State of Biodiversity Report 2013/2014

Durban: State of
Biodiversity
Report 2013/2014
Biodiversity
is the term used to describe the variety of life on Earth and
all natural processes. This includes ecosystem, genetic and
cultural diversity, and the connections between these and all
species, including humans. Ecosystem services are the benefits
provided by healthy biodiversity to all living things. There
is growing recognition of the value of ecosystem services
to human well-being in terms of health, social, cultural and
economic needs. Read more about ecosystem services on
pages 6 and 7 of this repor t.
We should preserve
every scrap of biodiversity
as priceless while we
learn to use it and come
to understand what it
means to humanity.
E. O. Wilson
Table of Contents
ey statistics describing
K
Durban in 2013/2014
6
Ecosystems services7
State of
Biodiversity
reporting
The intention of State of Biodiversity
reporting is to present qualitative
and quantitative data which describe
the status of biodiversity and ecosystem
services in Durban, to highlight key
threats to this biodiversity and to
record actions aimed at protecting and
managing biodiversity. These reports are
produced annually and this is the eThekwini
Municipality’s sixth State of Biodiversity
report. This report collates data relevant
to the 2013/2014 municipal financial year[1]
and focuses on some of the work done
by the Durban Botanic Gardens.
FOOTNOTE 1: A municipal year starts
on 1 July and ends on 30 June.
Durban’s natural environment
8
Indicators
9
•
Total area of D’MOSS
9
•
Percentage of D’MOSS protected
9
•
Percentage of D’MOSS managed
11
•
Species abundance
12
•
Threats to Durban’s biodiversity
15
•
Responses to threats
20
Acknowledgements
27
Please note that the key statistics for the 2013/2014
State of Biodiversity report can be found in the
A3 fold-out at the back of this report.
Written and compiled by: Natasha Govender, Specialist Ecologist, Biodiversity
Planning, Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department.
Reviewed by: Richard Boon, Manager, Biodiversity Planning, Environmental
Planning and Climate Protection Department.
Copyright: eThekwini Municipality, 2014.
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 3
Africa’s oldest surviving Botanic Gardens2
The Durban Botanic Gardens (DBG) was
established as early as 1849 when Durban was
still a small village composed of a few sandy tracks
and thatched cottages. The original location of the
DBG was the south bank of the Umgeni River and
was later moved to the lower slopes of the Berea
forest because of the river’s hippo and crocodile
populations. At the time, this area was still isolated
from the main village of Durban and was largely
a wilderness area that was still often visited by
a roaming lion. The DBG originally served as a
botanic station for the trial of agricultural crops and
today has evolved into a space that focuses on core
areas of biodiversity, education, heritage, research,
horticultural excellence and green innovation.
The Gardens covers an area of approximately
15 ha and contains both indigenous and exotic
species’ collections including a number of significant
and threatened plant collections, e.g. cycads,
palms, bromeliads and orchids. In addition, the
garden plays host to about 80 heritage trees, the
majority of which are over 100 years old.
This report will focus in on some of the
interesting and exciting work undertaken by the
Durban Botanic Gardens. For more information
please visit: www.durbanbotanicgardens.org.za
Learners exploring the Banyan
Tree (Ficus benghalensis) at the
Durban Botanic Gardens.
4 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
FOOTNOTE 2: Adapted from The Durban Botanic Gardens Trust (2013).
“Africa’s Oldest Surviving Botanic Gardens.”
eThekwini Parks Department promotes biodiversity and human well-being
Nelson Mandela International Day is celebrated on the 18th July with
the message for all humankind to act in “building a global movement
for good.” To this end, eThekwini Parks Recreation and Culture
Department (PLCD) launched a food gardening programme on this
day at the LIV Village in Durban, a non-profit organisation that aims
to rescue orphaned and vulnerable children, restore lives, and raise
leaders.
While South Africa is considered as being a ‘food secure’
country, many estimates suggest that high unemployment rates,
inadequate social welfare systems and the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS
contributes to the approximately 43% of households that currently
experience food poverty. With the predicted changes in rainfall and
temperature patterns due to climate change, food insecurity is a
serious concern for all South Africans.
On Mandela Day 2013, officials from the PLCD constructed
more than seventeen food gardens at the LIV Village to promote the
important link between biodiversity and human well-being, and to instil
What counts in life is not
the mere fact that we have
lived. It is what difference
we have made to the
lives of others that will
determine the significance
of the life we lead.
in the younger generation
an appreciation for food
gardening. Following the
Mandela Day programme,
the Durban Botanic Gardens
Education Section stationed
a researcher at the Village
to explore the hypothesis
that permaculture food
Nelson Mandela
gardening promotes a better
appreciation for biodiversity
and proper nutrition.
Interestingly, it was found that children of LIV Village started to
create their own food gardens unprompted by officials or researchers,
a positive sign of the sustainability of the culture of food gardening.
Empowering people to grow their own food in their own gardens could
satisfy a household’s nutritional and economic needs.
