be developed by the BCLME SAP IMP Project in consultation with relevant government department and funding agencies. Date: March 2013 This report should be referenced as: Macfarlane, D.M. (2013). Strategic Management Plan for the Orange River Mouth Ramsar site. Version 0.4. Report prepared for the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). ORM Management Plan - Draft March 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS __________________________________________________________________ I ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ______________________________________________________ III LIST OF FIGURES _____________________________________________________________________ IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ________________________________________________________________ V RELATED DOCUMENTS_________________________________________________________________ V CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ___________________________________________________________ 1 1.1 Location and extent ..................................................................................................................1 1.2 Catchment context ...................................................................................................................2 1.3 History..............................................................................................................................3 1.4 Socio-economic context ............................................................................................................4 1.5 Legislative overview ..................................................................................................................5 1.6 Values of the Orange River Mouth Ramsar Site .........................................................................7 1.7 Management planning framework ............................................................................................9 1.8 Purpose of this plan ................................................................................................................10 1.9 Planning approach ..................................................................................................................11 1.9.1 Adaptive Management............................................................................................. 11 1.9.2 Collaboration and transparency ............................................................................... 11 CHAPTER 2: KEY ISSUES RAISED DURING THE SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENT _____________________ 12 2.1 Institutional Aspects ...............................................................................................................13 2.1.1 Boundaries of site..................................................................................................... 13 2.1.2 Ownership and protection status .............................................................................. 14 2.1.3 Availability of staff and funding to effectively manage the site ................................. 15 2.1.4 Evaluating management performance and revision of the plan ................................ 15 2.1.5 Institutional structures to oversee management of the Ramsar site.......................... 16 2.1.6 Institutional arrangements to ensure integration into river basin management ........ 17 2.1.7 Linkages with existing Transfronteir Conservation Area initiatives ............................ 18 2.1.8 Addressing requirements necessary to remove the site from the Montreux Record ... 20 2.1.9 Compliance with standing Ramsar obligations ......................................................... 20 2.2 Ecological Aspects ...................................................................................................................21 2.2.1 Flows reaching the Orange River Mouth and nearshore coastal environment ........... 21 2.2.2 Water quality entering the estuary ........................................................................... 23 2.2.3 Management of the mouth ...................................................................................... 24 2.2.4 Dykes and road infrastructure development in and around the estuary .................... 25 2.2.5 Mining operations impacting on the wetland area ................................................... 28 2.2.6 Research and monitoring ......................................................................................... 29 2.2.7 Fishing and boating .................................................................................................. 29 2.2.8 Off-road driving........................................................................................................ 30 2.2.9 Road network........................................................................................................... 31 2.2.10 Livestock grazing ...................................................................................................... 31 2.2.11 Waste management................................................................................................. 32 2.2.12 Disturbance by aircraft ............................................................................................. 32 2.2.13 Invasion by alien invasive species ............................................................................. 33 Page i ORM Management Plan - Draft March 2013 2.2.14 Waterbird populations ............................................................................................. 34 2.2.15 Status and condition of Pink Pan .............................................................................. 35 2.2.16 Implementation of management prescriptions and practices.................................... 36 2.3 Socio-Economic Aspects ..........................................................................................................36 2.3.1 Sustainable tourism.................................................................................................. 36 2.3.2 Environmental Interpretation and Education ............................................................ 41 2.3.3 Zonation within the Ramsar site ............................................................................... 41 2.3.4 Landuse planning around the Ramsar site ................................................................ 42 2.4 Summary of key management issues and challenges...............................................................44 CHAPTER 3: VISION AND STRATEGIC GOALS & OBJECTIVES _________________________________ 47 3.1 Vision and Mission ......................................................................................................................47 3.2 Strategic Goals & Objectives.......................................................................................................48 CHAPTER 4: MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES_________________________________________________ 50 CHAPTER 5: WETLAND ZONATION PLAN _________________________________________________ 55 CHAPTER 6: OPERATIONAL SPECIFICATIONS _____________________________________________ 55 6.1 Ecological Targets (Thresholds of Potential Concern)...................................................................56 CHAPTER 7: DETAILED MANAGEMENT ACTION PLANS_____________________________________ 57 7.1 Action Plan for the Institutional Thematic Area .........................................................................57 7.2 Action Plan for the Ecological Thematic Area .............................................................................61 7.3 Action Plan for the Socio-Economic Thematic Area ....................................................................68 CHAPTER 8: MONITORING AND EVALUATION PROGRAMMES ______________________________ 71 8.1 Monitoring implementation of the management plan ...............................................................71 8.2 Monitoring of ecological aspects ...............................................................................................72 8.3 Monitoring of tourism activities ................................................................................................74 REFERENCES _____________________________________________________________________75 ANNEXURE 1. LOR TFCA SCOPE (ARTP JMB, 2009) ________________________________________ 79 ANNEXURE 2. MOUTH MANAGEMENT AND BREACHING GUIDELINES (CSIR, 2005) _____________ 80 ANNEXURE 3. CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT PLAN MASTER PLAN (ARTP JMB, 2009) _______________ 84 Page ii ORM Management Plan - Draft March 2013 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS amsl Above mean sea level ARTP /Ai/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park ARTP-JMB /Ai-/Ais-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park Joint Management Board BCC Benguela Current Commission BCLME SAP IMP Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem Strategic Action Programme Implementation Project Project CDP Concept Development Plan CPA Community Property Association CSIR Council for Scientific and Industrial Research CWAC Coordinated Waterbird Counts EFR Ecological Flow Requirement EIA Environmental Impact Assessment ESA Early Stone Age HDI Historically Disadvantaged Individual IBA Important Bird Area IDP Integrated Development Plan LOR TFCA TFCA along the lower parts of the Orange River LSA Late Stone Age MSA Middle Stone Age NACOMA Namibian Coast Conservation and Management Project NA-DOT Namibian Department of Tourism NA-MAWF Namibian Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry NAMDEB NAMDEB Diamond Corporation (Pty) Ltd NA-MET Namibian