Mpumalanga Biodiversity Conservation Plan Handbook - bgis-sanbi

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PURPOSE CHAPTER 6 .......................... LAND-USE GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPMENT PLANNERS, REGULATORS AND LAND-USE MANAGERS These land-use guidelines are intended to achieve improved conservation of biodiversity and the persistence of ecosystem functioning. They should inform decisions at various levels, from provincial planning forums to individual changes in land use. In covering such a wide range of applications, we make no claim that they are comprehensive or complete. They are intended in the long run to evolve into regulations, and as such will benefit from feedback by users as they apply them to real decision-making situations. Our readership focus is on planners at all levels, from land owners and buyers to central development planners. The guidelines are intended to inform the decisions of the main provincial environmental and biodiversity agencies, DALA and MTPA. Their most obvious and frequent use is expected to be: Informing all parties involved in development applications and their authorisation through the EIA process; Informing land-use and development planners in municipalities and the provincial government. The three ecosystems in this document are identified by a prefix as follows: Terrestrial – ‘T’ Aquatic (rivers, lakes and impoundments) – ‘A’ Wetlands – ‘W’ CHAPTER 6 - LAND-USE GUIDELINES 41 LAND-USE GUIDEINES
MPUMALANGA BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION PLAN HANDBOOK 42 Roan Hippotragus equinus Antelope form the basis of a major tourism industry. Not only do tourists pay substantial sums to see antelope but they also visit to see the predators of antelope. Roan antelope are rare or endangered over most of their range because they have very specific habitat requirements DATA USE AND LIMITATIONS The data used to compile this plan and the scientific knowledge that underpins the biodiversity targets are currently the best available. The MBCP database has been collected over many years and from diverse sources. Although data and sources have been checked and verified, gaps and errors may exist. Satellite data, such as the land transformation coverage, are derived from images taken in 1995 and 2000. This means that six years of ongoing transformation is not recorded in the MBCP. All data and the information on the MBCP map, especially in contentious situations, should be verified on the ground, preferably by an ecologist with local experience, before a . decision about land-use is taken. Data from the verification process, especially corrections, must be captured and archived to update and add to the information on which future biodiversity planning will be based The MBCP has created six biodiversity conservation categories for terrestrial ecosystems using systematic biodiversity planning methods (Table 6.1). This chapter sets out broad land-use guidelines applicable to each category and all ecosystems. The MBCP has also identified the most important water catchments in the Province which are critical for meeting aquatic biodiversity targets (see Figure 4.2). Land-use guidelines for these catchments are provided to safeguard their current good ecosystem status. All land uses involving physical development will have significant impacts on these catchments. It is critical that inappropriate development does not compromise their integrity. Both aquatic biodiversity and water supplies will be jeopardised if this is allowed to happen. TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS TABLE 6.1: Summary of terrestrial biodiversity conservation categories BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION CATEGORY % OF PROVINCE COMMENT ON LAND USE 1. PAs currently under formal biodiversity protection PAs - 14.8% 2. Irreplaceable, in urgent need of protection and PA status Irrp - 2.4% 3. Highly Significant, protection needed - limited choice for H-S - 12.3% meeting targets 4. Important and Necessary, protection needed - I&N - 9.5% more choices for meeting targets 5. Areas of Least Concern, providing options for development L-C - 25.2% 6. Areas with No Natural Habitat remaining, providing NN - 35.8% preferred sites for all forms of development. (Ecological corridors (6.7%) are not included as they are not part of the spatial analysis.) The higher conservation categories (1 to 4) need to be managed for the conservation of biodiversity. 61% of Province available for development via EIA planning procedures.
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Mpumalanga Biodiversity Conservation Plan Handbook - bgis-sanbi

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