PROVINCIAL SCP THE REAL WORLD

PROVINCIAL SCP THE REAL WORLD Threatened specie Prior 2001 2004 2012 A 37 63 88 15 B 7 7 2 0 C 66 8 0 0 D 27 13 4 0 E 10 0 0 0 F 162 139 G 2700 1829 H 223 0 BIOLOGY - Life history PROTECTION - Regulation of harvest 5 BIOLOGY - Niche breadth PROTECTION - Effectiveness of protection BIOLOGY - Dispersal PROTECTION - Proportion protected from harvest 4 BIOLOGY - Human tolerance INCENTIVES - Habitat conservation incentive 3 STATUS - National distribution INCENTIVES - Species conservation incentive 2 STATUS - National abundance INCENTIVES - Effect of harvest 1 STATUS - National population trend MONITORING - Confidence in monitoring MONITORING - Monitoring method 0 Response STATUS - Information quality STATUS - Major threat Scientists Monitoring Planning CONTROL - Confidence in harvest MANAGEMENT - Illegal off-take management CONTROL - Open access harvest MANAGEMENT - Management history CONTROL - Harvest in strong tenure MANAGEMENT - Management plan CONTROL - Harvest in PA MANAGEMENT - Aim of harvest MANAGEMENT - Quotas 3 4 0

NEMBA: Legal Planning Frameworks to Conserve Biodiversity Bioregional Plan + EMF s + IDP s Conservation Plans = Spatial Representation CBA s Pattern (distribution of biota) and process features ID priority areas ID corridors to link priority areas Possible conflicts: conservation and development Asses protected area network/expansion against CBA s Provide planning and landuse guidelines

Based on time, resource and known data constraints PRELIMINARY CONSERVATION PLAN Data assessment and gap analysis Landcover!!!! Provide baseline for future conservation planning using available data and information Conservatively identify priority areas FOCUS ON BROAD LAND CLASSES, some species info Decision support tool for high level Environmental Planning, IEM, EIA s and Protected Area Expansion Provide land use guidelines P LCP: HIGHER LEVEL, MORE CONSERVATIVE, BUT DATA INTEGRITY AND QUALITY OUTPUTS

Focussed on Geographical Planning Units: Vegetation types + Quaternary catchment areas + Wetlands + Rivers and Protected Areas + Species locality data. Some planning units very large - FIX

FOCUS BROAD LAND CLASSES Vegetation type basis for broad land classes NSBA targets proportionally assigned to Limpopo ( 19% 31% ) Land classes not sufficient for species that are rare, have limited ranges, Red Data Book status, specialised habitats, who s distribution is based on historical factors Considering species require ± 0.1 0.8% additional area Species data limited, specialist input, surrogates and modelling to improve Consolidated species data table 46,924 records Species targets: IUCN thresholds national guideline Critically endangered vegetation types 100% Threatened Red Data Listed Species: 11 locations conserved / at least 10 000 mature individuals Many threatened species do not meet basic target 100% of localities / breeding areas National Freshwater Aqu. Ecosystems Priority Areas (NFEPA) aquatics

FEATURE DESCRIPTION EXTENT TARGET Vegetation types 56 Vegetation types occur in Limpopo. 64 283ha Azonal Biome; 39 750ha Forests Biome; 353 120 Grassland Biome; 10 439 645 ha Savanna Biome (Outside Transformed Areas). Targets are proportion of national target, except for Critically Endangered Vegetation types where the targets have been set on 100%. Birds Threatened Species (known, modelled and/or breeding sites/ areas in Limpopo). 17 Species. 10% of modelled area. Plants Known and modelled localities. 13 Species. Euphorbias, buffered 150m. 100% of threatened plant localities. Reptiles Known localities. 1 Species. 20% of known locality.

Design for persistence areas critical for ecological functioning of important biodiversity and conservation areas Some data sets identified where processes are reflected spatially Represent natural habitat features required to maintain the corresponding processes Discussions with biodiversity experts expanded on the available data

FEATURE DESCRIPTION TARGET Ecological diversification of plant lineages in relation to fine scale edaphic gradients Three Centres of Endemism 11% of area based on national targets for protection. Wolkberg 32 205 Ha; Sekhukhune 59 502 Ha and Soutpansberg 69 675 Ha Sensitive hydrological systems and associated specialist biotic and a biotic components Dolomite areas with caves and underground aquifers. 20% or approximately 41 770 Ha to be formally protected Migration along and between ridges and escarpments Ridges and escarpments corridors with a gradient > 8% 20% or approximately 430 570 ha to be formally protected High yield catchments Sub quaternary catchments where mean annual runoff is three times higher than the average for the related primary catchment 30% of the area is 321 266 Ha Nylriver floodplain system Plant herbivore processes involving medium sized herbivores. Predator prey processes involving smaller omnivores and predators Floodplain ecosystem, its hydrological functioning and movement of species along the system Healthy natural areas between 5 10 000ha (not necessarily demarcated by existing fences). Healthy natural areas between 5 10 000ha (not necessarily demarcated by existing fences) 100% of the area 1 070 887 Ha Healthy Quaternary Catchments included in the Important and Necessary layer of the CBA layer map to guide landuse management. 1 070 887 Ha Healthy Quaternary Catchments included in the Important and Necessary layer of the CBA layer map to guide landuse management.

