1.0

Biodiversity feature information for use in the C.A.P.E. Fine-Scale Biodiversity Plans. These plans are to serve as the primary spatial biodiversity informant guiding proactive conservation action and directing landuse planning and reactive decision-making in local, provincial and national spheres of government. The CBA Map layer comprises a set of FSP biodiversity informants (GIS polygons) for this region (the Overberg District Municipality comprising: Cape Agulhas, Overberg, Overstrand, Swellendam and Theewaterskloof Municipalities):

• This specific shapefile only contains other natural areas

• The remaining components of the CBA layer (Protected Areas, CBA and ESA) are in a separate shapefile: Overberg_Critical_Biodiversity_Areas_and_Ecological_Support_Areas.shp

Copyright Holder C.A.P.E.

Data Origin SANParks, Stephen Holness, Peter Bradshaw; compiled from various sources

Capture Source Attribute data: FSBP, Stephen Holness & Peter Bradshaw (SANParks)

Spatial data: FSBP, Stephen Holness & Peter Bradshaw (SANParks)

Other Natural Areas (ONAs) consist of the remaining areas of Natural and degraded polygons from the Transformation layer (Overberg_Transformation_Layer.shp) not found in Protected Areas (PAs), Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs) or Ecological Support Areas (ESAs). Because of the highly transformed nature of the Overberg, the other natural areas category has a limited extent.

“Other Natural Areas” are areas of natural vegetation that were not identified as Critical Biodiversity Areas or Ecological Support Areas during the conservation planning process. Although these areas are not required to meet targets at present, they should still be subject to appropriate rural development controls and authorisations (e.g. there may be other reasons such as urban edge delineation or environmental impacts) and where possible development should be located in already transformed or disturbed areas rather than in natural areas. It is possible that high value biodiversity features such as previously unidentified threatened species or small wetlands could be present in these areas, and use of the precautionary principle and sites visits are always advisable. Further, as a certain amount of loss of Critical Biodiversity Areas or Ecological Support Areas is inevitable, in the future some of the “Other Natural Areas” may be required to meet targets, and hence excessive loss of natural habitat should be avoided where possible.

Available documentation:

Holness, S. D. and Bradshaw, P. L. (2010). Critical Biodiversity Areas of the Overberg District Municipality: Conservation Planning Report. Park Planning and Development, South African National Parks. Port Elizabeth.

Project Name:

Overberg Fine-Scale Biodiversity Planning project, as part of Component 5.1 of Cape Action Plan for People and the Environment (C.A.P.E.)

Creator Organisation: SANParks

SANS 1878

FGDC-STD-001-1998