the term grassland creates the impression that the...

The term "grassland"creates the impressionthat the biome consistsonly of grass species.In fact, only one in sixplant species in thebiome is a grass.

GRASSLANDS AROUND THE WORLD

Grasslands cover 40% of the earth’s non-ice bound terrestial surface and are home to over 1 billionpeople. They contain biodiversity of global significance and provide ecosystem goods and servicesthat support human life. However, temperate grasslands across the world are one of the biomesmost impacted by anthropogenic activities. The Millenium Ecosystem Assessment highlightedthat globally more than 70% of the grasslands biome had lost its natural cover by 1950. Anadditional 15,4 % has been lost since then.

GRASSLANDS IN SOUTH AFRICA

The grasslands biome is the second largest biome in South Africa, covering 29% of South Africaand occurring in 8 provinces including Gauteng, Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, North West and the Northern Cape. Grasslands in South Africa have highspecies richness and high turnover of biodiversity across the landscape. The South Africangrasslands are a very old, complex and slowly evolved system with indigenous species diversitysecond only to the well-known fynbos biome. The grasslands also play a vital role in waterproduction.The term ‘grasslands’ creates the impression that the biome consists only of grassspecies. In fact, only one in six plant species in the biome is a grass. The remainder includesbulbous plants such as arum lilies, orchids, red-hot pokers, aloes, watsonias, gladioli, groundorchids and undergorund trees. There are also many other species, such as blue cranes, swallows,habitats and ecosystems that form an important part of the grasslands biome, including riversand wetlands.

FACTS ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA’S GRASSLANDS BIOME

• It is one of the most threatened biomes in South Africa, with 30% of the biometransformed beyond repair and only 2% formally conserved.

• It plays an important role in water production in South Africa. Wetlands fulfill animportant water provision and flood attenuation role in the grasslands. Major riverssuch as the Orange, Tugela, Caledon and Kei rivers have their headwaters in thebiome. Yet 83% of river ecosystems are ranked as threatened, with 48% criticallyendangered.

• Three world heritage sites occur in the grasslands biome, namely, the Cradle ofHumankind, the Ukhahlamba/Drakensberg Park and the Vredefort Dome.

• Amongst the rich birdlife of the grasslands, is South Africa’s national bird, the BlueCrane, the cr i t ica l ly endangered Watt led Crane and Rudd’s Lark.

• Of the 195 reptile species endemic to South Africa, 22% are found in the biome.• One third of the 107 threatened South African butterfly species occur in the grasslands.

THE GRASSLANDS PROGRAMME

The work of the Grasslands Programme and its partners is to protect and conserve grasslandsfor current and future generations. The Programme is housed by the South African NationalBiodiversity Institute (SANBI), an agency of national government, and is pursuing a 20-yearconservation strategy for the grasslands biome. The Programme aims to fulfill the conservationtargets in this strategy by working with various government departments, conservationagencies, private sector groups, civil society organizations, academic and research institutions.

Photographer: Isimangaliso, SANBI and unknown

www.grasslands.org.za

IMPLEMENTING THE GRASSLANDS PROGRAMME

FOR MORE INFORMATION

ANTHEA STEPHENSGrasslands Programme Manager012 843 5000 [email protected]

MAHLODI TAUGrasslands Programme Officer012 843 5000 [email protected]

to incorporate biodiversity goals into the policies and plans for timberplantations, food production, urban development and coal mining.Market level initiatives to direct the development footprint away fromhigh priority biodiversity areas as well incentivise “greener” productionpractices are being developed with partners in the GrasslandsProgramme. Lastly, the Grasslands Programme is working with landowners in the key economic sectors to protect important biodiversityon privately owned land through biodiversity stewardship. Central tothis approach is the recognition that trade-offs will be necessarybetween biodiversity and development. The Programme seeks to findsolutions where economic development is sustained by the ecologicalservices provided by a healthy and well-managed grasslands biome.

The Grasslands Programme is funded by the Global Environment Facility(GEF) through the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) for thefirst five of its twenty year strategy.