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 5
1. Profile of Durban
Table 1: Key statistics describing Durban in 2013/2014[3]
Municipal area 2297 km2 (1.4 % of KZN)
Climate
Population 3, 55 million
Population growth (2012 – 2013) 0.9 %
Percentage of people in poverty 38.7 %
t ur b a n
GDP[4] R 217.7 billion
er
e g u l at i o n
e.g. Flood
control,
drought
recovery.
G as r
e
Electricity backlog 290 393 consumer units
Water backlog 71 494 consumer units
FOOTNOTE 4: The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the total value of all goods
and services produced within the economy in a given period. Gross Value Added
(GVA) is the value of all goods and services produced in an area or sector of an
economy and is used in the estimation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
6 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
E r o si o
n
Housing backlog 404 192 units
FOOTNOTE 3: Denny Thaver, Global Insight/Economic Development
& Investment Promotion Unit/Procurement & Infrastructure:
Development Engineering, eThekwini Municipality.
Control of water
flow, e.g. capture
and release of water
by vegetated
landscapes for
urban use.
co
n t r ol
Storage of
soil within an
ecosystem
e.g. wetlands.
gu
l at io n
Control of
the chemical
composition of
the atmosphere.
c
GVA[4] R 195.3 billion
D is
tourism,
Largest sectors Manufacturing,
finance and transport
c
Total imports R 127.4 billion
u l at i o n
Biologi
Total exports R 60.2 billion
eg
g ula
t io n
e.g. Control
of temperatures
and wind
reduction.
Water
r
Rate of urbanisation 92 %
re
al
tr
c o n ol
Control of
pests, e.g. spiders
controlling
mosquito
populations.
The ecosystem services provided by Durban’s
natural environment was valued at ~R4 billion per
annum (2006), excluding the tourism industry.
e r ia ls
N u t r ie
n
Unique biological
materials and
products, e.g.
plant and animal
medicines.
tu
e.g. Fuel,
craft work
and building
materials.
ycling
Capture, storage
and processing
of nutrients,
e.g. nitrogen
fixation.
t
e nt
r al
ug
o
c
so u r e s
at m
e.g. Removal and
breakdown of excess
nutrients in wetlands,
detoxification of
air pollution by
vegetation.
Movement of
pollen by certain
species (e.g. bees)
to enable plant
reproduction.
Re
Aesthetic
educational,
spiritual and
scientific use.
Rec
r
at
re
re
Soil f
Supply and
storage of water,
e.g. by rivers.
tion
tc
Waste
Pol
li
na
Cu
l
m
Raw
e.g. Fish,
crops and
fruit.
p ply
G e n e t ic
Wat
er
su
u c t io n
rm
at io n
e.g. Weathering
of rock by water.
ia
f
od
F ood p
r
2. Ecosystem Services provided by Durban’s Natural Environment
ea
tion
Habitat for
resident or migrant
populations, e.g.
nurseries
for fish.
e.g.
Eco-tourism,
sports, fishing
and swimming.
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 7
CREW profiles a Critically Endangered
parasitic plant found on Durban coast[5]
South Africans are passionate about nature
and its diversity and scattered amongst
our vast rainbow nation are hundreds
of individuals who care deeply about
conserving our unique diversity of plant
species. These individuals have been united
in their efforts to conserve plants through
the Custodians of Rare and Endangered
Wildflowers (CREW) programme, which
involves volunteers who monitor and help to
conserve plants threatened with extinction.
An example of one such species is
Hyobanche fulleri (commonly known as
cat nails), a striking parasitic plant growing
up to 13 cm high with pale to bright pink
flowers. It attaches itself to roots of host
plants entirely depending on the host for
water, mineral nutrients and photosynthetic
products. This species flowers from August
to September and is only known in three
localities along the KZN south coast’s dune
scrub. It is listed as Critically Endangered
because plant populations have been
decreasing due to coastal developments and
associated dune stabilization. The sighting
of H. fulleri within Durban’s boundaries
is further evidence of Durban as a global
biodiversity hotspot.
For more information or to join CREW,
please contact S.Parbhoo@sanbi.org.za.
8 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
3. The natural environment
South Africa is the third most biodiverse country in the
world[6], and Durban contains:
•Three of the country’s eight terrestrial biomes,
namely savanna, forest and grassland;
•Eight broad nationally recognised vegetation types.
These include: Eastern Valley Bushveld, KwaZuluNatal Coastal Belt, KwaZulu-Natal Hinterland
Thornveld, KwaZulu-Natal Sandstone Sourveld,
Ngongoni Veld, Scarp Forest, Northern Coastal
Forest and, Mangroves;
•Over 2 200 plant species, ~ 520 species of birds,
37 species of amphibians, 69 species of reptiles,
~ 80 terrestrial mammal species, and 25
invertebrate species endemic to KZN[7];
•97 kilometres of coastline with a diversity
of beach types and productive rocky shores;
•17 river catchments and 16 estuaries;
•4 000 kilometres of rivers; and
•An open space system of approximately
74 500 ha (approved 2010/2011), representing
almost 1/3 of Durban’s total municipal area.
FOOTNOTE 5: Information compiled by Suvarna Parbhoo and Mbali Mkhize.
