Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

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The origin and the unique ecological functions of islands and associated woodlands has been subject of several in-depth studies (McCarthy et al., 1991; McCarthy et al., 1993; Ellery at al., 1993; Ellery and Tacheba, 2003, Ramberg and Wolski, 2007). In this environment the classification of the riparian plants as dry land species is ambiguous as the riparian zones are fed by shallow horizontal groundwater infiltration from adjacent rivers and floodplains (Ramberg et al., 2006). The majority of woody species (trees, shrubs and lianas) which occur within these riparian bands in the island fringes of the <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> are probably able to tap this groundwater resource (Ringrose, 2003). Even though these are not strictly wetland habitats, they are central for the present structure and functioning of the whole <strong>Delta</strong> ecosystem (Ellery and Ellery, 1996; Ellery and Tacheba, 2003; Ramberg and Wolski, 2007), and the fact that we find the highest species diversity in these island fringe communities underpins their high ecological value. Next to the hydrological factor complex, the salinity of the island soils influences the diversity of species within small areas. There is a gradient of increasing solute concentration in the ground water from the edge of the islands towards the centre (McCarthy at al., 1991; Ellery at al.; 1993) which is reflected by a typical zonation of vegetation and the establishment of characteristic communities (No. 23-24). On sites with high solute concentrations species diversity declines considerably since only few species are adapted to those harsh living conditions. Although the communities of saline soils seem to be the species poorest among all other communities in the <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> (with only about 20 species), they contribute to the overall species diversity because of the occurrence of the specialized halophytes. Small ephemeral water bodies (pans) occur during the rainy season in drier habitats and carry the next specific plant communities (No. 25-26) with a distinct zonation according to the water depth and duration. It is obvious that the main reason for the high plant species diversity of the <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> as well as for the exceptionality of this ecosystem from a nature conservation point of view, lies in the interaction of periodical natural phenomena – the annual flood in the dry season and the distinct rainy season in time of low water level – with the shifts in flooding pattern over short and long periods. Succession processes at different phases of development are therefore ongoing in all plant communities in the <strong>Delta</strong>. These processes are the main driving forces for the species and habitat diversities in the <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> and must be conserved in order to maintain the uniqueness of this system. 2.3.2.3 Vegetation spatial coverage According to a preliminary vegetation classification map produced by the Harry Oppenheimer <strong>Okavango</strong> Research Centre, ten different vegetation units can be distinguished within the <strong>Okavango</strong> <strong>Delta</strong> <strong>Ramsar</strong> Site. The map is given in Figure 2-9. Table 2-3 below shows the spatial coverage for each of the ten classes throughout Ngamiland District with a total land coverage of 107,906 km2 including the Linyanti floodplain. It can be seen that a large proportion of the District is covered by tracts of Colophospermum mopane and tree shrubland dominated by Acacia species especially Acacia erioloba and Acacia mellifera. The latter class is found mainly in areas used for livestock farming along the southern and western edges of the <strong>Delta</strong>. This might suggest signs of bush encroachment due to overgrazing and over exploitation of resources as these areas are heavily populated. The third largest vegetation grouping consists of open shrubbed 33
grasslands which overlaps with the tree shrubland described above. This class also occurs on areas that appear to have been overgrazed and showing significant levels of erosion. Figure 2-9:Vegetation classification map of the ODRS Table 2-3: Spatial coverage (km 2 ) of each vegetation grouping for the entire Ngamiland District Zone Description Area(km2) 1 Grassed Shrubland in Dune Valleys with Terminalia & Baphia 10419 2 Shrubbed Woodland with mixed Mophane 20063 3 Treed Shrubland with Acacia 22959 4 Treed Grassland on former Floodplain 8460 5 Shrubbed Grassland on former Floodplain 3258 6 Shrubbed Woodland of Riparian zones 1816 7 Dry Floodplains and Island Interiors 2857 8 Swamp vegetation with fringing emergents 8531 9 Shrubbed towards Dune Crests with Burkea avourab and Baikiae plurijuga 10519 10 Shrubbed Grassland with Sagebrush 17186 11 Cloud and Shadow/Unclassified 1838 34
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i OKAVANGO DELTA MANAGEMENT PLAN PR
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2.3 ECOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL FEATU
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5.2.7 FIRE MANAGEMENT .............