THE GRASSLANDS VISION

The biodiversity and associated ecosystem services of thegrasslands biome are sustained and secured for the benefitof current and future generations.

THE MISSION

• Ensure that the wise management of biodiversity contributesto sustainable development in the grasslands biome.

• Ensure that production and development activities areappropriately located and managed to maintain the deliveryof ecosystem services that underpin the economy.

• Mobilise and empower land users, landowners and officialsin the private and public sectors to be effective stewards ofthe landscape.

• Secure the natural and cultural heritage of the grasslandsbiome.

IMPLEMENTING THE GRASSLANDS PROGRAMME

What makes the Grasslands Programme unique in its approach to meetconservation targets is its strategy to work with major economic sectors

Grasslands Biome

Potchefstroom

Cape Town

Grahamstown

Free State

Plokwane

Kimberly

Mthatha

Bloemfontein

NelspruitWitbank

Pretoria

Johannesburg

Klerksdorp

Welkom

Pietermaritzburg

Durban

East Londaon

Port Elizabeth

FORESTRY

Most of South Africa’scommercial forestryoccurs in the grasslandsbiome.

The forestry sector is the second largest land user after agriculture in thegrasslands biome. The total area under timber plantations is approximately1.27 million hectares. Government and large business owns about 76% of theplantations, medium growers about 20% and the remaining 4% are small-scale community based timber growers. All scales of timber growers aremembers of Forestry South Africa (FSA), a well organized industry body with2500 members.

In association with the plantations are approximately 600 000 hectaresof unplanted land, most of which is managed as natural habitat. Thisland contributes substantially to the conservation of biodiversity andecosystem services.

The forestry sector in South Africa has a long history of proactive engagementwith environmental programmes and 80 % of forestry land is certified underthe Forest Stewardship Council, the world’s leading forest certification system.Forestry properties intersect with a number of the grassland biome’sbiodiversity priority areas and many of the plantation owners are engagingwith the provincial biodiversity stewardship programmes to have these areasformally secured under the Protected Areas Act.

Plantation establishment in South Africa is heavily regulated through thewater-use licensing system and the EIA process. As a result, for waterconservation and biodiversity reasons, the area under plantations hasdecreased over the past 8 years. However, because of its economic contribution,forestry is seen by government as an important development sector with anemphasis on small grower expansion in the Eastern Cape and southernKwaZulu-Natal.

The aim of the Grasslands Programme is to secure and sustainbiodiversity within the grasslands biome. In its forestry component,which is implemented by Forestry South Africa (FSA), the Programmeaims to ensure that biodiversity is mainstreamed into the forestry sector.

THE GRASSLANDS PROGRAMME’S INTERVENTIONS IN THEFORESTRY SECTOR INCLUDE:

• The formal conservation tenure of unplanted, high priority forestrylandholdings is secured

Forestry lands contain some of the best examples of the grassland

Photographer: Brian Armour, SANBI and unknown




STEVEN GERMISHUIZENGrasslands Forestry Coordinator033 345 6037 [email protected]

vegetation types that occur in the moist grasslands ofSouth Africa. 37 sites comprising 45 000 hectares ofnatural habitat on forestry land will be proclaimed asprotected areas. As a result, the area under formalconservation in the grasslands biome will be extendedby almost 5%. Protection of this land requires that theland is managed and monitored according to amanagement plan drafted in conjunction with provincialconservation agencies. The first forestry site, MondiShanduka’s Gilboa Nature Reserve was proclaimed inearly in 2010.

• The expansion of small grower plantation forestryis underpinned by biodiversity considerations, andcapacity building to meet industry-led certificationstandards

A partnership between ASGISA Eastern Cape, ForestrySouth Africa and the Grasslands Programme wasestablished to benefit emerging timber growers in theEastern Cape and to ensure responsible and biodiversitycompatible forestry takes place.

Through this partnership, a biodiversity screening toolwas produced to provide maps indicating areas ofpotential ecological importance. This information is beingused by those involved in forestry development, includingthe regulatory author i t ies to ensure theseareas are protected from the impacts of afforestation.