FOOTNOTE 6: The biodiversity of South Africa, 2002. Indicators, trends
and human impacts. Endangered Wildlife Trust, Struik Publishers, Cape Town.
FOOTNOTE 7: Many species’ records predate the 1990’s and, as such, are not
an accurate representation of current diversity. This highlights the need for
more comprehensive studies of Durban’s fauna and flora.
Protecting cycads at the DBG
offers a glimpse of Earth’s past
4. Indicators
4.1. Total area of D’MOSS
The Durban Metropolitan Open Space System
(D’MOSS) is a system of green open spaces
incorporating areas of high biodiversity value
(private and public owned), linked together in
an ecologically viable network of open spaces
and is composed of a variety of habitat types.
In 2013/2014 D’MOSS comprised ~74 500 ha
of open spaces, representing approximately
33 % of the eThekwini Municipal area (Figure
A in foldout). The latest, still to be adopted, version of D’MOSS is
a sector plan and a spatial layer, based on a systematic conservation
planning approach, which identifies key areas which are selected
to ensure representation and persistence of biodiversity and the
supply of ecosystem services.
D’MOSS is incorporated into the city’s Integrated Development
Plan, associated Strategic Development Framework, regional Spatial
Development Plans and into the municipal Town Planning Schemes
as a controlled development layer.
4.2. Percentage of D’MOSS that is protected
Only ~ 10% of the area of D’MOSS enjoys some form of protection
(Table 2). This includes various categories of protection: proclaimed and
unproclaimed private or public nature reserves; properties that have
been bought through the eThekwini Municipality’s (EM) environmental
land acquisition programme; sites where sensitive portions have been
protected by non-user conservation servitudes during the development
approval process; and sites that have been rezoned to conservation.
The DBG is home to over 80 heritage trees, many
of which are over 100 years old. These include
South Africa’s oldest Jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia)
planted in 1885 and the Lychee (Litchi chinensis) which
was transported to South Africa from Mauritius. Both
these trees speak to the country’s early botanical
cultivated history.
Most interesting perhaps is the Wood’s Cycad
(Encephalartos woodii), which is protected at the DBG
and which some records suggest is the rarest plant in
the world. Cycads have engendered an intrinsic interest
as they are an ancient plant group with the earliest cycad fossils
dating back over 250 million years. As a survivor from an era long
past, cycads act as a window to life in ancient times and are critical
to improving our understanding of the evolution of all modern
plants. The Wood’s Cycad has been at the DBG for over 100 years.
Table 2: Area of D’MOSS with some protection
and categories of protection
Protected area type
Proclaimed Nature Reserve
State Nature Reserve
Private Nature Reserve
Special Rating Area (SRA)
Non User Conservation
Servitudes
Municipal Nature Reserve
Acquired Land
Totals
Area (ha)
1131
2181
304
323
% of D’MOSS
1.52
2.93
0.41
0.43
1007
1.35
1950
518
7414
2.62
0.70
9.95
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 9
Biodiversity is keeping up
with the technological times
During a typical visit to any school
yard, nature reserve or park one
is bound to encounter toddlers
and teenagers masterfully tackling
the digital world of smartphones,
tablets, and laptops. More time spent in the digital world and less
in the natural one is often viewed by the environmentally-minded as a threatening prospect. But what if technology is used to ignite
interest in biodiversity instead of deterring from it?
The Durban Botanic Gardens (DBG) is using
smartphone technology to bridge the biodiversitydigital gap and bringing today’s youth closer to the
natural world. Quick Response (QR) barcoding
technology marks the beginning of a project that will
bring the information age into the common experience
of visitors to the gardens assisting with knowledge
sharing and enhancing communication. QR codes are
two-dimensional barcodes that can contain any kind of
data. When placed on trees or other existing botanical
gardens signage, these codes can provide in-depth
plant or any other information directly to iPhones,
Blackberrys, Androids and other smartphones,
e.g. common and Latin names of plants, species’
distributions, links to a variety of online resources
such as videos or newspapers, etc.
The first stage of the project at the DBG involves labelling
indigenous trees with QR codes, providing an alternative to
traditional tree labels. “We at the Durban Botanic Gardens want
to bring today’s youth closer (about 30 cm closer) to our trees,”
says Jody Fuchs, Horticulturalist at the DBG. The project is being
headed up by the Education Centre of the DBG with voluntary
consultation of private individuals.
10 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
4.2.1. Land Acquisition
In some restricted instances, threatened or important areas are protected
through acquisition. This is achieved by either a) purchasing the property
from the owner at an agreed upon value or b) property owners donating
their land to the eThekwini Municipality. In 2013/2014, 95.1 ha of land
were acquired by the Environmental Planning and Climate Protection
Department (EPCPD) for environmental conservation.
