Download PDF - Anchor Environmental

Verlorenvlei Estuary Management Plan
Part 3: Detailed Implementation Plans
Part 3 contains the detailed Management Strategies, Management Action Plans and Monitoring
Plans for the different work packages or sectors. The work packages are:
• Conservation;
• Living Resource management;
• Water quantity and quality;
• Agriculture;
• Town and tourism development;
• Improved integration and collaboration among role players;
• Law enforcement and compliance;
• Funding sources and opportunities; and
• Innovative opportunities for job creation (e.g. including tourism opportunities).
3.1 Conservation (linking to Ramsar Convention)
3.1.1 Targets & Critical limits
Operational specifications refer to the measureable targets or critical limits applicable to
activities/developments or activity/development zones in and around the estuary.
As part of the development of a regional conservation plan for the cool and warm temperate
estuaries Turpie and Clark (2007) recommended that the Verlorenvlei form part of the set of
estuaries that needs to be protected to meet biodiversity targets in South Africa. The conservation
plan stipulates that 50% of the terrestrial marginal area be included as a no-development area and
that the Recommended Ecological Water Requirement Category be a B or C, summarized as follows:
RECOMMENDATION
Extent of sanctuary protection
Half
Extent of undeveloped margin 50%
Minimum water requirement (ecological category)
B or C
VALUE
3.1.2 Management Strategies & Actions
The following actions or issues, specifically related to conservation have been identified at the
Situation Assessment and Stakeholder Workshop held in Eland Bay (September 2009):
Conservation of biodiversity through declaration of a formal Protected Area (under
Protected Areas Act) and Continued compliance to Ramsar status requirements and
bringing the importance of Ramsar to the fore;
Increase protection through zoning and formal planning in and around Verlorenvlei and link
this with other formal initiatives, e.g. IDP, SDF, Stewardship programme;
Conserve and formally protect the cultural heritage of the area;
Halt further degradation of Verlorenvlei system and institute restoration/rehabilitation
were appropriate; and
Adaptation to climate change needs to be ensured through better water resources planning
and agricultural best practice.
Page 3-2