1.0

Creation of a pre-transformation Provincial KwaZulu-Natal Vegetation map. This will also subsume the 2006 SANBI vegetation map for the same region.

Capture Source Dr Boyd Escott

Recommended Citation:

Scott-Shaw, R. and Escott, B.J. (Eds) (2011) KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Pre-

Transformation Vegetation Type Map – 2011. Unpublished GIS Coverage

[kznveg05v2_011_wll.zip], Biodiversity Conservation Planning Division,

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, P. O. Box 13053, Cascades, Pietermaritzburg, 3202.

This described the condition and/or nature of the feature e.g. natural, degraded, glade. Changed {Forest_Typ} to {Veg_Type}; {Forest_sub} to {Veg_sType}. All fields made width = 100. A similar process was followed in the Grassland coverage as well as the wetland coverage. Lastly the consistency of the attributes was checked. With regards to wetlands, KZNcode "510" representing "Pan / Open Lake" had to be incorporated into the wetland classification system. All features selected were ascribed the value {kznvegtype} & {kznvgt_txt} = 76.7; IDRISI = 2440; {kznvegname} = "Freshwater Wetlands:

Subtropical Freshwater Wetlands: Coastal Lakes & Pans". The remaining kzncode "510" were ascribed the value {kznvegtype} & {kznvgt_txt} = 72.2; IDRISI = 2310; {kznvegname} = "Freshwater Wetlands: Eastern Temperate Wetlands: Lakes & Pans".

Thereafter a combined coverage was created which incorporated the wetland, grassland and forest coverage. Once again, attributes were checked and thereafter the coverage was saved as [kznVEG2011_WLL.SHP] and sent to Les Powrie.

June –July 2011

Data revised by A. Razak: The Pongola floodplain area was examined and consistency was kept with the forest and wetland extract coverage’s using topology rules. Water bodies and mudflats were classified according to Coke, M. and Pott, R. (1970) and those that were not previously captured were added in Furness, H.D. and Breen, C.M. (1980) was used to delineate the historical boundary of forest and wetland polygons. This coverage incorporated the Pongola Floodplain system.

July 2011

Data revised by A. Razak: State of Biodiversity derived delineations for wetlands based on information obtained through the (Macfarlane and Cowden, 2011). The data included both redelineated boundaries of the 24 major wetlands (Begg, 1989) using contour lines and field visits as reference, as well as further information definingeach priority wetland in terms of complexes (Macfarlane and Cowden, 2011). These complexes were captured into the vegetation map in a

manner such that their component complexes were still reflected. Where forest overlapped with wetland, wetland integrity was maintained. The wetland extent was further verified using satellite imagery (SPOT 5 2010) and amendedif required. A new field [DESIG] was added wherein specificities of each specific vegetation type feature is captured. See below for a complete list of the categories and their descriptions. All attributes were checked for consistency.

August 2011

Data revised by A. Razak: Minor updates to [kznveg_2011v4_wll.shp]. These included theaddition of previously uncaptured wetlands located within sugarcane plantation. Initially identified using SPOT 5 (2009) imagery, the boundaries of these features where delineated usinga combination of 5m contours, aerial photographs and satellite.

Additional wetland localities (and their associated classification) were captured/amended using ground truth points provided by Dr. Armstrong.

Additional forest and wetland polygons were obtained from John Richardson from Afzelia

Consultancy for the Umdoni Local Municipality SEA and IEMP (2011). Attributes for these newly captured features was provided by C R Scott-Shaw, R Karssing and Dr A. Armstrong.

Two additional forest polygons were added in the Umvoti area based on data provided by Derek Ruiters. Data obtained from Linda Nel required examination of the KZN vegetation map in Vernon Crookes nature reserve. Before any edits were made, an extract of all the forests within Vernon Crookes was created for archiving. Thereafter, several small forest polygons were reviewed regarding their importance as being independent forest polygons.