4.2.2. Nature Reserve Proclamation
eThekwini Municipality is currently collaborating with Ezemvelo KZN
Wildlife (EKZNW) to proclaim ten municipal nature reserves in terms
of the National Environmental Management:
Protected Areas Act (Act No. 57 of 2003). The
areas to be proclaimed have varying levels of legal
protection, ranging from none to zoned Public
Open Space, whilst there are a small number
of sites ‘zoned’ Environmental Conservation
Reserve. The formal protection afforded by the
proclamation of these reserves will ensure the
conservation of the sites, will allow their areas to
be included in calculating national and provincial
statistics for the conservation status of vegetation
types, and should assist with attracting more
resources for the management of the protected
areas. In 2013/2014, significant progress was made
in the proclamation of the 211 ha Roosfontein Nature Reserve. The
“Intention to Declare” the Proclamation of Roosfontein was advertised
for public comment by the MEC for Environmental Affairs and following
the completion of the public process, the documents have been
submitted for signature and gazetting. The proclamation of a further
two areas, the Giba Gorge Environmental Precinct and the Krantzkloof
Nature Reserve, will be initiated in 2014/2015.
Table 3: Progress made with the proclamation of ten Municipal Nature Reserves
Nature
reserve
Burman Bush
Approval by Approval of
Survey Management EM Heads proclamation
Reserve Hand plans Survey diagrams
and
and the
by EM
boundaries requested required complete Zonation
Municipal
Executive
finalised
(yes/no) (yes/no) (yes/no)
plan
Manager Committee
Yes
Yes
Yes
Approval by
EKZNW’s
Executive
Committee
Proclamation Proclamation
Puplic
approved
documents participation
by the
submitted to
process Proclamation
EKZNW’s MEC (COGTA)* approved and / Gazette
Board & MEC (EDTEA)* commenced Declaration
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Empisini
Yes
No
No
N/A
1st draft
complete
Marian Wood
Yes
Yes
No
N/A
1st draft
complete
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
New
Germany
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Paradise
Valley
Yes
Yes
No
N/A
2nd draft
complete
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Pigeon Valley
Yes
Yes
No
N/A
1st draft
complete
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Roosfontein
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Complete
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Silverglen
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Springside
Yes
Yes
No
N/A
1st draft
complete
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Virginia Bush
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
4.3. Percentage of D’MOSS that is managed
Rapid urbanisation of cities increases the fragmentation of landscapes,
making management interventions in natural areas even more
important. This management may take the form of the removal of
invasive alien species, periodic burning of grassland habitats, removal
of litter from streams, or prevention of illegal harvesting of species,
etc. The management of D’MOSS in the eThekwini Municipal area
is undertaken by various departments and agencies and, overall, just
under 7 % of D’MOSS is formally managed (Figure 2 and 3).
*COGTA – Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
*EDTEA – Department of Economic Development, Tourism & Environmental Affairs.
**Excluding the contribution by other State agencies, e.g. EKZNW.
7%
93%
Formally managed
No formal management
Figure 2. Managed versus
Unmanaged D’MOSS
Private
EPCPD
Giba SRA
PLCD-NRD
Figure 3. Management entities**
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 11
4.4. Species abundance
In terms of representing urban biodiversity, three taxonomic
groups are commonly surveyed, i.e. plants, birds and butterflies.
In Durban, reliable, quantitative data sets for most groups of
organisms are difficult to obtain because of the lack of long term
monitoring initiatives. For the purposes of this repor t, only data
that are collected consistently and quantitatively are utilised.
4.4.1 Bird diversity at the Durban Botanic Gardens
Statistics gathered during the past 15 years around the Lake at the
Durban Botanic Gardens show an alarming drop in the diversity and
abundance of bird species at the Durban Botanic Gardens.
• In October 2000, when the first figures were being collated,
a total of 1796 birds were counted during a three-hour sampling
period. This count includes; Herons (Grey and Black-headed), Sacred
Ibis and Cattle Egrets. Other species were not counted at the time.
• In October 2013, a total of 25 birds comprising the same three
species were counted with the decrease in numbers most obvious
in the Cattle Egrets. Sightings of several common species such as
Common Moorhen and Black Crake, and the less common Squacco
Heron and Black-crowned Night Heron have also decreased
significantly.
• The southernmost recorded colony of Pink-backed Pelicans
continue to breed at the DBG from December to February,
with between nine and 15 chicks being raised every year. It has been suggested that the decline in bird diversity and abundance
at the DBG Lake can be attributed to a variety of factors including:
decreased rainfall over the past couple of years; silting up of the Lake
resulting in lower water levels; anoxia and hypoxia of the Lake due to
high levels of invasive plant infestation (water lettuce); bird kills due
to the high occurrence of feral cats that are allowed to be fed at the
DBG; the proliferation of vervet monkeys which have been observed
to be more aggressive as their natural food sources disappear; and
12 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
the extensive cutting back of foliage at the DBG which removes all
secluded places for the more secretive bird species.
In order to ensure that the Lake at the DBG continues to
support bird species, it is critical that an effort is made by the Park
authorities to protect the remaining pockets of habitat through
appropriate management, e.g. invasive alien plant removal and
planting of appropriate indigenous species, etc.
Figure 4a
Figure 4b
4.4.1 Waterbirds of Durban Bay
Figure 4c
Figure 4. Long-term population trends for migratory waders (a),
resident waders (b) and all waders (c) in Durban Bay.