The programme appreciates that the improvement ofrural livelihoods goes hand in hand with bettermanagement of the natural resources. In order to supportresponsible and sustainable forestry development, thepartnership has undertaken to provide extension supportto communities through the employment of a forestryfield manager who will ensure the implementation of asustainable forestry management system. The systemprovides blue print for compliance with National andInternational forest certification standards with anemphasis on sound management of the grasslands thatoccur in association with the plantation.

In KZN the Grasslands Programme is in partnership3 community projects which have the goal of sustainableand responsible plantation forestry and stewardshipof their grasslands. Each of these projects includesgrassland areas of high value to conservation.

• The management of the forestry estate is improvedto more effectively mitigate biodiversity impacts andcontribute to meeting grasslands conservationtargets

Many forestry land holdings occur in key biodiversityareas and the influence of these plantations in thelandscape is appreciated. In order for plantation

managers to understand which areas on their estateshave the greatest value to conservation a GIS basedplanning tool has being developed. As well as an aid tomanagement, this tool will be used to understand thesignificance of forestry lands in the greater conservationlandscape and how forestry can do its part to reduceits impact.

The Grasslands Programme has instigated theproduction of guidelines for managing natural habitatsin the grassland biome taking into account the uniquechallenges faced by plantation management.

Forestry certification is viewed by the programme asa vital instrument for improved management. TheProgramme works closely with the FSC National Standarddevelopment process in order to make forest certificationrelevant to the management of all elements of thegrassland biome and more pertinent to small andmedium-scale forestry.

PRIORITY BIODIVERSITY AREAS ON FORESTRY-OWNED LAND

NCT

COMPANY

Amathole

GFP

Komatiland

Mondi

NECF

Sappi

Singisi

Marble Hall LydenburgNelspruit

Middelburg (TVL)Komatipoort

Johannesburg

Ermelo

Standerton

MkuzeVryheid

Newcastle

Richards Bay

Durban

Pietermaritzburg

EstcourtBloemfontein

Queenstown

UmtataPort St Johns

MargateLusikisini

Harding

The Forestry Component is implemented by Forestry South Africa

AGRICULTURE

Commercial farmsmake up 32,44 millionhectares within thegrasslands biome.

Supported by a climate which is ideal for farming, the agriculture sector in SouthAfrica uses approximately 65% of the grasslands biome. The agricultural sectoris characterised by a dual economy with a well-developed commercial sectorand subsistence farming in the communal areas. The biome contains up to 50%of South Africa’s beef cattle, and approximately 58% of sheep flock. Thecommercial game ranching industry has also shown solid growth during thepast fourty years.

A recent study on the impact of land uses on the biodiversity of South Africa’sgrasslands found that under the right management practices, livestock farmingand game ranching are highly compatible with maintaining grasslands ecosystemfunction. The Grasslands Programme is working to strengthen land uses thatsupport and maintain the ecosystem function of the grasslands, while protectingareas of important biodiversity.

The aim of the Grasslands Programme is to secure and sustain biodiversitywithin the grasslands biome. In its agriculture component, the Programmeaims to ensure that biodiversity is mainstreamed into the agriculturalsector.

THE GRASSLANDS PROGRAMME’S INTERVENTION IN THE AGRICULTURESECTOR:

• Incorporate biodiversity into agricultural policies, guidelines and decisionmaking

Working closely with partners, the Grasslands Programme is implementing asuite of interventions to mainstream biodiversity into key aspects of land useplanning, regulation and management in the agricultural sector. This includes,for example, the development of ecosystem guidelines for the grasslands biome,which was identified as a priority action in the National Biodiversity Framework.The guidelines will ultimately be used across the biome by land usersin the agriculture, mining, urban development and forestry sectors.

