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Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

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Table 4-2: Bio-physical System SWOT Analysis<br />

Strategic Goal 2: To ensure the l<strong>on</strong>g-term c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> of the <str<strong>on</strong>g>Okavango</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Delta</str<strong>on</strong>g> and the provisi<strong>on</strong> of existing ecosystem services<br />

Objective 2.1: To c<strong>on</strong>serve the biotic and abiotic functi<strong>on</strong>s of the <str<strong>on</strong>g>Okavango</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Delta</str<strong>on</strong>g>, and the interacti<strong>on</strong>s between them<br />

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats<br />

High biodiversity Fragility (adapted to low<br />

nutrient)<br />

107<br />

C<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong> guided by CBD,<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Ramsar</str<strong>on</strong>g>, CITES, WHC, etc.<br />

Relatively pristine System not well understood Presence of HOORC and other<br />

nati<strong>on</strong>al and internati<strong>on</strong>al research<br />

instituti<strong>on</strong>s<br />

High resilience (flow<br />

dynamics, variety of<br />

habitats)<br />

Presence of high profile and<br />

indicator species<br />

Certain nati<strong>on</strong>al<br />

departments dedicated to<br />

management of specific<br />

biotic and abiotic aspects of<br />

the system<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>Okavango</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Delta</str<strong>on</strong>g> Research<br />

strategy in place<br />

Limited financial and human<br />

resources to implement and<br />

m<strong>on</strong>itor c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong><br />

measures<br />

Presence of globally<br />

Threatened and<br />

endangered species<br />

Unsustainable and illegal<br />

water abstracti<strong>on</strong><br />

Limited baseline informati<strong>on</strong><br />

<strong>on</strong> the comp<strong>on</strong>ents of<br />

ecosystem (physical and<br />

biological and their<br />

interacti<strong>on</strong>s)<br />

Govt commitment to synergise<br />

related c<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong>s<br />

Negative impacts of upstream<br />

developments<br />

Climate change<br />

Internati<strong>on</strong>al trade in endangered species<br />

Incompatible trans-boundary activities<br />

(fires, land use)<br />

High poverty levels<br />

Potential changes in land use (e.g. mining,<br />

irrigati<strong>on</strong> agriculture)<br />

Endemic species Increasing and unregulated tourism<br />

Availability of traditi<strong>on</strong>al<br />

knowledge <strong>on</strong> c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong><br />

Availability of legislative<br />

instruments (herbage<br />

preservati<strong>on</strong> act etc)<br />

Large parts of the system<br />

fall under protected areas<br />

Strategic objective 2.2: To maintain or restore the wetland habitats and ecosystems of the <str<strong>on</strong>g>Okavango</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Delta</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

Availability of legislative<br />

instruments (herbage<br />

preservati<strong>on</strong> act, waste<br />

management, EIA, etc)<br />

Presence of threatened and<br />

endangered species<br />

Willingness of communities to<br />

participate in management (e.g.<br />

trusts)<br />

Eradicati<strong>on</strong> of Tsetse – its presence was<br />

barrier to human encroachment and<br />

removal of tsetse from the ecosystem.<br />

Increasing self-drives – vehicle traffic<br />

Relatively pristine High elephant populati<strong>on</strong> Inadequate m<strong>on</strong>itoring of implementati<strong>on</strong><br />

of envir<strong>on</strong>mental management plans.f for<br />

development projects<br />

Certain departments<br />

dedicated to restorative<br />

interventi<strong>on</strong>s (e.g. DWA –<br />

Aquatic weed c<strong>on</strong>trol)<br />

Buffalo fence prevents<br />

human/livestock<br />

encroachment<br />

Current land use practices<br />

compatible with<br />

c<strong>on</strong>servati<strong>on</strong><br />

Inappropriate waste<br />

handling and disposal<br />

practices<br />

Topography of the <str<strong>on</strong>g>Delta</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

(very flat) makes impacts of<br />

minor disturbance huge<br />

(c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> of bridges,<br />

road network<br />

Introducti<strong>on</strong> of invasive species<br />

Outbreak of diseases

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