FOOTNOTE 8: Allan, D.G. (2012). The waterbirds of Durban Bay – Current and
historical population trends. Durban Natural Science Museum Novitates 35:
1 – 74 http://www.durban.gov.za/City_Services/ParksRecreation/museums/
nsm/Natural Science Museum Novitates/Novitates 35.pdf
In a special edition of the journal Novitates[8], David Allan, Curator
of Birds at the Durban Natural Science Museum, compiled an
account of the past 13 years of waterbird monitoring at Durban Bay
– perhaps the most comprehensive, long term biodiversity dataset
for Durban. In last year’s State of Biodiversity report (2012/2013),
we began profiling this synthesis, starting with total waterbird
population trends. In this report, we are focusing on trends relating
to waders (both migratory and resident species). Waders comprise
scolopacid waders, oystercatchers, thick-knees, plovers and stilts.
The migratory waders at Durban Bay show a clear and
decreasing overall trend (Fig. 4a), however, the data for the resident
waders suggest a slight decrease over the long term (Fig. 4 b), but
an increasing trend over the short term. Combining the data for
both the migratory and the resident waders shows a decreasing
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 13
To conserve three viable free-living sub-populations of the
population of the KwaZulu Dwarf Chameleon in perpetuity,
14 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
180
160
D’MOSS
140
Chameleon Park
120
100
80
60
40
20
20
13
20
12
20
11
20
10
09
20
07
06
04
03
08
20
20
20
20
20
02
0
r
Biodiversity Targets
1. Status – the number of viable sub-populations and the subpopulation sizes at the Chameleon Park and D’MOSS monitoring
sites are below the desired target levels – therefore targets for
this species have not been achieved.
2. Trend – the number of potential habitat areas that might
hold viable subpopulations appears to be decreasing as only
a few remain of large enough contiguous size, and the estimated
20
Bradypodion melanocephalum
is a regionally endemic
chameleon and its range
is restricted to the coastal
belt of KZN. The two
vegetation types inhabited
by this chameleon are North
Coast Grassland and South
Coast Grassland, both
of which are classified as
Critically Endangered. These vegetation types have been largely
transformed by sugarcane cultivation, urbanisation and timber
farming. The population of the Black-headed Dwarf Chameleon
is therefore threatened with extinction, although its IUCN Red
List status has not yet been finalised. In 2002, Ezemvelo KZN
Wildlife initiated the monitoring of this species at two localities in
Durban, i.e. Chameleon Park and a plot of land within D’MOSS
next to the Edwin Swales Business Park on Bellair Road.
Summary
Estimate
4.4.2. Black-headed
Dwarf Chameleon[9]
the following are required:
1. At least three viable sub-populations of 7 000 adults
each conserved across the range of the coastal population.
2. A viable sub-population conserved at Chameleon Park
and connected D’MOSS areas.
3. A total of 100 adults conserved at Chameleon Park and
the D’MOSS area adjacent to Edwin Swales Business Park.
Ye
a
trend over both the long and short term (Fig. 4c). The Centre
Bank of Durban Bay, composed of an expansive intertidal area, is
particularly important for migratory waders despite comprising
only 8 % of the total area of the Bay. The results from the long
term monitoring of the waterbirds of Durban Bay provide
important insights into the need to protect this key estuarine
habitat in Durban.
Figure 5. Estimated number of Black-headed Dwarf Chameleons
FOOTNOTE 9: Also called KwaZulu Dwarf Chameleon.
number of adults (73) and total number of Black-headed Dwarf
Chameleons at the Chameleon Park is lower than the target.
The trend for this species is thus declining (Figure 5).
Key management actions for 2014/15 include:
1. It is critical that Chameleon Park is appropriately managed
consistently and appropriately to increase the amount of suitable
habitat for the Black-headed Dwarf Chameleon. Management
actions required include: regular, frequent and light alien plant
control; mosaic defoliation of moribund grass and removal of
moribund material off the site; securely fencing or hedging of the
area with an impenetrable barrier plant (e.g. Acacia ataxacantha);
and fitment of litter traps at storm water pipe outflows.
4.5 Threats to biodiversity in Durban
Some of the major threats to biodiversity include:
•
Transformation of natural areas (habitat destruction,
degradation and fragmentation);
• Introductions of invasive alien species;
• Over-exploitation (e.g. harvesting and sandmining);
• Pollution and diseases; and
• Human-induced climate change.
Due to the lack of quantitative data relating to many of these
threats, this report will only focus on transformation, invasive
alien species and climate change. As more information becomes
available, these will be included.
2. Increase the protection status (zonation) of Chameleon Park from
Public Open Space to Environmental Conservation Reservation.
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 15
4.5.1. How much land has been transformed?
Transformed areas are those areas that have been altered dramatically from their natural state
by human activities. This is one of the single greatest threats to biodiversity as it implies habitat
loss, habitat degradation and fragmentation of natural areas. Transformation reduces the ability
of ecosystems to deliver goods and services. In Durban, scientifically-derived conservation
targets for ten of the city’s vegetation types indicate that six of these are in all likelihood beyond
the natural threshold required for long-term survival (Table A in foldout), because they have
been irrevocably altered from their natural state.