Photographer: Mark Botha, SANBI and unknown

Building on the success and experience of theEnkangala Grasslands Project, WWF-SA has partneredwith the Grasslands Programme to implement a suiteof activities in the Wakkerstroom and Luneburg regionof southern Mpumalanga and northern KwaZulu-Natal.Demonstration activities include facilitating biodiversitystewardship agreements for priority biodiversity areaswithlandowners in conjunction with the MpumalangaTourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) and working withfarmers and provincial agencies to implement goodrangeland management practices.



TSUMBEDZO MUDALAHOTHEGrasslands Agriculture Coordinator012 843 5000 [email protected]


• Certification and labeling of environmentallyresponsible l ivestock and game production

Since the grasslands biome is used extensively for redmeat production, the Grasslands Programme is supportingthe integration of environmentally responsible red meatproduction into farm management and red meat marketingsystems. This approach is underpinned by the philosophythat the integration of environmental practices into farmmanagement makes business sense. This is being pilotedby a dedicated group of producers, and ultimately retailers,who recognise the importance and market opportunitiesof good biodiversity management. Farmers participatingin the red meat pilot projects implement managementpractices in accordance with the principles of controllingstocking rates, rotational grazing, appropriate burning,managing bush encroachment and carefully managing foraspects of biodiversity present on the farm. The GrasslandsProgramme is implementing pilot projects to test thisapproach in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the FreeState.

• Biodiversity stewardship on private and communalland

Biodiversity stewardship is a key strategy to expand theprotection of land that is critical to meet biodiversity targetsin South Africa and is implemented in partnership betweenconservation agencies and private and communal landowners. The Grasslands Programme is facilitatingbiodiversity stewardship agreements with commercial andcommunal farmers, as well as land reform beneficiaries inMpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

• The development of good biodiversity management practices

The Grasslands Programme is working with farmers, thenational and provincial departments of agriculture, theAgricultural Research Council and other organizations topromote the implementation of rangeland managementpractices across the landscape that are compatible withthe biodiversity and ecosystem services of the biome.

The Agriculture component is implemented in partnership with WWF

LegendLuneburg/Wakkerstroom DemonstartionMpumalanga Spartial PrioritiesMBCP Terrestrial Biodiversity

Protected

Irreplaceable

Highly Significant

Important & Necessary

Least Concern

No Natural Habitat Remaining

KwaZulu-Natal Spartial Priorities(2007)

Initial Reserve

Initial Excluded

Negotiated Reserve

Mandatory Reserve

IRREPL = 0

LUNEBURG

DIRKIESDORP

WAKKERSTROOM

GROENVLEI

VOLKSPRUIT

AMERSFOORT

N

S

W E

0 5 10 20 30 40Kilometers

THE WAK KERST ROOM / LUNEBURG AGRICULTUREDEMONSTRATION PROJECT

URBAN

More plant speciesoccur in Gauteng perunit area than in anyother province.

Biodiversity and ecosystem services are crucial to ensuring that cities arelivable, healthy environments for all residents. Natural areas provide greenspaces where residents can relax and are also important refuges forindigenous fauna and flora in otherwise built up environments. Wetlandsin and around cities help to purify the water that flows from taps, whilegreen spaces help to purify the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and otherpollutants.

The aim of the Grasslands Programme is to secure and sustainbioidversity within the grasslands biome. In its urban component,which is implemented by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture andRural Development (GDARD), the Programme aims to ensure thatbiodiversity is mainstreamed into urban development in Gauteng.

SOME LITTLE KNOWN FACTS ABOUT GAUTENG’S BIODIVERSITY

• 71% of Gauteng is contained within the grasslands biome.• More plant species occur in Gauteng per unit area than in any other

province.• Gauteng is a centre of distribution for components of grasslands

biodiversity, including the critically important Bushveld-Bunkenveldvegetation type.

• Gauteng also has 42 animal species of special concern within select taxa.• Gauteng’s Spatial Development Framework (SDF) projects a future

population of 14, 6 million people by 2015, positioning the Province asone of the world’s top fifteen mass populated cities.

THE PROGRAMME’S INTERVENTION IN PROTECTING BIODIVERSITYIN GAUTENG

Securing priority sites representative of grasslands biodiversity

The Grasslands Programme of SANBI with the Gauteng Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) and municipalities in Gautenghave identified biodiverse-rich sites.

