loss of biodiversity – the cape town example
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Loss of Biodiversity – the Cape Town example. High School Workshop 25 May 2013 Patricia Holmes Biodiversity Management Branch Environmental Resource Management Department. What is biodiversity?. Convention on Biodiversity: - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Loss of Biodiversity – the Cape Loss of Biodiversity – the Cape Town exampleTown example
High School Workshop25 May 2013Patricia HolmesBiodiversity Management BranchEnvironmental Resource Management Department
What is biodiversity?
Convention on Biodiversity:The abundance and distributions of and interactions between genotypes, species, communities, ecosystems and biomes.
Natural capital (=goods & services)Ecological infrastructure
Natural heritage
What is Biodiversity? What is Biodiversity? Hierarchy of scales:Hierarchy of scales:
• BiomesBiomes
• Landscapes – vegetation types/ Landscapes – vegetation types/ ecosystemsecosystems
• Habitats – communities of plants,Habitats – communities of plants,animals & microbesanimals & microbes
• Populations - genesPopulations - genes
• Cape Floristic Region (CFR) has Cape Floristic Region (CFR) has halfhalf of SA’s plant of SA’s plant biodiversity in biodiversity in only 4%only 4% of area of area
• Cape Town has Cape Town has one third one third of the CFR’s biodiversity (Over of the CFR’s biodiversity (Over 3000 plant species) in 3000 plant species) in under 3%under 3% of the CFR area of the CFR area
We are a global biodiversity hotspot without parallel !!We are a global biodiversity hotspot without parallel !!
Biodiversity in Cape TownBiodiversity in Cape Town
NEM:BA THREATENED ECOSYSTEMS: 2011
440 Vegetation types - 19 in city
21 are Critically Endangered - 11 in city
- 6 endemic vegetation types (3 CR)!
- 13 extinct plant species
- 319 threatened with extinction
2011 NEM:BA
Historical Vegetation 2013 vegetation
Transformation:2/3 agriculture1/3 urbanization
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
80000
90000
100000
110000
120000
130000
140000
150000
1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000Year
Are
a (h
a)urbanization
agriculture
unproclaimed vegetation
proclaimed reserves
City Land UseProclaimed reserves
Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos - CR
7% remains3% conservedTARGET: 30%
Peninsula Shale Renosterveld - CR
11% remains10% conservedTARGET: 26%
Cape Flats Sand Fynbos - CR14% remains1% conservedTARGET: 30%
Restoration essential to save species
OPPORTUNITY TO RESTORE EXTINCT SPECIES
Erica verticillata EWErica turgida EW
FIRE IS ESSENTIAL FOR RESTORATION
Major threat in Urban areas to Conservation
Fire legislation
FYNBOSMUST BURN!
Mowing eradicatesFynbos
Cape Flats Dune Strandveld – EN
45% remains13% conservedTARGET: 24%
Peninsula Granite Fynbos
CR
N S 68% 34% remains58% 30% conserved**TARGET: 30%
Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos – EN
97% remains94% conserved
TARGET: 30%
Importance of Cape Town’s biodiversity?
Legal responsibility to conserve biodiversity for future generations
CBD; NEMA; NEM:BA; NEM:PAA; Countdown 2010; City strategies etc
Importance of Cape Town’s biodiversity
Economic value: goods & services; ecological infrastructure
E.g. clean water; coastal & soil stabilization
Replacement value = R2 - R6 billion / year!
Underpins tourism industry
Direct job creation (e.g. Zeekoevlei = 8200 pdpa)
Intrinsic value through its mere existence
Consumptive use value (e.g. harvesting)
Importance of Cape Town’s biodiversityEducational value – potential outdoor EE opportunity within walking distance of every school. (over 24,000 learners partook in City EE programmes in 2012)
Social value through recreation and open space (integral to health and well being)
Aesthetic value through beauty and scenic drives Spiritual value
Bequest value – the value of retaining biodiversity for future generations
Option value – value of retaining biodiversity for future use
Climate change – mitigation and adaptation
Threats to biodiversity in Cape TownHabitat loss & fragmentation
Urban development
Agriculture
Invasive species
Inappropriate fires
Mowing
Over-exploitation
Pollution (N-deposition)
Hydrological change
Crime
All need to be addressed for Smart Living!
Khayelitsha
Acacia saligna invading Sand Fynbos
Biodiversity Network
Conservation Planning
Sound Spatial Planning: ensuring that the BioNet is a key informant in the SDF as well as district SDPs and EMFs
NATURE RESERVE CONSERVATION PROTECTION:
Many of the conservation areas have no real conservation protection
Reserves will be proclaimed under the Protected Areas Act (NEM:PAA)
Secondary sites of conservation importance will be protected as Biodiversity Agreements under the Western Cape Nature Conservation Ordinance
Benefits of conservation protection:- Shows the intent of the Municipality- Excellent publicity opportunities- Expertise from CapeNature- Friends groups rally around proclaimed sites- Funders are more keen to invest in “safe” sites- The holistic management of fire and aliens is
far more cost effective.