0 2,8005,600 11,200 16,800 22,400
Metres
Table 4: Categories of transformation in the eThekwini Municipal Area (EMA)
Categories
Extractive (e.g. quarries)
Field crops
ha
968
21675
Recreational
2238
Settlement
96009
Utility
1796
TOTAL
122686
Utility
Extractive
Field crops
Settlement
Recreational
Unicity boundary
Figure 6. In 2013/2014 53%
(122685 ha) of the EMA was
classified as transformed.
16 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
4.5.2. Invasive alien species (IAS)
Invasive alien species are plants, animals, pathogens
and other organisms that are not indigenous to an
ecosystem, and which are capable of spreading naturally
(often rapidly) into natural or semi-natural habitats.
They can cause economic or environmental harm or can
adversely affect human health. In particular, they impact
adversely upon biodiversity, causing the decline or
elimination of indigenous species through competition,
predation, or transmission of pathogens, and the
disruption of local ecosystems and ecosystem functions.
Image showing R. ellipticus growth form.
New invasive plant detected in Hillcrest
– Rubus ellipticus, a weedy relative
of the American bramble[10]
The South African National Biodiversity Institute’s
Invasive Species Programme (SANBI ISP) targets alien
invasive species that have not yet reached their full
invasive potential, i.e. populations that are relatively
small/localized compared with established invaders.
The benefit of this “nip-it-in-the-bud” approach is
to aim for eradication and reduce the long-term
management costs of invasive alien species.
The KZN unit of the SANBI ISP was recently
advised of the first record of naturalized populations
of Rubus ellipticus, a cousin of the notorious wellestablished American bramble (R. cuneifolius). Native
to southern Asia, R. ellipticus is a shrub with scrambling
arching branches which can attain greater heights than
other Rubus species, due to its stout robust stems.
Plants can grow up to 7 m, and stems and branches are
densely covered with red thorny bristles. This species
is listed as one of the world’s 100 worst invasive alien
species. It has the capacity to regenerate from stem
segments as well as from plentiful seeds dispersed by
birds and other animals, and outcompetes indigenous
plants by forming dense thickets.
In SA, this species is listed as a Category 1a
alien invasive plant under NEM:BA and requires
compulsory control.
For more information or should you see
this plant, please report your sighting to
invasivespecies@sanbi.org.za
FOOTNOTE 10: Article compiled by: Reshnee Lalla, KZN
regional coordinator of the SANBI ISP with acknowledgements
to Geoff Nichols, Lesley Henderson and Wally Menne.
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 17
4.5.3 Climate change
In Durban, the following changes
have been projected to occur:
•Increases in temperature of
1.5-2.5oC by 2045-2065 and
3-5oC by 2081-2100. Rainfall in
Durban is projected to increase
in the future (up to an additional
500 mm by 2081-2100). The
distribution and variability of this
rainfall will change; with rainfall
events becoming more erratic.
•The sea level along the Durban
coastline is rising at present
by 2.7 cm every decade.
Projections indicate that this
rate is likely to accelerate in the
future.
•Due to these changes in
temperature and rainfall,
the bio-climatic envelopes
(distributions of plants and
animals based on climatic
variables), in which the
fauna and flora of Durban
exist could shift. This places
additional pressure on Durban’s
biodiversity.
18 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
Bridging the Science-Policy interface[11]
The KwaZulu-Natal Sandstone Sourveld (KZNSS) Research
Programme is a research partnership between the eThekwini
Municipality (EM) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN),
which was officially initiated in May 2011. The partnership was
developed to advance knowledge in biodiversity conservation and
management within the context of global environmental change. It
is facilitated by the Environmental Planning and Climate Protection
Department (EPCPD) in the municipality and by Land Use Planning
and Management research staff at UKZN, along with researchers
from various other disciplines at UKZN. The programme not only
aims to generate much-needed knowledge to assist managers in
the municipality in making biodiversity and conservation decisions,
but also to build capacity by employing interns and supporting
student research activities at the university. Such novel institutional
partnerships are important for generating knowledge and learning to address the gap between scientific research, policy development
and management within a local government setting.
Research on the KZNSS ecosystem (a Critically Endangered
ecosystem in South Africa according to provincial figures) is
conducted by researchers and students from various disciplines
at UKZN, and the core programme co-ordination team aims to
integrate results across these disciplines to generate decision-
making products for the municipality. The disciplines include: land
use planning and management, remote sensing and GIS, agricultural
economics, biodiversity and ecology. Research is currently biased
towards the environmental and biological sciences, but the
programme aims to expand in its second phase (from mid-2014) to
incorporate relevant research expertise in social science, governance
and economics.
There are currently 21 research projects (11 completed and
10 underway) made up of 11 Masters students (four completed),
nine Honours students (seven completed), and one PhD. Some of
the topics include:
• A biogeographic study of the KwaZulu-Natal Sandstone
Sourveld patches within the eThekwini Municipal Area.