Photographer: David Boschoff, Hannelie Coetzee Photography, SANBI and unknown




BUDU MANAKAGrasslands Urban Coordinator011 355 1552 [email protected]

PRIORITY GRASSLANDS

Bronkhorstspruit

Soshanguwe

Pretoria

Johannesburg

SpringsSowetoWestonaria

Vereeniging

Vanderbijlpark

4

9

11

6

5

12

10

7

7

3

2

1

MAP OF BIODIVERSITY PRIORITY SITES IN GAUTENG

1. Kloofendal2. Colbyn Peatland3. Groenkloof, Fountains,

Klapperkop4. Kaalfontein5. Klip River6. Klipriviersberg Nature

Reserve7. Magaliesberg Protected

Natural Environment8. Leeupan9. Bill Steward Nature

Reserve10. Suikerbosrand Nature

Reserve11. Walter Sisulu Wildlife

Reserve (Roodepoort-Krugersdorp Ridge)

12. Leeukuil Dam

8

The Urban Component is implemented by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development

Development of toolkit to strengthen biodiversitymainstreaming in gauteng

• Assistance with the development of the GautengProtected Areas Expansion Strategy.

• The development of the Gauteng BiodiversityStewardship Strategy.

• The development of Lifestyle Estates guidelinesand policy.

Strengthen capacity for urban biodiversitymanagement through awareness and training

• Raise awareness through the use of local media inGauteng.

• Training counsellors and decision-makers inGauteng with partners SA Cities Network andSALGA (South Africcan Local GovernmentAssociation).

• Public service announcement and documentary toeducate Gauteng citizens about biodiversity.

• Working with civil society in Gauteng to raise theprofile of biodiversity.

COAL MINING

40% of coal in SouthAfrica is extracted byopen cast methods.

Of the many minerals found in the Grassland biome, none is as significantand extensive as coal reserves. Coal, extracted predominantly using opencastmethods, is a cheap source of energy, the second largest earner of foreignexchange for South Africa, and makes up 4% of the country’s GDP. SouthAfrica’s electricity is mostly generated from coal - the cooling towers ofmany power stations are a characteristic feature of the grasslands. The BPStatistical Energy Survey found that South Africa is the fifth largest coalproducer in the world (Mbendi, 2010).

Yet the costs of coal consumption are high. Opencast mining has adevastating effect on biodiversity especially flora and fauna. In addition,this method of mining has a negative impact on the hydrological functioningof the landscape. Wetlands, often mined first as a result of the coal-bearingseams being easier to access at lower points in the landscape, are eitherdestroyed or severely impacted, the result being a decrease or eliminationof the services they provide - water purification, flood attenuation, erosioncontrol and water storage. Yet demand for coal is increasing locally andinternationally due to the growing demand for cheap energy. This is resultingin the expansion of coal mining at a rapid rate across the grasslands biomeleading to even more pressure on flora, fauna and hydrological services.

The challenge for biodiversity and ecosystem management is to limit andmanage the impact of coal mining on grasslands. This will be achieved byensuring that the relevant and current biodiversity and ecosystem informationis used by mining companies, the authorities including the Department ofMineral Resources, the Department of Water Affairs and the Departmentof Environmental Affairs, and other concerned entities in the planning,authorisation and management of coal mines. An example of such informationis shown on the map.

The aim of the Grasslands Programme is to secure and sustainbiodiversity within the grassland biome. In its Coal Mining Componentthe Programme aims to ensure that biodiversity information ismainstreamed in the coal mining sector.

Photographer: Ellen Elmendorp, SANBI and unknown


ANTHEA STEPHENSGrasslands Programme Manager012 843 5000 [email protected] SONNENBERGGrasslands Coal Mining Coordinator011 442 2344 [email protected]


MPUMALANGA BIODIVERSITY PRIORITY AND MINING POTENTIAL AREAS

Least Concern

BIODIVERSITY IMPORTANCE

Protected

Irreplaceable

Highly Significant

Important & Necessary

No natural habitat remaining

Mining Areas

MINING POTENTIAL

INTERVENTIONS IN THE COAL MINING SECTORINCLUDE:

• Wetlands are protected through a wetland mitigationbanking offset scheme. This is being done inpartnership with Working for Wetlands.

