Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Appendix III. 2: Assessing Impacts of the Action <strong>Plan</strong>s, Mitigation Measures of how to address them and Sustainability
Criteria for the Bio-Physical Thematic Area
Strategic Goal 2:
To ensure the long-term conservation of the <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> and the provision of existing ecosystem services for the benefit of all the organisms depending on it
Strategic Objective 2.1
To conserve the biotic and abiotic functions of the <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong>, and the interactions between them.
ID Key Issues Operational Objectives Critical Activities Potential impact Mitigation measure Sustainable criteria
B.1.1 Water quality and
sedimentation
monitoring needs to be
improved
B.1.2 There is need to carry
out baseline surveys on
keystone species.
B.1.3 Lake Ngami needs to be
declared a bird
sanctuary
B.1.4 The existing and
potential breeding sites
for slaty egret need to
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DWA to improve the water
quality and sedimentation
monitoring
DWNP to carry out
baseline surveys on
keystone species
DWNP to facilitate the
designation of Lake Ngami
as a bird sanctuary
DWNP to protect existing
and potential breeding
sites for the slaty egret
Increase the frequency and
monitoring sites.
Improve baseline information on
the Leopard, Cheetah and Slaty
egret
Carryout baseline surveys on
the African Skimmer, Sitatunga,
small mammals, amphibians,
Hippos, reptiles and
Invertebrates
Engage with communities to
build consensus to designate
Lake Ngami as a non-hunting
area
Engage with policy makers to
put in place the necessary legal
instruments
Protect existing breeding sites
and those which will be
identified during ODMP
Improved monitoring
improves knowledge
on the trends on
water quality
• Improved
knowledge on
the said species
• The baseline
survey might
require
mobilisation of
huge resources
• Improved
knowledge on
the said species
• The baseline
survey might
require
mobilisation of
huge resources
Increased touris
arrivals to watch birds
Improved
conservation
species at the lake
of
Impacts related to
increased tourists
Increased numbers
and performance of
the Slaty egret
Develop partnerships to
overcome deficiencies in
resources
• Develop
partnerships to
overcome
deficiencies in
resources
• Proactive
engagement of
independent
researchers
• Implementation of
the Research
Strategy and
Monitoring Action
<strong>Plan</strong>
Emphasis should
continue to be put on
high value low volume
tourism
Adequate consultation
and communication
regarding this activitiy
In addition to monitoring
presented in the ODMP,
consideration should be given to
monitoring criteria proposed in
the Draft Environmental
Guidelines, especially
developing a reporting structure
and feedback mechanism to
enhance implementation of
mitigation measures
Sound scientific criteria for
survey to be developed to
ensure
results/samples
representative
The lake should be managed in
accordance with natioanal parks
requirements and BirdLife
International’s Important Bird
Area guidelines
Follow regioanl and
international guidelines for
development of a sanctuary
The sites need to be
incorporated into the Integrated
Land Use <strong>Plan</strong> for the ODRS