Ecological Management Plan for the De Zalze Estate, Stellenbosch Reference: BlueScience project report P440-Apr17. COMPILED BY - SAAMGESTEL DEUR Dr C. Boucher Mr Dana Grobler 18 Patrys Street, Stellenbosch 7600 BlueScience (Pty) Ltd South Africa Email: [email protected] SACNASP Professional Natural Scientist Tel +27 (0) 21 851 0555 Registration no. 400737/83 BlueScience Pty Ltd e-mail: [email protected] PO Box 455 Telephone 021 887 1421; Cell 083 628 2570 Somerset Mall Ecological Research Report No. 243 7137 Title page: Title of the report: Ecological Management Plan for the De Zalze Estate, Stellenbosch Status of the report: Final Authors: Boucher, C. and Grobler D. Project reference number: P440-Apr17 Date: 30 August 2018 Reference to the report: Boucher, C. and Grobler D. 2018. Ecological Management Plan for the De Zalze Estate, Stellenbosch. Approval: Client: De Zalze special area Trust Approved: …………………………………. Name: ……………………………………… Approval: Project: Charles Boucher, Dana Grobler and Elke Watson For Project team: …….……………………. Name: DF Grobler Copyright: The Environmental Manager: De Zalze special management area Trust PO Box 338 Stellenbosch 7600 Comments on report Ms Elke Watson and Ms Karin Neethling received from: ii | P a g e Ecological Management Plan for the De Zalze Estate, Stellenbosch CONTENTS TITLE PAGE: ......................................................................................................................................................................................... II (I) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................................... VIII BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................................................................................... VIII PLANT SPECIES IN DE ZALZE.................................................................................................................................................................. VIII ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES .................................................................................................................................................. IX MANAGEMENT UNITS ............................................................................................................................................................................ X MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................................................................ X 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 SCOPE OF WORK ............................................................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 LOCATION AND BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 CLIMATE ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.4 GEOLOGY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.5 AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT.................................................................................................................................................................. 2 1.6 FLORA AND VEGETATION BASELINE ..................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.6.1 General Flora ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.6.2 De Zalze Flora ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 1.6.3 National vegetation types .................................................................................................................................................. 9 1.6.4 De Zalze Vegetation ......................................................................................................................................................... 12 1.7 THE DE ZALZE ENVIRONMENT RELATED TO SURROUNDING AREAS .......................................................................................................... 15 2. MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES, CONCEPTS AND BENEFITS ....................................................................................................... 16 2.1 PRINCIPLES ................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 2.2 REHABILITATION AND IMPLEMENTION PROCEDURES ............................................................................................................................ 17 2.3 ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY, MANAGEMENT UNITS, INTERVENTIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS .................................... 20 2.3.1 Landscape use and Ecological classification of the De Zalze Estate ................................................................................. 20 2.3.2 Assessment methodology ................................................................................................................................................ 20 3. NATURAL ECOLOGICAL AREAS – DESCRIPTIONS, CURRENT CONDITION ASSESSMENT, DESIRED ECOLOGICAL STATE, MANAGEMENT TASKS AND ACTIVITIES .................................................................................................................................... 22 3.1 BLAAUWKLIPPEN RIVER CORRIDOR .................................................................................................................................................. 22 3.1.1 Present and desired ecological state ................................................................................................................................ 22 3.1.2 Management objectives ................................................................................................................................................... 22 3.1.3 Management and maintenance tasks to achieve the desired ecological condition ........................................................ 23 3.2 SEEPS AND WETLANDS .................................................................................................................................................................. 31 3.2.1 Dam A (R44) Wetland ...................................................................................................................................................... 31 3.2.2 De Vleie Wetland .............................................................................................................................................................. 37 iii | P a g e 3.2.3 Eikenbosch Wetland ......................................................................................................................................................... 40 3.2.4 Fountain (Club House) Wetland ....................................................................................................................................... 44 3.2.4.1 Present and desired ecological state ............................................................................................................................. 44 3.2.4.2 Management objectives ................................................................................................................................................ 44 3.2.4.3 Management and maintenance tasks to achieve the desired ecological condition ..................................................... 44 3.2.5 Erf 4 Seeps ........................................................................................................................................................................ 48 3.3 DAMS - AQUATIC AND DAM WALLS ................................................................................................................................................. 48 3.3.1 Dam A (R44) ..................................................................................................................................................................... 51 3.3.2 Dam B (R44) ..................................................................................................................................................................... 52 3.3.3 De Vleie Dam .................................................................................................................................................................... 57 3.3.4 Golf Club Dam .................................................................................................................................................................. 60 3.3.5 Fountain Dam ................................................................................................................................................................... 61 3.3.6 Kleine Zalze Pond ............................................................................................................................................................