Ecosystem Guidelines for Environmental Assessment

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A NOTE ON FIRE All fynbos types require periodic fires to stimulate recruitment and to retain maximum species richness. The different fynbos types do, however, differ vastly in terms of appropriate fire frequency. Non-sprouting Proteas are the best indicators of an appropriate fire frequency, which should allow at least 50% of these Protea plants to have flowered three times be<strong>for</strong>e they are burned again. The maximum interval between fires should not exceed the active reproductive period of these plants. Fire season is also vital to retain species richness, with late summer and autumn fires (December- April) giving the best recruitment results. Fire intensity is also important, with only 'clean' burns acceptable, where no fine material or unburned leaves remain after a fire. The last important aspect is the size of the fire, where block burns should preferably not be smaller than 100 ha (ideally 200-500 ha) in size. To ensure successful recruitment after a fire, grazing by domestic stock (or large numbers of game) should not be allowed within the first two years after a fire. Block burns in areas where two or more different vegetation types co-occur, e.g. Limestone Fynbos, Sand Fynbos or Dune Thicket, will need special planning. The fire frequency of the fastest growing vegetation unit (e.g. Sand Fynbos) is usually the most appropriate, but then only part of the slower growing vegetation types (e.g. Limestone Fynbos) should burn. Such 'patchy' burns will retain the natural fire frequency of the other units present. Fire season and size would, however, not differ from those noted above. Block burns in areas that are heavily infested by woody alien plants (e.g. Acacia cyclops) will also need special planning. Where high fuel loads are present the sites may have to be burned under cool, moist conditions. It is best to obtain specialist advice from CapeNature or a fynbos ecologist be<strong>for</strong>e implementing managed burns. COLIN PATERSON-JONES 22 : A NOTE ON FIRE
Maintaining the correct frequency and seasonality of fires is a key factor in fynbos management.
Page 1: ECOSYSTEM GUIDELINES FOR ENVIRONMEN
Page 4 and 5: CHARL DE VILLIERS (EDITOR) Conserva
Page 6 and 7: CONTENTS 7 : 8 : 10 : 14 : 22 : 24
Page 8 and 9: “Environmental Assessment provide
Page 10 and 11: PREFACE Charl de Villiers These gui
Page 12 and 13: INTRODUCTION Susie Brownlie Purpose
Page 14 and 15: The drafting process, which was co-
Page 16 and 17: INCLUDING BIODIVERSITY CONSIDERATIO
Page 18 and 19: UNEP's voluntary guidelines on biod
Page 20 and 21: Breede River valley: CAPE and SKEP
Page 22 and 23: STEP 4: WHEN SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS AR
Page 26 and 27: COASTAL ESTUARIES COASTAL ECOSYSTEM
Page 28 and 29: COASTAL non-linear manner over wide
Page 30 and 31: COASTAL SANDY BEACHES & DUNE SYSTEM
Page 32 and 33: COASTAL What are the “bottom line
Page 34 and 35: COASTAL INCORPORATING WEST AND SOUT
Page 36 and 37: COASTAL Strandveld is also increasi
Page 38 and 39: What are the critical things to mai
Page 40 and 41: LOWLAND FYNBOS INCORPORATING SAND F
Page 42 and 43: LOWLAND FYNBOS Veld clearance for r
Page 44 and 45: NICK HELME LOWLAND FYNBOS Leipoldtv
Page 46 and 47: MIDLAND & MOUNTAIN INCORPORATING AL
Page 48 and 49: MIDLAND & MOUNTAIN Altered fire reg
Page 50 and 51: MIDLAND & MOUNTAIN What are the cri
Page 52 and 53: MIDLAND & MOUNTAIN will move in fro
Page 54 and 55: RENOSTERVELD INCORPORATING COAST &
Page 56 and 57: RENOSTERVELD Urban expansion is a p
Page 58 and 59: RENOSTERVELD What, if any, reliable
Page 60 and 61: SUCCULENT KAROO INCORPORATING VYGIE
Page 62 and 63: SUCCULENT KAROO Quarrying for grani
Page 64 and 65: MAINLAND THICKET INCORPORATING THIC
Page 66 and 67: MAINLAND THICKET appear to recover
Page 68 and 69: MAINLAND THICKET What are the criti
Page 70 and 71: FRESHWATER FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS: W
Page 72 and 73: FRESHWATER What are the key issues,
Page 74 and 75:
FRESHWATER exotic garden escapees i
Page 76 and 77:
FRESHWATER INCORPORATING MINOR DRAI
Page 78 and 79:
FRESHWATER Introduction to the syst
Page 80 and 81:
SCEPS SPATIAL COMPONENTS OF ECOLOGI
Page 82 and 83:
JAN VLOK SCEPS Quartz patches can s
Page 84 and 85:
SCEPS those characterised by mosaic
Page 86 and 87:
TABLE 4: EXAMPLES OF SPATIAL COMPON
Page 88 and 89:
SCEPS ecosystems (e.g. Granite Fynb
Page 90 and 91:
REFERENCES & RESOURCES There is a w
Page 92 and 93:
APPENDIX 1 SOUTH AFRICAN VEGETATION
Page 94 and 95:
APPENDIX 2 RECOMMENDED TERMS OF REF
Page 96:
SALDANHA CAPE TOWN VANRHYNSDORP CER
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Ecosystem Guidelines for Environmental Assessment

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