RIVIERSONDEREND COMPLEX PART OF THE CAPE FLORAL REGION PROTECTED AREAS WORLD HERITAGE SITE Western Cape, South Africa Protected Area Management Plan 2021 – 2031 DATE APPROVED: [Date] MOST RECENT UPDATE: 18 February 2021 RIVIERSONDEREND COMPLEX PART OF THE CAPE FLORAL REGION PROTECTED AREAS WORLD HERITAGE SITE Western Cape, South Africa Protected Area Management Plan 2021 – 2031 DATE APPROVED: [Date] MOST RECENT UPDATE: 18 February 2021 CITATION CapeNature. 2021. Riviersonderend Complex: Protected Area Management Plan 2021-2031. Internal Report, CapeNature, Cape Town. RIVIERSONDEREND COMPLEX II MANAGEMENT PLAN AUTHORISATIONS In terms of section 41(4) the Minister hereby approves part of the Protected Area Management Plan for the Riviersonderend Complex designated as World Heritage Site (See Table 2.1). TITLE NAME SIGNATURE DATE NATIONAL MINISTER: Ms Barbara Environment, Forestry and Creecy Fisheries In terms of section 41(4) the Member of Executive Council (MEC) hereby approves part of the Protected Area Management Plan for the Riviersonderend Complex designated as State Land, Provincial Nature Reserve, Forest Nature Reserves and Forest Wilderness Areas (everything not included above – see Table 2.2). TITLE NAME SIGNATURE DATE PROVINCIAL MINISTER: Department of Mr Anton Bredell Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Recommended: TITLE NAME SIGNATURE DATE CHAIRPERSON OF THE BOARD: Assoc Prof Denver Western Cape Nature Hendricks 6 March 2021 Conservation Board CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Dr Razeena Omar 5 March 2021 CapeNature Review Date: 10 years from the date of approval by the MEC and Minister. RIVIERSONDEREND COMPLEX III MANAGEMENT PLAN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CapeNature would like to thank everybody who participated and had input in the formulation of the Riviersonderend Complex management plan. The Riviersonderend Complex management plan was prepared by the core reserve management planning team consisting of Vicki Hudson, Rhett Smart, and Daleen Burger. The planning team was supported with inputs from various internal and external partners. A special word of thanks to colleagues from Biodiversity Capabilities and Landscape South for their significant contributions. Furthermore, acknowledgement is given to the many external partners and individuals that contributed to the development of this plan particularly Greyton Conservation Society, Cape Winelands Fire Protection Association and local communities from Riviersonderend and Genadendal. The authors would also like to express their gratitude to the South African Weather Service for supplying climatic information. Dr Andrew Turner, Restoration Ecologist: Integrated Catchments, CapeNature for technical and scientific review. Dr David le Maitre, Principal Researcher, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, for external review. Cover page images courtesy of Daleen Burger and Gert Karelse. RIVIERSONDEREND COMPLEX IV MANAGEMENT PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS AUTHORISATIONS .................................................................................................. III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................... IV TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................. V GLOSSARY .............................................................................................................. IX ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................. XI LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................... XII LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................... XV LIST OF MAPS (Appendix 1) ................................................................................ XVII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................... XVIII 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1 2 LEGAL STATUS AND BACKGROUND ............................................................... 2 2.1 Legal Status .................................................................................................. 2 Name and legal designations ................................................................. 2 Contractual agreements ......................................................................... 7 Location, extent and highest point .......................................................... 7 Municipal jurisdiction .............................................................................. 7 International, national and provincial listings .......................................... 7 2.2 Biophysical Description ................................................................................. 9 Climate ................................................................................................... 9 Topography .......................................................................................... 15 Geology and soils ................................................................................. 16 2.3 Biodiversity Context: Ecosystems ............................................................... 19 Vegetation ............................................................................................ 19 Freshwater ecosystems ........................................................................ 40 2.4 Biodiversity Context: Taxa........................................................................... 52 Invertebrates ......................................................................................... 52 Amphibians ........................................................................................... 56 Fish ....................................................................................................... 58 Reptiles ................................................................................................. 61 Avifauna ................................................................................................ 61 Mammals .............................................................................................. 63 2.5 Heritage Context ......................................................................................... 72 Heritage resources ............................................................................... 72 RIVIERSONDEREND COMPLEX V MANAGEMENT PLAN Living heritage ...................................................................................... 73 2.6 Socio-Economic Context ............................................................................. 80 3 POLICY FRAMEWORK ..................................................................................... 83 3.1 Purpose of Protected Area Management .................................................... 83 3.2 Guiding Principles ....................................................................................... 83 3.3 Strategic Adaptive Management ................................................................. 83 3.4 Protected Area Management Effectiveness ................................................ 86 3.5 Policy Frameworks ...................................................................................... 88 Internal rules ......................................................................................... 88 Financial ............................................................................................... 88 Safety and security ............................................................................... 88 Resource use ....................................................................................... 89 Biodiversity management ..................................................................... 90 Cultural resource management ............................................................ 92 Neighbour relations .............................................................................. 92 Research and development .................................................................. 93 Access .................................................................................................. 94 Administrative framework .................................................................. 95 4 CONSULTATION ............................................................................................... 95 4.1 Stakeholder Engagement ............................................................................ 97 Participatory planning ........................................................................... 97 Procedures for public comment ............................................................ 99 Procedures for participatory implementation ...................................... 100 5 PURPOSE AND VISION ................................................................................. 101 5.1 Management Intent and Desired State ...................................................... 102 5.2 Purpose ..................................................................................................... 102 5.3 Vision ........................................................................................................ 103 5.4 Focal Conservation Targets ...................................................................... 103 5.5 Threats .....................................................................................................