Environmental Management

Page 121 of 194

Projects with applicability to this IDP period is a three-year tender commencing 2017 and ending December 2019 which is to be issued for the monitoring, quality control and process advisory services for air quality monitoring in the Saldanha Bay region.

Page 122 of 194

Identifying conservation priorities:

Fynbos ecosystems require urgent protection, requiring a progressive plan of action that allocates scarce resources optimally. The Saldanha Bay Municipality as required by Alien and Invasive Management Plans on National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) states that (a) All organs of state in all spheres of government must prepare an invasive species monitoring, control and eradication plan for land under their control, as part of their environmental plans in accordance with section 11 of the National Environmental Management Act. (b) The invasive species monitoring, control and eradication plans of municipalities must be part of the integrated development plans (3) The Minister may request the Institute to assist municipalities in performing their in terms of subsection (2). (4) An invasive species monitoring, control and eradication plan must include—(a) a detailed list and description of any listed invasive species occurring on the relevant land;(b) a description of the parts of that land that are infested with such listed invasive species;(c) an assessment of the extent of such infestation;(d) a status report on the efficacy of previous control and eradication measures;(e) the current measures to monitor, control and eradicate such invasive species; and measurable indicators of progress and success, and indications of when the control plan is to be completed.

Recent world-leading conservation planning in South Africa has systematically identified Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs) across the entire Cape Floral Kingdom. These CBAs are vital for conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem functioning and should remain in (or be restored to) their natural state1. They reflect the best scientific understanding of how much of each feature (e.g. vegetation type, wetland, rare species) is required to not only represent the full array of natural diversity in an area, but to ensure that it persists into the future. These plans also optimize around competing land uses, so that we do not attempt to solve conservation targets in areas of high opportunity cost, for example within the urban edge or areas of high agricultural value.

This study, initiated and funded by The Table Mountain Fund, an associated trust of WWF-SA, builds upon existing conservation plans to group CBAs into a set of key landscape-scale conservation corridors (see Figure 1). These 28 corridors not only contain a large portion of the most threatened ecosystems and species in the Western Cape2, they are also configured around key functions for allowing ecosystems to adapt to a changing climate. The corridors include important landscape features that provide climate change resilience, such as north-south and altitudinal gradients, coastal proximity, wetlands and water catchments, similar soil types and centres of endemism (which are believed to have been climate refuges in the past). The corridors also take into account previously identified mega-corridors (such as the Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor) and macro-climatic gradients identified in the CAPE conservation plan3 and the Western Cape’s spatial development framework.

Combining the conservation significance and threat analysis data identified six corridors as urgent priorities for conservation action of which the West Coast National Park - Berg River Corridor (#5) is one.

Page 123 of 194

Another entirely lowland corridor, with almost no topographic diversity, and thus seemingly little climate change buffering potential, except for , and the dominant soil type is acid sand, which supports Sand Fynbos. The Sand Fynbos vegetation supports surprisingly high small mammal densities, and a significant number of threatened plant species. However, it also borders on the western edges of the Swartland, with its Shale Renosterveld, and vegetation along this ecotone is species rich, and very high in threatened species. The corridor also incorporates substantial Strandveld elements. The relatively aridity and infertile soils mean that this is one of the largest remaining areas of intact natural vegetation in the region, and it is thus also an obvious target for expansion of the WCNP, which currently conserves relatively little Sand Fynbos (it’s mostly Strandveld). The corridor also incorporates parts of the Sout River, one of the very few Sandveld rivers. The Saldanha Bay Municipality as required for Municipality that the Estuary Management Protocol as stated in NEMA states that where an estuary is within a single municipal boundary, the municipality is responsible for the estuary management plan in consultation with the relevant government departments, except if the estuary is within the boundaries of a protected area, or is identified as part of the protected area expansion strategy. The Saldanha Bay Municipality has two water courses within the Municipal area, which is Bok River, which this River is situated

in Saldanha and the wastewater treatment plant discharge the water in water channels, and also the Mosselbank River – which is situated in paternoster and wastewater treatment plant also discharge water in water channels.

The Berg River and its associated floodplains and salt marshes are an exceptionally important perennial wetland system, especially for birds. Primary threats are agricultural expansion (potatoes and rooibos), and alien invasive Acacias (severe in places).

The entire Saldanha Bay area is approximately 166,565.48 ha. in size of which 0.4% is urban and 99.96% rural land. Overall, Saldanha Bay constitutes 5.8 per cent of the entire West Coast geographic land, making it the smallest municipal area in the district.

The associated map provides the best available scientific information regarding the biodiversity resources in Saldanha Bay Municipality that need to be retained in the long-term. This is to

Page 124 of 194

ensure the maintenance of healthy ecosystems which are fundamental to the wellbeing of people since nature provides human kind with food, clean water and many other tangible and intangible benefits, sometimes referred to as ecosystem services.