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The MBSP terrestrial assessment provided here is meant to serve as an important

land-use decision support tool, and the foundation for the development of any Bioregional plans within Mpumalanga. This output has two important fields, a Category field, which recognised broad categories defined in the Biodiversity Act and bioregional plan guidelines, and a Subcategory field which recognises sub-categories of the Category field. The broad categories recognised are: Protected Areas (PA), Critical Biodiversity Areas (CBAs), Ecological Support Areas (ESAs), Other Natural Areas (ONA), and Modified Areas. The Subcategory field allows for greater flexibility in applying the land-use guidelines and mitigation hierarchy. The Subcategories should be used in conjunction with the MBSP handbook, and its proposed land-use guidelines.

Derived following a Systematic Biodiversity Planning approach using Marxan. Corridor analysis and land-cover (old lands and heavily modified areas) included with spatial output.

The process of identifying spatial biodiversity priorities in the MBSP is called systematic biodiversity planning. The underlying purpose of this approach is to identify the most spatially efficient way of safeguarding a representative sample of biodiversity that is able to persist on the least amount of land possible, whilst avoiding conflict between biodiversity objectives and otherland-uses. The amount of each biodiversity feature required for it to persist and contribute to sustained ecological functioning is quantified by setting a biodiversity target, using an explicit approach based on the best available scientific information. Optimization algorithms are used and in our case we used Marxan to identify the most efficient areas to meet targets.

Areas with an irreplaceability value (or frequency of selection value) of more than 80% were categorised as CBA Irreplaceable. If the required planning unit was identified as part of the most efficient Marxan solution to meet targets, then it was categorised as CBA Optimal. Ecological Support Areas (ESAs) support the persistence of CBAs. In the MBSP, they were identified based on: (1) their corridor value (ESA Landscape Corridor and ESA Local Corridor). A combination of Least-cost path analyses and Circuitscape were used to identify corridors; (2) their buffering effect for protected areas (ESA Protected Area Buffer); or (3) important and unique production areas supporting species (ESA Species Specific). The MTPA only included one area which was identified as an important over-wintering site for Blue Crane.

Available documentation: See these two documents.

MTPA. 2014. Mpumalanga Biodiversity Sector Plan Handbook. Compiled by Lötter M.C., Cadman, M.J. and Lechmere-Oertel R.G. Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency, Mbombela (Nelspruit).

Lötter, M.C. 2014. Technical Report for the Mpumalanga Biodiversity Sector Plan – MBSP. Mpumalanga Tourism & Parks Agency, Nelspruit.

SANS 1878

FGDC-STD-001-1998