Appendix O2 - Biophysical Report.pdf - Zitholele.co.za

February 2011 57 12619Wakkerstoom Montane GrasslandFigure 7-6: Wakkerstroom Montane Grassland en route to Groenvlei.The Wakkerstroom Montane Grassland occurs in the KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces.It occurs from the escarpment just north of Sheepmoor (north) to southeast of Utrecht, and thenfrom the vicinity of Volksrust in the west to Mandhlangampisi Mountain near Lunebrg in the eastThis unit is a less obvious continuation of the escarpment that links the southern and northernDrakensburg escarpments. It straddles this divide and is comprised of low mountains andundulating plains. The vegetation comprises predominantly short montane grasslands on theplateaus and the relatively flat area, with short forest and Leucosidea thickets occurring alongsteep, mainly east facing slopes and drainage areas. L. Sericea is the dominant woody pioneerspecies that invades areas as a result of grazing mismanagement.This unit is less threatened with a conservation target of 27%, however less than 1% is statutorilyprotected in the Paardeplaats Nature Reserve. There are 10 South African Natural Heritage Sitesin this unit, although very little of it is formally protected. Land use pressures from agriculture arelow (5% cultivated) probably owing to the colder climate and shallower soils. The area is alsosuited to afforestation, with more than 1% under Acacia mearnsii and Eucalyptus plantations. Theblack wattle (Acacia mearnsii) is an aggressive invader of riparian areas and the erosion potentialis very low.ZITHOLELE CONSULTING