C R Scott-Shaw also provided further areas that were not captured as wetland or forest polygons previously. A final check required examining the data for any attribute discrepancies, updating the ID numbers of polygons and removing any unnecessary fields. Thereafter the updated coverage was called [kznveg_2011v7_inhouse_wll.shp].

A complete wetland extract containing all polygons belonging to the Wetland and Azonal Forest biome was created as well as a major wetland extraction. Created wetland extracts (major and complete wetland) for in-house use.

September 2011

Made a few further corrections to wetland and vegetation boundaries in the Muze wetland area based on expert advice (Dr P. Goodman). Further edits were made to the CB2 classification based on CR Scott Shaw’s advice. Checked attributes for consistency. Filled in attributes for records missing {Desig} – about 8 records.

Calculated area, perimeter and hectares for coverage. All polygons less than 0.035ha (1326 in total) were dissolved into the longest adjacent border. Removed the {FEATURE} field. Emptied the {CBA}, {CBA_Comment} and {STATUS} fields to be revised at a later stage. Final coverage

named [kznveg05v2_011_inhouse_w31.shp] and [kznveg05v2_011_inhouse_wll.shp].

August 2012

KZN conservation status table and document developed by Debbie Jewitt for the KZN Pre-Transformation Vegetation Map approved by Scientific Services Operational Committee (SSOC). The excel spreadsheet was joined to the spatial data using “KZNVEGTYPE” (in spatial data) and “KZN Veg Type Code” (Excell spreadsheet). To add value to the data, differences between the conservation status between SANBI and KZN Vegetation Map, SANBI’s conservation status was also added to the attribute table. This was extracted from the SANBI 2006 vegetation map.

Development of the KZN conservation status is described in detail in the document entitled, “Conservation targets for vegetation types October 2011” by Debbie Jewitt (2011). Details of each of the vegetation types is listed in the table developed by Debbie Jewitt (2011)

Completeness: Complete

Consistency: This coverage is consistent with the [kznveg_2011_dist_wll.shp] and [kznveg05v509_wll.shp]

Available documentation:

• Begg, G.W., (1989) The location, status and function of the priority wetlands of Natal. Natal Town and regional Planning Report, Volume 73. Pietermaritzburg.

• Coke, M. and Pott, R (1970) The Pongola Floodplain Pans – A plan for conservation, EKZNW, QEP, PMB, 574.929 PON

• Data_SANBI2006: Folder containing information from Mucina and Rutherford (SANBI) 2006.

• Furness, H.D. and Breen, C.M., (1980) The vegetation of seasonally flooded areas of the Pongola River Floodplain, Bothalia, 13,1 & 2: 217-231, EKZNW, QEP, PMB, 52/1980.

• KwaZulu Natal Forest Map Methodology. C R Scott-Shaw 2011b. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Biodiversity Research Division Internal Report. Queen Elizabeth Park, Pietermaritzburg.

• METADATA_Kznveg_2011v7_w31.shp: metadata written for the kzn vegetation map.

• [Wetland classification_v5.ppt]: a PowerPoint describing the classification derived and idrisi_id code given by KZNWildlife.

• Macfarlane, D. M., Walters, D. and Cowden, C. (2011) A Wetland Health Assessment of KZN’s Priority Wetlands, An unpublished report prepared for EKZNW, Planning Division, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, P.O. Box. 13053, Cascades, Pietermaritzburg, 3202.

• Mucina, L. and Rutherford, M.C. (eds) (2006) The vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Strelitzia 19. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.

• wetland shapefile story.doc: document containing information on sources of the

wetlands dataset.

• [wetland_kzn_savegmap.shp]: an extract from the SANBI 2006 map on wetlands only.

• Umdoni Local Municipality Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Integrated Environmental Management Plan (IEMP) – Status Quo Report, 30 June 2011. Afzelia Consultancy.

SANS 1878

FGDC-STD-001-1998