• The utilisation of D’MOSS as habitat by Crowned Eagles.
• Examination of community engagement and responsiveness
to conservation practices: A case study of Buffelsdraai.
• Utility of DNA barcoding on the spiders of eThekwini.
• The utility of DNA barcoding on the Diptera (flies) and Apoidae
(bees and certain wasps) of eThekwini.
•An investigation into whether rodent species diversity is
higher in forest patches than grassland patches within an urban
landscape.
•Biodiversity utilization and conservation conceptualization in
peri-urban areas in eThekwini Municipality: A case study of
Inanda Mountain.
FOOTNOTE 11: Rouget, M., Cockburn, J., Mhlungu, N. (2014).
KZNSS Research Programme Close-out Report.
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 19
A Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Inventory for the eThekwini
Municipality had been compiled for the 2012 calendar year and
was made available in the 2013/2014 municipal financial year.
The inventory identifies the sources of GHG emissions from both
the government and community sectors within the eThekwini
Municipal Area. The eThekwini Municipality has compiled the
Emissions Inventory to help plan climate change mitigation
strategies within the Municipality.
The total greenhouse emissions recorded for the entire
eThekwini Municipal Area was 29, 360, 395 tCO 2 for 2012. The
largest contribution to this footprint was transportation (37%
of the total GHGs) followed closely by industry emissions (32%)
Figure 7). Local government emissions accounted for 5% of the total
emissions for the eThekwini Municipal Area (Figure 8).
There is an upward trend of emissions from 2010 to 2012
and it has been noted that this may be due to improved data
collection systems.
Residential Commercial
13%
11%
Industrial
32%
Transportation
37%
4.6.2. Invasive alien plant control
In the 2013/2014 municipal financial year, the EPCPD had a budget
of R15 426 552 allocated to invasive alien plant control. The
management of natural areas allows for a unique opportunity to
address one of the biggest threats to biodiversity, i.e. poverty.
Two teams, Working on Fire (WoF) and Working for Ecosystems
(WfE), have been appointed to tackle the problem of invasive
alien species in Durban. Both WoF and WfE are sustainable
development programmes that aim to alleviate poverty and
develop skills by employing people to manage aspects of the
environment, such as burning of grasslands and invasive alien
species. Both programmes also have a strong education and
training component.
35
Community Emissions
30
Government Emissions
25
MtCO2e
4.6. Responses to threats:
4.6.1. Greenhouse Gas inventory[12]
20
15
10
5
Yr 2002
Municipality
5%
Other
2%
Figure 7. Carbon emissions per sector for 2012.
20 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
Yr2003/2004 Yr 2005/2006
Yr 2010
Yr 2011
Yr2012
Figure 8. Total emissions separated into community
and government contributions from 2002 to 2012.
FOOTNOTE 12: eThekwini Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory 2012.
Technical Report. Energy Office, eThekwini Municipality.
IAPs threaten important grazing
land in the Ngonweni Area
Ngonweni, which is situated within Ingonyama Trust
Board land, under the AmaQadi Traditional Council,
recently experienced first-hand the negative impacts
of invasive alien plants (IAPs) and needed the help of
Working for Ecosystems. The
heavy infestation at Ngonweni
resulted in a decline in livestock
grazing potential due to the
unpalatability of the IAP’s. This
was of serious concern to cattle
herders who had to take their
livestock to areas further afield
to find suitable grazing grounds.
In addition, the infestation
of IAP’s caused the closure
of a number of footpaths used
by children returning from
school or people accessing
public transport. Two years
after persistent IAP clearing by
WfE, many footpaths have been
re-established, thus improving
access for residents. More
importantly, grazing areas for
livestock have became readily
available.
In September 2014, eThekwini Municipality and Wildlife
and Environmental Society of South Africa held a meeting
with traditional leadership to discuss the WfE programme
at Ngonweni and project expansion proposals. The local
iNduna suggested that the WfE managed land be set aside for
grazing, thus conserving the land and preventing misuse.
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 21
Table 5: Breakdown of EPCPD invasive alien plant
control for the 2013/2014 municipal financial year
Working on Fire
Working for
Ecosystems
1248 ha
1868 ha
- Initial
23 ha
215 ha
Creating
environmental
champions
- Follow-up
103 ha
1653 ha
- Maintenance
984 ha
n/a
- Burning
138 ha
n/a
Emmarencia Khumalo (40) currently holds a position at the
Buffelsdraai Landfill Site Reforestation Project as the ‘Lead
Nursery Caretaker’ for Wildlands Conservation Trust. She
began working for the project in 2009 as a ‘General Worker’
of the Green Team, planting trees and undertaking IAP
control. She worked in this position for approximately five and
half years, but Emmarencia was determined to progress. With
Wildlands providing an array of training programmes, such
as leadership, basic business skills, and first aid, Emmarencia
was able to develop herself within the project. She was
promoted to the position of nursery caretaker in 2014 due to
her excellent leadership and reporting skills, coupled with her
passion for the environment. Her current job entails managing
the upkeep of the nursery, e.g. ensuring that trees under her
supervision are watered, potted when necessary and receive
the correct amount of sunlight. Additionally, she leads a team
of five to ten people who assist her with tasks such as the
monitoring and recording of tree collection statistics and
carbon sequestration. She continues to receive supplementary
training to assist with her new tasks. Emmarencia is an
inspiration to her community and to conservationists as
a whole for her dedication and accomplishments.
