Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
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