Page 7 and 8: TABLE 3-4: CRITERIA FOR FUTURE PRIO
Page 9 and 10: Ministry of Environment, Wildlife a
Page 11 and 12: It stands to reason that the ODMP s
Page 13 and 14: This chapter describes the strategi
Page 15 and 16: xiv FRAMP Framework Managem
Page 17 and 18: OKAVANGO DELTA VISION EXECUTIVE SUM
Page 19 and 20: physical subsystem. These are often
Page 21 and 22: Strategic Goal Stategic Objective K
Page 23 and 24: maintain them it accords prominence
Page 25 and 26: this, but sectors should continue t
Page 27 and 28: 1.3 THE NEED FOR A MANAGEMENT PLAN
Page 29 and 30: Instrument Year Objective Relevance
Page 31 and 32: Relavant conventions which Botswana
Page 33 and 34: 1.6.3.1 Project Design Phase Follow
Page 35 and 36: 1.6.3.5 Final Management</s
Page 37 and 38: Part of the catchment in Namibia co
Page 39 and 40: Figure 2-3: The Okavango</s
Page 41 and 42: 2.1.5.3 Tertiary stakeholders These
Page 43 and 44: 2.1.6.7. Harry Oppenheimer
Page 45 and 46: The District Council is responsible
Page 47 and 48: The district is also affected by a
Page 49 and 50: which is itself an extension of the
Page 51 and 52: eastern from the central and wester
Page 53 and 54: Subsequently, flow from the Thamala
Page 55 and 56: capacity of these processes to elim
Page 57: dominated channel fringe and backsw
Page 61 and 62: Figure 2-10: Distribution map of ra
Page 63 and 64: zooplankton biomass has been record
Page 65 and 66: 40 All of the ardeids are primarily
Page 67 and 68: 15000 in 1988 and 35000 in 2002 (Bo
Page 69 and 70: Figure 2-11: Spatial Distribution o
Page 71 and 72: Figure 2-12: Land use map of the OR
Page 73 and 74: Parks and Game Reserves provide for
Page 75 and 76: 2.4.3.1 Angola Quantities of water
Page 77 and 78: Table 2-10: Tourism Enterprise Lice
Page 79 and 80: 2.4.6 2.4.6 FISHING The Oka
Page 81 and 82: 2.4.7.2 Tsodilo Hills World Heritag
Page 83 and 84: 2.4.8.2 Arable Farming Arable farmi
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Page 87 and 88: 2.7 TOTAL ECONOMIC VALUE Total Econ
Page 89 and 90: household investors after deduction
Page 91 and 92: Table 2-16: Summary of the annual p
Page 93 and 94: 2.7.2 INDIRECT USE VALUES In this s
Page 95 and 96: use value of ecosystems (refs). Thu
Page 97 and 98: HOORC-UB has developed into a resou
Page 99 and 100: found in the fringes of the <strong
Page 101 and 102: natural factors. There are two majo
Page 103 and 104: However, there are indications that
Page 105 and 106: molesta as well as of planktonic an
Page 107 and 108: employed. Cross-border re-invasion
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and use of the area’s resources,
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3.7 CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING MANAGE
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No. Management Are
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No. Management Are
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No. Management Are
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Table 3-2: Priority issues to be ad
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3.7.2.3 Proposed criteria for futur
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2 = Moderate social benefits 3 = Lo
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• clearing of small access channe
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The overall goal of the ODMP sets t
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Strategic Objectives • To sustain
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Strategic Object 1.3: To raise publ
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4.3.3 SOCIO-ECONOMIC SWOT ANALYSIS
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Table 4-4: Operational Objectives t
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THEMATIC AREA: SOCIO-ECONOMIC Strat
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5.1.1 ESTABLISHMENT OF VIABLE MANAG
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upstream - downstream interactions
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photography, birding, sightseeing e
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The maintance of this delicate bala
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It also provides for their integrat
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c) Existing lodges would continue,
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Table 5-2: Characterization of cond
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Category Natural / Bio-physical Tou
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Category Natural / Bio-physical Tou
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vi. Where vegetation resources are
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d) There should be adequate equipme
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implementers are presented in Appen
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138 District and National Developme
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Butzer, K. W., 1984. Archeogeology
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Hancock, P. 2003b. Saddle-billed St
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McCarthy, T.S., W.N. Ellery and A.
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ODMP, 2006. Slaty Egret Baseline Su
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simulated SPOT VEGETATION imagery.
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Tyson, P.D.R. Fuchs, C. Fu, L. Lebe
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Appendix I. 1: Action Plan<
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Strategic Goal 1: To establish viab
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Strategic Goal 2: To ensure the lon
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Strategic Goal 3: To sustainably us
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162 APPENDIX II - MONITORING AND EV
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Appendix II. 2: Plan</stron
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180 APPENDIX III: ASSESSING IMPACTS
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I.1.3 Manpower capacity of the fish
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Appendix III. 2: Assessing Impacts
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B.2.4 The risk of Tsetse re-infesta
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Okavango Delta Management Plan - Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

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