Fynbos fynmense: people making biodiversity work

2006·23.9 MB·English

by  Ashwell Ally, Sandwith Trevor, Barnett Mandy, Parker Asiza & Wisani Fumanekile

SANBI
4

SANBI Biodiversity Series 4 (2006)
SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL
BIODIVERSITY INSTITUTE
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SANBI Biodiversity Series 4
Fynbos Fynmense:
people making biodiversity work
Ally Ashwell
Trevor Sandwith
Mandy Barnett
Asiza Parker
Fumanekile Wisani
80UTHAFRICAN
national
biodivBrsIty
institute
SANBI
Pretoria
2006
SANBI Biodiversity Series
The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) was established on 1 Sep-
tember 2004 through the signing into force ofthe National Environmental Manage-
ment: BiodiversityAct (NEMBA) No. 10 of 2004 by PresidentThabo Mbeki. The Act
expands the mandate ofthe former National Botanical Institute to include respon-
sibilities relating to the full diversity of South Africa's fauna and flora, and builds on
the internationally respected programmes in conservation, research, education and
visitor services developed by the National Botanical Institute and its predecessors
overthe past century.
The vision of SANBI is to be the leading institution in biodiversity science in Africa,
facilitating conservation, sustainable use of living resources, and human well-being.
SANBI's mission is to promotethe sustainable use, conservation, appreciation and
enjoyment ofthe exceptionally rich biodiversity of South Africa, forthe benefit ofall
people.
SANBI BiodiversitySeries publishes occasional reports on projects, technologies,
workshops, symposia and other activities initiated by or executed in partnership with
SANBI.
Design & layout: Sandra Turck
Cover design: Sandra Turck
Howto cite this publication
ASHWELL, A., SANDWITH, T., BARNETT, M., PARKER, A. & WISANI, F.
2006. Fynbos Fynmense: people making biodiversitywork. SANBI Biodi-
versitySeries 4. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
ISBN 1-919976-29-9
© Published by: South African National Biodiversity Institute.
Obtainablefrom: SANBI Bookshop, Private Bag XI01, Pretoria, 0001 South Africa.
Tel.: [phone]. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.sanbi.org.
Printed by United Litho, 22 Eland Street, Koedoespoort, Pretoria, 0186 South Africa.
Foreword
(I
ourteenyears afterthe Rio Summit, SouthAfrica
Jw ^^-1iSs hostingTheGlobalEnvironment Facility
(GEF) Assembly, with delegates addressingkey
£
environmental issues in oneoftheworld’s “hot-
test" biodiversityhotspots, theCapeFloristicRegion
(CFR). The Caperegionis the locationofseveral WORLDBANKGROUP
fascinatingGEF-funded projectswherebiodiversity
GLOBALENVIRONMENT
is beingsuccessfullyintegrated intosocialandeco- FACILITYPROGRAM
nomic development.
SouthAfricahas had anextraordinarypoliticaland development history. The
changeingovernmentand democratization in 1994 led to arealization thatbiodi-
versityconservationmustbe more inclusive and linkedto socio-economic devel-
opment. Programmes suchas WorkingforWaterhave led thewayininnovation,
linkingclearanceofinvasivealienspecies to ecosystem services, povertyallevia-
tion andjob creation. Development andconservationare oftenconsideredtrade-
offs, yet SouthAfricahas demonstratedhowbiodiversityconcerns canbemain-
streamed in developmentefforts. Thesesuccesses canbe attributedtofourmain
factors:goodscientific informationand subsequentawareness raising; institution-
alcapacityand commitment; strategic cross-sectoral coordinationandpublic-pri-
vate partnerships; andentrepreneurship bythe conservation communityin seizing
opportunitiesto demonstratethatgoodbiodiversitymanagement is goodforthe
