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A complete revision of the first version of the Eastern Cape Biodiversity Conservation Plan (ECBCP2007) was undertaken in this assessment. Some of the many good reasons for this include: an updated land cover map, changes to Provincial borders, a large body of environmental and biodiversity data that has been generated over the past 10 years; and the development of approximately 29 other environmental and biodiversity plans for parts of the Province that require integration. In addition, significant strides have been made with respect to defining and mapping biodiversity pattern and biodiversity processes, which have been standardised to ensure a level of consistency throughout the country (SANBI, 2017). The ECBCP2019 will replace the ECBCP2007 in its entirety.

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The Eastern Cape Biodiversity Conservation Plan (ECBCP2019) was developed in line with the principles and methods gazetted in the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act No 291 of 2009, “Guideline regarding the determination of Bioregions and the Preparation of and publication of Bioregional Plans”.

Hawley & Desmet.P.2020. Eastern Cape Biodiversity and Conservation Plan, Freshwater CBA [shape file] version 5.2020. Eastern Cape South Africa: The Eastern Cape Department of Economic Development, Environment Affairs and Tourism.

Copyright holder: Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism

To be utilised with the ECBCP (2019) Eastern Cape Biodiversity Conservation Plan Handbook. Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs (King Williams Town). Compiled by G. Hawley, P. Desmet and D. Berliner.

The ECBCP2019 cannot be used to the exclusion of other environmental/biodiversity planning initiatives.

Biodiversity Sector Plans/Bioregional Plans, developed at a finer scale, must be aligned with ECBCP2019 and adopted by the Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs. District Municipalities may develop such plans.

The ECBCP2019 cannot replace onsite surveys and assessments for land use or application authorisation in terms of NEMA EIA Regulations.

The critical biodiversity map development followed a logical workflow. The first component of the workflow established input data which consisted of Baseline Datasets, Protected Areas, Biodiversity Features and Biodiversity Conditions.

The baseline datasets included:

? Area of Interest, Aerial Imagery, Digital Elevation Model, Cliffs, Relative Coastline Visibility,

and Integrated Land Cover (derived from DEA GTI 2013/2014)

? Protected Areas and Conservation Areas Input layers mapped formal and de facto

protected and conservation areas in the Eastern Cape.

? Spatial Biodiversity Framework input layers provided a simplified representation of the

Living Landscape concept embodied in the Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBA) Map. Its

purpose is to distil the complexity and key living landscape design elements of this map

(Core biodiversity conservation landscapes and ecological corridors) into a conceptual

framework that can be more easily visualised by stakeholders, and be incorporated into

provincial and national scale multi-sectoral planning tools.

The 2nd process step of the workflow established the CBA map criteria of which guidance

was drawn from national guideline documents and bioregional plans from the North West

Province and Limpopo.

The 3rd process step included Output 1: Derived Data Layers. Integration of indicators into a

single cost score for each pixel was done, using expert-derived, relative-importance ratings for each indicator. Two weighting scenarios were considered. Results were used to generate a ‘biodiversity vulnerability surface’ for the Eastern Cape, and as a cost input into the MARXAN analysis for the selection of least-cost priority biodiversity areas. The same data set, but with indicator weightings adjusted to be relevant for each taxon, was also used to calculate mean species vulnerability ratings, as well as to identify vulnerability hotspots within the distribution ranges of a number of Eastern Cape red data species.

The derived data layers included:

? Protected and Conservation Areas

? Planning Units (Terrestrial & Freshwater)

? Biodiversity features

? Integrated 2014 Land Cover

? Biodiversity Vulnerability

? Integrated Other Plans

Biodiversity Features:

? Eastern Cape Estuaries. This input layer combined to provide a map of the original

extent of Eastern Cape Estuaries and Micro-Estuaries and provide a CBA

classification based on existing datasets and analyses. The inputs combined existing

estuary point, polygon and tabular data with new mapping of estuaries conducted by

Russell Chalmers and Philip Desmet, and combined the with the spatial data on the

existing estuary condition and conservation assessment data. Estuary names from

various inputs datasets were harmonised. The completed coverage was used as the

baseline estuary input layer for the revision of the Eastern Cape conservation plan.

? Aquatic Biodiversity Features included fish species locality data, habitat features for Ecoregion Level 2 and Geomorphic zones.

? Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSA) was determined by downscaling the national

extent of the SWSA to local and objective defensible boundaries in the landscape.

? Wetlands reflected a comprehensive wetland layer and use expert mapping to identify

important wetlands.

The 4th Process of the workflow provided Output 2: headline statistics which included:

? Ecosystem Status

? Levels of Protection

The 5th step in the workflow utilised Marxan Analysis. Terrestrial and Freshwater process

(Analysis) included the biodiversity features plus targets, cost (vulnerability + opportunity) plus mandatory sites defined in other plans.

Freshwater Marxan Analysis

? Inputs included Planning Units

Sub-Quaternary Catchments (SQ4) are used as planning units. These are the standard unit of analysis and monitoring for freshwater ecosystems in South Africa with a host of biodiversity and environmental data attached to these units

? Biodiversity Features

Fish species localities, Ecoregion Level 2 and Geomorphic Zones are used as biodiversity

features. Historic localities for fish species were used as pseudospecies in the analysis with

specific targets set for these localities

? Feature Targets

? Planning Unit Cost

Marxan Analysis Notes:

? No boundary length modifier value was used in the final Marxan analysis. Initial testing

indicated that even very low BLM values produced over clumping in the final selection

of catchments.

? Initial analyses indicated that River Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area do a very poor

job at achieving conservation targets for fish species. When just using targets for fish

species and locking in all FEPAs (n=384) Marxan selects an additional 131 PUs (total

n=515). When unconstrained by FEPAs Marxan selects only 315 sites.

? Therefore, in the final analysis only free flowing, fish sanctuary and flagship

catchments were locked in as mandatory sites.

? The final Marxan selection contains 754 out of 1911 SQ4 planning units. This

represents 44% of the Eastern Cape area.

? The final selection of sites achieves all biodiversity feature targets

Using the CBA Criteria, the 6th workflow step, derived analysis for the estuary, freshwater and terrestrial areas.

The 7th process combined the CBA Map Criteria Analysis and the Marxan Analysis to

compile the CBA Map input layers.

The final process was the creation of a CBA Map. Input information has been incorporated

into the final CBA map via four possible routes:

? Areas selected through the MARXAN analysis aimed to select enough sites to achieve

representation targets for vegetation types, species of conservation concern and

expert mapped areas important for biodiversity.

? Areas already identified as CBAs in existing plans and incorporated as is into the EC

plan include:

o Estuary – All estuaries except those mapped by this project.

o Fresh water – ‘National Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Areas’ (NFEPA) fish

sanctuaries, Flagship Rivers and free flowing rivers.

o Terrestrial – none. CBAs in existing plan were integrated in to the Marxan cost layer.

? Entire mapped extent of features considered as being important for biodiversity pattern

or process.

? Inputs used to inform the Marxan cost layer. These features do not appear in the final

CBA map.

? They are use only to manipulate the cost layer to increase or decrease the likelihood

of Marxan selecting a site to achieve any given target.

SANS 1878

FGDC-STD-001-1998