1.0

To classify remaining vegetation in the following municipalities: Swartland, Cape Agulhas, De Hoop, Overstrand, Drakenstein, Swartland, Theewaterskloof and Swellendam according to its status as critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable and least threatened, for use in the municipal Spatial Development Framework.

Capture Source: Remnant vegetation: Botanical Society of SA (Cape Lowlands Renosterveld Project & preparation of present data layer), Institute for Plant Conservation (C.A.P.E. Project - 1999, satellite interpretation by ARC of entire Cape Floristic Region).

Ecosystem status: DEAT/SANBI (NSBA) South African National Biodiversity Institute (SA vegetation map), Botanical Society of SA (preparation of present data layer)

The ecosystem status of all vegetation types was established across South Africa as a whole, as part of the 2004 National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment (Driver et al., 2005).

For each vegetation type in the 2004 SANBI SA vegmap Beta04 version:

Ecosystem targets were calculated using best available science (targets indicate how much of that vegetation type needs to be conserved).

The extent (percentage area) of remaining natural vegetation within each vegtype was calculated using the National Land Cover, 1996.

Remaining natural vegetation refers to those areas that have not been transformed through cultivation, urban development etc.

Ecosystem status for each vegetation type was assigned as follows:

If % area of vegetation remaining < the target, then vegtype is critically endangered.

If % area of vegetation remaining < 60% of original extent, then vegtype is endangered.

If % area of vegetation remaining < 80% of original extent, then vegtype is vulnerable.

If % area of vegetation remaining > 80% of original extent, then vegtype is least threatened.

AVAILABLE DOCUMENTATION

For ecosystem status:

– Driver, A. et al., 2005. National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment 2004: Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation in South Africa. Strelitzia 17. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria (available at www.sanbi.org or from bookshop@sanbi.org). bookshop@sanbi.org – Driver, A. et al., 2005. National Spatial Biodiversity Assessment 2004: Priorities for Biodiversity Conservation in South Africa. Strelitzia 17. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria (available at www.sanbi.org or from bookshop@sanbi.org).

– Mucina, L. and Rutherford, M.C. (eds), 2004. 2004 Vegetation Map of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland: Shapefiles of basic mapping

units. Beta version 4.0. National Botanical Institute, Cape Town.

For the remnants layer:

–Von Hase, A. et al. 2003. A Fine-scale Conservation Plan for Cape Lowlands Renosterveld. Conservation Unit, Report 2/03. Botanical Society of SA, Cape Town. Available on http://bgis.sanbi.org

- Agulhas Plain: Cole, N. et al., 2000. Framework for a conservation plan for the Agulhas Plain, Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. IPC Report completed as part of C.A.P.E.

– Lloyd, J.W., van den Berg, E.C., van Wyk, W. 1999. CAPE Project: The Mapping of Threats to Biodiversity in the Cape Floristic Region with the Aid of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems. Agricultural Research Council – Institute for Soil, Climate and Water. Project number GW51/007 and Report # GW/A1999/54 of the Global Environment Facility

– MSc thesis, Ian Newton, UWC – in preparation

– Heinis, 1997. Identification of Priority Areas for a Proposed Biosphere Reserve in the Coastal Forelands of the Western Cape. WWF Project # ZA 523.

SANS 1878

FGDC-STD-001-1998