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HOW DO CITIES REFOCUS

BIODIVERSITY

MANAGEMENT

EKURHULENI METROPOLITAN MUNICIALITY

(EMM) APPROACH

• EMM location

• Background

• Threats to biodiversity

• Biodiversity management approach

• Environmental tools for EMM

• Opportunities and Constraints

• Achievements

CONTENTS

Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality (EMM) location

Ekurhuleni (cont.)

Established in 2000, consisting

of a number of previous local authorities and regional

services councils.

Population ± 3 000 000;

Area 1 923km²45km from east to west

55 km from north to south

BackgroundBiodiversity description

• The entire EMM falls within the Grassland Biome in which grass dominates and geophytes occur abundantly.

• Trees are usually absent, except along river courses and on ridges.

• Three sub-types of vegetation occur within the biome (Eastern, Soweto and Tsakane Highveld Grassland)

• Only approximately 34% of the total area remains under natural vegetation in various states.

• Wetlands are superimposed over the grassland and represent the most important habitat type in the Ekurhuleni area (206 identified).

•

• Biodiversity (continue)

- Species values for the EMM per taxonomic group

*Information on the total mammal species occurring in EMM is not available

*The conservation status of many invertebrates in Gauteng is still in the process of being established

Taxonomic

group

No. of

species in

EMM

% of total no.

of grassland

species

% of total no.

of species in

Gauteng

Plants 1644 49% 54%

Mammals * Data deficient Data deficient Data deficient

Amphibians 14 38% 56%

Reptiles 41 ? 47%

Birds 255 73% 78%

Invertebrates * Data deficient Data deficient Data deficient

Biodiversity (Con)Homoroselaps dorsalis

(Striped harlequin

snake)

Anthropoides paradiseus

(Blue crane)

Khadia beswickii

Bug files

Grassland Biome

Threats to biodiversity• Human settlements and

developmental pressure

• Mining activities

• Industrial activities

• Transportation and road infrastructure

• Illegal dumping

• Agricultural activities

• Alien invasive species

• Harvesting of fauna & flora

8

Biodiversity management approach

9

The Ekurhuleni Integrated Development

Plan (IDP) is linked to the Growth and

Development Strategy (GDS)

- Recommended that all the departments

should integrate biodiversity principles

into their respective responsibilities.

- One of the strategic focus areas of the

EMM GDS is the environment which

has as it’s goal by 2025 to have a

substantial increase in the general

quality of the environment.

Biodiversity man (cont.)

10

In order to achieve, the above, the following

milestones and outcomes were, inter alia, envisaged:

- All the development to be guided by an

Environmental Management Framework (EMF)

- A clearly defined and functional open space

network

- Integrated and sustainable protection of natural

resources.

- Protect, highlight and link natural elements of the

EMM to form a high quality, tactile and functional

living environment and movement system for

fauna, flora & Humans.

- Link-up with, and enhance the man made

elements of EMM and other service servitudes.

- Include as many of the EMM public open spaces

as possible

Environmental tools

11

Tool Purpose

Biodiversity and Open Space Strategy

(EBOSS)

Consider and integrate the conservation plan need of

the province; meet the national biodiversity targets; etc.

Bioregional Plans To inform land-use planning, environmental

assessment and authorisations, and natural resource

management, by a range of sectors whose policies and

decisions impact on biodiversity.

EMM Environmental Management

Framework (EMF)

Enable decision makers to make informed decision on

environmental matters.

Climate Change Response Strategy Mitigate impacts emanating from the effects of climate

change

State of the Environment Report (SoER) To provide information on the condition of the existing

environment in EMM to the public and to raise

awareness of environmental issues

Environmental Policy Making EMM a desirable place to be in on the one

hand, and turning it into a globally acceptable efficient

and clean industrial and transportation nexus on the

other.

Opportunities and Constraints• Opportunities- EMM located on the

continental divide, where

important river system

originate (Ramsar site forms

part of this system)

- Eight vegetation types of the

sensitive grassland biome

- Wetlands form an ideal habitat

for birds and aquatic species

- Variety of urban open spaces,

can make a considerable

contribution to biodiversity

- Physical constraints to

development areas ( shallow

undermined, dolomite &

wetlands)

• Constraints- Policy clashes (utilisation of

land between sectors can be

expected)

- Private ownership of potential

natural open space network

(80% privately owned,EBOSS

2009)

- Polluted state of rivers

- Fragmentation of natural open

space elements

- Population distribution limits

poor people access to open

space

- Dispersed nature of the EMM

spatial structure poses

challenges 12

Partnerships and ProjectsEMM is currently partnering with ICLEI on the implementation of the Local

Action for Biodiversity: Wetlands South Africa (LAB: Wetlands SA)

project, which aims to the protection of natural wetland ecosystems within 11

South African municipalities by:

1) Improving local government and citizen knowledge and understanding (at the individual, organisation and policy levels) of the value of biodiversity and particularly wetlands.

2) Initiate the process of integrating ecosystem services and biodiversity into localgovernment planning and decision-making in a coordinated, multi-sectoral, gender-sensitive and participatory way.

3) To implement and pilot on-the-ground wetland projects and promote thedevelopment of bankable project proposals.

Partnerships and Projects (cont.)

Project to date:

Wetland Report- Pulling together all

existing information

- Gap analysis

- Stand alone

awareness raising

tool.

Wetland Strategy and

Action Plan- Multi sectoral/disciplinary

stakeholder workshop held in

October

- All information collated, draft

WSAP in the process of being

developed.

Inception Meeting- Introduction of the

project to local

municipal officials

and stakeholders

- Stakeholder mapping

and co-operation

Partnerships and Projects (cont.)

Still to come:

Wetland VideoAwareness raising

video showcasing the

value of wetlands and

ecosystem services in

local municipalities.

Business plans and

project proposals- Project funding

- Internal budgets

- External funding

Wetland Awareness

Raising Awareness raising of

the value of wetlands

and eco-system

services, targeted at

planners & technical

officials, politicians.

Achievements

• Mainstreaming biodiversity management into city

governance (through the LAB: Wetlands SA project)

• Interaction with other agencies

• International initiatives

• Public participation and access

• Integrating of Environmental principles within different

sectors

• Rehabilitation plans of our river catchment and

wetlands

• Rollout of our implementation and action plan to

conserve biodiversity

Thank you

Patricia Sithebe

Divisional Head

Environmental Protection and Resilience

Tel: +27 (0) 11 999 2963

Cell +27 (0) 83 7642461

Email: patricia.sithebe@ekurhuleni.gov.za