• Mining companies and regulatory authorities usebiodiversity planning information to plan new coalmines.

The Coal Mining component is implemented in partnership with the Working for Wetlands Programme, SANB

BIODIVERSITY STEWARDSHIPIN THE GRASSLANDS BIOME

BIODIVERSITY STEWARDSHIP – PARTNERSHIPS TO CONSERVEGRASSLANDS

At present, less than 2% of South Africa's grasslands biome is formallyprotected. Partnerships between the owners and users of land,conservation authorities and other parties including NGOs are thereforecritical to securing biodiversity. Biodiversity stewardship provides thetools to conserve biodiversity on private and communally owned landswhile generating livelihoods through the effective management of theresource base.

Conservation authorities in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Gauteng arechampioning biodiversity stewardship in critical areas of the grasslandsbiome. Conservation authorities are working closely with landowners andland-users in the agricultural, forestry, mining and urban developmentsectors to achieve conservation targets. The Grasslands Programme isplaying a key role in supporting provincial biodiversity stewardshipprogrammes.

The Grasslands Programme works with partners to secure andsustain biodiversity in the grasslands biome. The Programme hasestablished partnerships in the agricultural, forestry, cola miningand urban development sectors to secure grasslands biodiversity inthese landscapes. One of the ways the partners do this is toencourage land owners to enter into biodiversity stewardshipagreements, which formally recognise the role played by privateand communal landowners in the conservation of biodiversity.

At present, less than2% of South Africa'sgrasslands biome isformally protected.

Photographer: SANBI and unknown

BIODIVERSITY STEWARDSHIP PRINCIPLES:

Focuses on biodiversity priorities: Resources mustbe focused on areas already identified as biodiversitypriorities by national and provincial conservationauthorities.

Landowner-focused: Biodiversity stewardshipagreements must be backed up with sufficientresources to inform, help and support landowners.

Acknowledges people's needs: Biodiversi tystewardship must be based on a clear understandingof the needs of those who own, live and work on theland.

Biodiversity as the bottom line: Decisions onconservation investment should be based on thebiodiversity value of the land.

Guarantee site security: Land with high biodiversityvalue must be secured through legally soundbiodiversity stewardship agreements.

Build cooperation: The agreement must be based onmutual trust to enable effective conservationm a n a g e m e n t a n d s u s t a i n a b l e l i v e l i h o o d s .


ANTHEA STEPHENSGrasslands Programme Manager (SANBI)012 843 5000 [email protected]

BRENT CORCORANGrasslands Project Manager (WWF-SA)084 500 4732 [email protected]


NATURE RESERVEIncludes declaration as a Nature Reserve

(S 23 of NEM: PA Act)

BIODIVERSITYAGREEMENT

Contractual biodiversity agreementbetween agency and landowner in

favour of conservation

PROTECTEDENVIRONMENT

Includes declaration(S 23 of NEM: PA Act)

CONSERVATION AREAVoluntary conservation areas, single sites, properties or multiple properties

Includes Sites of Conservation Significance, CCA's and conservanciesIncr

easi

ng s

uppo

rt f

rom

con

serv

atio

n a

gen

cy

Incr

easi

ng c

omm

itm

ent t

o c

onse

rvat

ion

FIGURE: THE BIODIVERSITY STEWARDSHIP APPROACH

This figure highlights the key elements of biodiversity stewardship. Where there is highvalue biodiversity land, there will be increased support from conservation authorities andtheir biodiversity stewardship partners in exchange for increased commitment toconservation by landowners.

With the correctmanagement practices,wildlife ranching andlivestock production,as well as tourism arecompatible withgrassland coservation.Biodiversity stewardshippartnerships are ideal inthese instances.

the term grassland creates the impression that the...

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