Priority PAs = high irreplaceability + highly vulnerable to threatening processes Avoid conflicting land use Factors considered : mining and urban expansion Site selection to avoid these areas Agricultural expansion addressed through interpretation of Waterberg and Olifants EMF Data deficiencies: climate change + alien plant infestation risks

DESCRIPTION FORMALLY PROCLAIMED PROTECTED AREAS 23% AREAS WITH SOME FORM OF LEGAL STATUS 2% AREAS EARMARKED/DESIG NATED FOR CONSERVATION 75% TYPE OF PROTECTED AREAS Proclaimed National & Provincial Protected Areas; National Wilderness and Forestry Nature Reserves; Municipal Reserves. Core Areas of World Heritage Sites and RAMSAR Sites (those not proclaimed) National Protected Area Expansion Strategy; Unproclaimed Provincial Parks; Core Areas of Biospheres that are not Proclaimed Protected Areas. CAT. PLANNING AREA PROTECTED KNP (Ha) % PLANNING AREA PROTECTED KNP % PLANNING AREA PROTECTED + KNP 1 366 121 2.8 10.3 2 30 903 0.2 0.2 3 1 173 324 8.9 8.9 TOTAL 1 570 347 11.9 19.4

OTHER USEFUL OUTPUTS Acquire and consolidation of information available for province GIS layers that can be used for other purposes Network and liaison new partnerships going forward Identify major conflicting areas provincial economic development plan (major mining drive)

VEGETATION TYPE CONS TARGET % CONSERVATION STATUS BIOME % of Target protected in Protected Areas Sekhukhune Plains Bushveld 28% Vulnerable Savanna 42.0 Western Sandy Bushveld 19% Least threatened Savanna 38.1 Central Sandy Bushveld 24% Vulnerable Savanna 36.2 Makhado Sweet Bushveld 24% Vulnerable Savanna 35.2 Dwaalboom Thornveld 22% Least threatened Savanna 34.3 Springbokvlakte Thornveld 35% Endangered Savanna 33.1 Polokwane Plateau Bushveld 25% See text Savanna 32.3 Roodeberg Bushveld 21% Least threatened Savanna 26.3 Musina Mopane Bushveld 20% Least threatened Savanna 16.3 Woodbush Granite Grassland 100% Critically endangered Grassland 14.4 Loskop Thornveld 23% Vulnerable Savanna 14.1 Limpopo Sweet Bushveld 20% Least threatened Savanna 4.9 Northern Afrotemperate Forest 32% Least threatened Forests 3.9 Madikwe Dolomite Bushveld 19% Least threatened Savanna 2.7 Granite Lowveld 24% Vulnerable Savanna 1.7 Gravelotte Rocky Bushveld 20% Least threatened Savanna 0.6 Leolo Summit Sourveld 75% Vulnerable Grassland 0.0 VhaVenda Miombo See text Savanna 0.0

FEPA CBA s Mining

OTHER USEFUL OUTPUTS Acquire and consolidation of information available for province GIS layers that can be used for other purposes Network and liaison new partnerships going forward Identify major conflicting areas provincial economic development plan (major mining drive) Guiding PA expansion in absence of formal expansion strategy Identify gaps guide plan of action With limited resources a tool for prioritisation (planning, monitoring, EIA s, etc.) Viewer enable officials that do not have GIS expertise to gain access to biodiversity information Help to flag issues and needs

High water yield areas that produce ecosystem services, including water, under severe threat from plantations and poor landuse management, have to increase protection through various means. These areas also have the last remaining threatened mountain grassland. Landcover data older than 10 years improved with other data layers. Small landuse changes may have significant impacts.

Product as good as the data available, the capacity to analyse and implement we need to build capacity - to survey, set targets, upgrade SCP, implement. Current product: used for soliciting political support for key issues + high level planning and decision support (better than having nothing direct further work) Private Nature Reserves important but not assessed i.t.o. conservation contribution audit required to verify status and contribution High % of important biodiversity features have no or inadequate protection prioritise expand Conservation Estate Some PAs contain features found nowhere else in the world allocate resources 6 Clusters - 3 important for ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation Fragmentation in mountain grasslands and forests, and competing landuses (including forestry) in high water yield to be assessed as a priority Corridors present a good opportunity for long-term biological movement between important biodiversity areas but it needs refinement Cost of ecosystem services to be determined resource economists needed Consider potential conflicts between development needs (e.g. mining and environmental conservation) and develop SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK (Green the LEGDP) to ensure provision of ecosystem services

LAND MANAGEMENT CLASS CODE BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION CATEGORY FEATURES DESCRIPTION Significant Landscapes SLMC Highly Significant Areas SC Significant Ecological Corridors - Endangered vegetation types and forest patches in terms of the National Forest Assessment - Expert mapped areas - Near Natural Ecological Corridors identified in terms of the P LCP Objective: manage biodiversity for a near natural state with minimal loss of ecosystem integrity No new transformation of natural habitat should be permitted Degraded areas should be rehabilitated to near natural state

LANDUSE BMLC 1 BMLC 2 BMLC 3 BMLC 4 Conservation management Y Y Y Y Underground linear engineering structures Y Y Y Y Extensive game farming N Y Y Extensive livestock farming N Y Y Y Rural grazing areas N N Y Y Rural high density settlement N N Y Y Dry land crop cultivation N N Y Y Intensive animal farming N N Y Y Irrigated crop cultivation N N Y Y Above ground linear engineering projects N N Y Y Exotic timber production N N Y Y Urban development N N N Y Mining N N N Y Water transfer projects N N N Y

Development pressure is high losing opportunities to conserve Dynamic systems with major pressures require adaptive management and innovative approaches that are not always based on the best scientific outputs Some good data available, work with it while attempting to improve data layers and address gaps Conservative approach to SCP provide for challenges and constraints but do provide basis for getting important messages across (political) and basic decision support. Also basis to guide future planning Preliminary conservative SCP can assist if you have major capacity challenges Conservation Planning = CYCLICAL PROCESS P LCP to be refined Continuous improvement Next phase to refine, engage, develop capacity LEDET & other role players