economy, goodforlocal development, and good forbusiness. Manyoftheseattri-
butes arepresent inbiodiversityprojects which SouthAfricahas designed forGEF
funding.
TheWorld Bankis proudtohavebeen associatedwith the developmentofa rich
and innovative GEFportfolio ofprojects in South Africa. The portfoliospans two,
uniquelySouthAfrican, biodiversityhotspots (CapeFloristicRegionand Succu-
lentKaroo) aswell as exciting transboundaryinitiatives inthe Maloti-Drakensebrg
highlands linkingSouthAfricaandLesotho. The Bank’sGEF portfolio has sup-
portedthe expansion ofnational parks and protected areas in theCape Peninsula,
Namaqualand, Addoand Baviaanskloof aswell as creative off-reserve solutions
and newpartnerships withprivate and communitylandowners. South Africa
hasbeena leaderin integratingbiodiversityin productionlandscapes, especially
through partnerships underthe CapeAction forPeopleand theEnvironment pro-
gram (C.A.P.E.) and the SucculentKarooEcosystem Partnership (SKEP). TheCriti-
calEcosystemPartnershipFund (CEPF) has supportedconservation planningand
engaged civilsocietyin active partnerships forconservation in theproduction sec-
tor, includingprivateand communitylands. AsuiteofGEFmedium-sized projects
havedemonstratedgood practice in conservation farming, conservationplanning,
andgreaterengagementoflocal communities inestablishingcommunityconser-
vationareas. Manyofthe lessons from earlierprojects arebeingscaled up and
replicated underthecurrentC.A.P.E. Biodiversityand SustainableDevelopment
project, within theCapeFloralKingdom.
Thisvolume, illustrates theresults achieved onthegroundofthe ongoingpart-
nership ofC.A.P.E. andwillcontributeto disseminatinglessons learned from the
C.A.P.E. programme tootherbioregionalprogrammesworldwide. The inspiring
stories presented here provideexamples ofcreative thinking inpromotingbiodi-
versityconservationin thecontext ofsustainable development. Manyofthe case
studies haverelevance to othercountries and othersectors, demonstratingsyner-
giesbetweenconservationand thefightagainst poverty, innovative solutions to
sharedneeds, and opportunities to make biodiversityan indispensable part of
ordinarypeople’slives.
KatherineSierra GobindNankani
VicePresident, SustainableDevelopment VicePresident,AfricaRegion
TheWorldBank The WorldBank
CONTENTS
Chapter 1 Introducing C.A.P.I.
16 1.1 The Context ofC.A.P.E.
18 1.2 What makes the Cape Floristic Region so special?
21 1.3 What is the C.A.RE. programme?
23 1.4 The Cape Action Plan for the Environment
24 1.5 The components ofthe C.A.P.E. Programme
28 1.6 The purpose and structure ofthis book
Chapter 2 Unleashing the potential of protected areas
32 2.1 What’s the issue?
33 2.2 Consolidating the Table Mountain National Park
41 2.3 Lowland Conservation in the City ofCape Town
60 2.4 Lowland Conservation in the Nelson Mandela Metro
66 2.5 The Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor
73 2.6 The BaviaanskloofMega-Reserve
79 2.7 The Gouritz Initiative
83 2.8 The Garden Route Initiative
89 2.9 The Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative
A
94 2.10 tale oftwo biosphere reserves
Chapter 3 Managing watersheds wisely
194 3.1 Caring for rivers and wetlands
112 3.2 Dealingwith alien invasive plants
Chapter 4 Enabling conservation stewardship
124 4.1 Conservation Stewardship-involvingprivate land owners
135 4.2 Monitoringbiodiversity-mobilising civil society action
143 4-3 Caringfor the coastal and marine environment
Chapter 5 Building the biodiversity economy
152 5.1 Valuing the Cape Floristic Region
154 5.2 Making agriculture more sustainable
A
164 5.3 focus onflowers
172 5.4 The Biodiversity and Wine Initiative
176 5.5 Towards sustainable tourism