Status Report on the Agulhas Plain Study Area Prepared for the Kishugu NPC as Part of the Study into the Feasibility of Integrating Fire and Alien Vegetation Management Activities in the Western Cape Zane Erasmus Phone: 044 8733348 Cell: 082 414 6344 Fax: 0866 846 279 PO Box 1265 George 6530 Table of contents A Status Report on the Agulhas Plain Study Area .......................................................................................................................... 1 1. Background ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Objectives of Report ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 3. Structure of this report ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 2 4. Data Collection Procedure and Protocols ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 2 5. Area Description ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 5.1. Climate .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 5.2. Fire History ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 5.3. Vegetation ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 5.4. Agriculture ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 5.5. Socio Economics ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7 6. Agencies involved in Fire and Alien Vegetation Management ................................................................................................................................................... 7 6.1 The Nuwejaars Wetland Special Management Area .................................................................................................................................................................... 9 6.1.1 Management planning ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 6.1.2 Resources ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12 6.1.3 Fire History ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 13 6.1.4 Alien Vegetation ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 6.1.5 Key Challenges ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 14 6.2 The Agulhas National Park (ANP) ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 6.2.1 Management planning ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 6.2.2 Resources ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18 6.2.3 Fire History ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 20 6.2.4 Alien Vegetation ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 6.2.5 Key Challenges ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 6.3 The Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy (WBFC) ......................................................................................................................................................................... 21 6.3.1 Management plans .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 21 6.3.2 Resources ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 6.3.3 Fire History ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 25 6.3.4 Alien Vegetation ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 6.3.5 Key Challenges ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 6.4 The Strandveld Fire Management Unit ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 27 6.4.1 Fire History ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 27 3 6.4.2 Alien Vegetation ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 6.4.3 Key challenges ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 28 7. Findings ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 7.1 Limitations to the Study ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 31 7.2 Management planning ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................