Biodiversity planning in South Africa: progress and highlights in 2014/2015 Tsamaelo Malebu
Overview Highlights in 2014/2015 National Provincial Municipal (Metro, District & Local) Related workshops New initiatives / projects
National
Presidential initiative to unlock critical development issues in ocean (unlocking ocean s economy) Launched 19 July 2014 Six weeks approach (run through LABS) Protected areas expansion session Wednesday pm Developed new 21 MPAs
National Land Cover Recently purchased 2013/14 30 x 30 m resolution 72 classes National highlights, new projects and updates session Tuesday pm & Thursday am
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) Renewable Energy Development Zones (REDZ) Electric Grid Infrastructure (EGI) SEA corridor SKA SEA study area Shale gas SEA Exploration Rights Areas 18 SIPs identified DEA leading the development of SEAs for SIPs Integration of biodiversity planning into the Strategic Integrated Projects session Wednesday am
National Biodiversity Assessment (NBA) NBA Science lead appointed Project is underway- to be published in 2018 Content of the NBA 2018 National highlights, new projects and updates session Tuesday pm
Policy highlights Business Case for Biodiversity Stewardship Approved by MINMEC in May 2015 Protected areas expansion session Wednesday pm
NBSAP First NBSAP developed in 2005 Currently being revised Included stakeholder engagement to confirm strategic objectives and activities To be published & implemented from 2015
NPAES First NPAES for South Africa developed in 2008 Currently being revised Protected areas expansion session Wednesday pm
NCAP Building capacity for ecosystem and biodiversity assessment in the southern African region (NCAP for short) Project has two main objectives: To develop regional capacity and initiate learning networks for ecosystem and biodiversity assessment in support of the IPBES program of work. To use South Africa s national assessment of biodiversity and ecosystems to build capacity in an upcoming cohort of promising black early-career scientists from the region. 40 delegates 11 countries
Provincial
Biodiversity plans Plans completed Plans underway Limpopo Biodiversity Assessment 2013 North West Biodiversity Conservation Assessment 2009 Gauteng Conservation Plan 3.3(C-Plan 3.3) 2011 Mpumalanga Biodiversity Sector Plan 2014 Free State KwaZulu-Natal Biodiversity Assessment 2010 Northern Cape Eastern Cape Biodiversity Conservation Plan 2007 Western Cape Biodiversity Framework 2014 update
Free State Finalizing terrestrial component of Free State biodiversity plan Creating an updated wetland layer (spatial only, no attribute data at present) Incorporating edge matching (aligning corridors and CBAs with those of neighbouring provinces)
Mpumalanga Focus for 2014/15 on product development Focus on awareness, implementation and integration into other planning instruments: MBSP has been incorporated within draft provincial SDF MBSP used in Gert Sibande District Municipality SDF as well as in Nkangala District Municipality SDF and all of its 6 Local Municipal SDF Plan to focus on training, particularly into municipal planning instruments.
KwaZulu-Natal Preparation underway for revision of the KZN biodiversity map Focus had been on incorporating the provincial plan and the 11 Biodiversity Sector Plans into the rural land-use schemes currently being developed by local municipalities Developing with KZN DARD to create single agricultural/biodiversity priorities map for each municipality Mapped trout waters of KZN will feed into the update of the freshwater systematic biodiversity plans SPLUMA National Land USE Classification session Wednesday pm
Northern Cape Northern Cape Biodiversity Plan draft 2: NLC 2013/14 still to be incorporated Draft 3 to be finalised March 2016
Western Cape Biodiversity Framework 2014 Update (CBA Map) available on BGIS & Cape Farm Mapper CBA endorsement letter from DEADP (June 2014) 2015-2020 Protected Area Expansion Strategy written & Conservation Action Priorities database created Biodiversity Offset Guideline currently under revision Got new land-cover product! New Biodiversity Sector Plan underway (April 2016)
Limpopo Biodiversity Assessment completed in 2013 Limpopo Protected Area Expansion Strategy completed Progress with developing bioregional plans (discussed later)
Eastern Cape No update Gazetting of the Nelson Mandela Bay plan Buffalo City Municipality Metro is currently in the process of updating the municipal biodiversity sector plan
North West Developing North West Biodiversity Sector Plan 2014 Due date for completion: November 2015 BSP2014 will be incorporated into the update of the PSDF to be finalized in June 2016
Municipal
Newsflash Nelson Mandela Bay Bioregional Plan gazetted on 30 March 2015 First bioregional plan published in South Africa
Bioregional plans progress Mpumalanga Gert Sibande District Bioregional Plan: Consultation completed, to be submitted to Bioregional Plan Review Panel shortly; strong support from municipality (Municipality By-Laws and Policy Committee have noted and adopted the Gert Sibande Bioregional Plan (14 April), currently with Council for noting and adoption) Nkangala District Bioregional Plan: Currently being developed, plan to submit to Bioregional Plan Review Panel March 2016 Limpopo Waterberg District Bioregional Plan: Currently with Bioregional Plan Review Panel Mopani District Bioregional Plan: out for tender Western Cape City of Cape Town Bioregional Plan: reviewed by Bioregional Plan Review Panel; plan currently stalled
Bioregional plans progress Gauteng Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Bioregional Plan: Reviewed by Bioregional Plan Review Panel; public participation process complete and waiting MEC sign-off West Rand Bioregional Plan: Reviewed by Bioregional Plan Review Panel; public participation process complete and waiting MEC sign-off Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality Bioregional Plan: Developed, still to be submitted to the Bioregional Plan Review Panel Northern Cape Namaqua District Bioregional Plan: Reviewed by Bioregional Plan Review Panel
Related workshops
Workshops Learning Exchange about National Biodiversity Assessments and Ecosystem Classification Systems Land Reform & Biodiversity Stewardship Initiative (LRBSI) learning exchange
Provincial & metro biodiversity planning workshop Pretoria, 2014 MaReP (Managers-Researchers-Planners) symposium
New initiatives/projects
GEF 5 Biodiversity and Land Use project Funded by GEF