Training courses
20
39
Training person days
308
1230
Total jobs created
42 (36% women)
298 (60% youth;
38 % women)
Total person days
12838
25053
R 7 278 685
R 7 799 552
Programme
Total area of IAP control
22 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
Budget
There are currently 11 SMME’s
developed and contracted to
Working on Fire, demonstrating
how biodiversity conservation and
management can contribute positively
to socio-economic upliftment.
Table 6: Natural Resourses Division (NRD) spend on alien invasive control and the corresponding area
Comprising the following areas
Municipal
budget
Area of IAS
cleared (ha)
A
Empisini, Ilanda Wilds, Amanzimtoti
Bird Park, Umgababa, Ilovu picnic site
and the open space, and the Isipingo
and Amanzimtoti rivers.
R 22,000.00
55.5 (and 4.9 km
along rivers)
B
Silverglen Nature Reserve
and Silverglen Nursery.
R 44,710.00
8.2
Tithonia diversifolia, Solanum mauritianum, Melia
azedarach, Sesbania punicea, Cardiospermum grandiflorum,
Ageratum conyzoides, and Wedelia trilobata.
C
Piegon Valley, Chameleon Park,
Umbilo D’MOSS, Coedmore Park,
Paradise Valley, Caversham, Motala Heights,
and Westmead D’MOSS.
R 178,560.00
91
Arundo donax, Ricinus communis, Schinus terebinthifolius,
Melia azedarach, Cardiospermum grandiflorum, Ipomoea
indica, and Litsea glutinosa.
D
Burman Bush, Springside, Iphiti, Palmiet,
Roosfontein,Westville Trail, Hopson,
Centurion, Carlton,Turnbridge, and Tyburn.
R 56,000.00
38.92
E
Virginia Bush, Danville, Collard, and
Seaton Park, Hawaan Forest sewer line,
and Umfula Park.
R 75,000.00
Zone
TOTALS
R 376,270.00
Some examples of IAS that were
targeted for clearing in 2013/2014
All invasives within the management areas were
targeted, e.g. Pistia stratiotes and Eichhornia crassipes.
Cardiospermum grandiflorum, Senna didymobotrya, Solanum
mauritianum, Ricinus communis, Tithonia diversifolia, Ageratum
conyzoides, Nephrolepis cordifolia, Mirabilis jalapa, Lantana
camara, Chromolaena odorata, and Tradescantia zebrina.
28.5 (and 3 km
Solanum mauritianum, Melia azedarach, Montanoa hibiscifolia,
along a sewer line) Arundo donax, Tradescantia zebrina, and Lisea glutinosa.
222.12
(and 7.9 km along
rivers/sewer lines)
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 23
4.6.3. Reforestation
The EPCPD has partnered with the Wildlands
Conservation Trust in order to restore selected
indigenous forest areas in the EMA . The
reforestation programme has adopted the
Community Ecosystem Based Adaption (CEBA)
model, which demonstrates the strong and
vital link between socio-economic upliftment
and biodiversity conservation, enhanced
ecosystem functioning and carbon sequestration.
‘Treepreneurs’ propagate trees at their
homesteads, through the Indigenous Trees for Life
Programme developed by Wildlands Conservation
Trust. Treepreneurs then trade their trees for
basic food items, clothes, building materials and
even school fees. Ninety percent of people who
now benefit from this project were earning wages
below the poverty line, and are therefore some of
the most vulnerable communities in the country.
Many of these Treepreneurs are women and
children, unemployed adults, and pensioners.
Table 7: Reforestation projects for the 2013/2014 municipal financial year
Buffelsdraai Landfill Site
Inanda Mountain
Paradise Valley
Total permanent jobs
40
58
18
Total temporary jobs
17
60
0
Total part-time jobs
4
0
52
Total contractor jobs
5
21
0
Active Treepreneurs
305
190
28
25.28 ha
44 ha
6 ha
Area planted
78 585
60 200
8845
187.87 ha
586 ha
6 ha
- Initial
69.58 ha
206 ha
2 ha
- Follow-up
118.29 ha
380 ha
4 ha
553
831
0
70
Trees planted
Total area of IAP control
Training persons days
Total jobs created
66
139
Total persons days
10 166
19 190
R5 981 761.72
R6 215 149.85
Budget
24 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
*not municipally funded
Table 8:
Tree planting
by eThekwini
Parks, Leisure
and Cemeteries
Department
2013/2014
Total
number
of trees
planted
Number of
indigenous
trees
Number
of nonindigenous
trees
Zone A (iSipingo to Clansthal)
15
15
0
Zone B (uMlaas catchment)
445
445
0
Zone C (Umbilo and
Umhlatazana catchments)
33
28
5*
Zone D (Umgeni catchment)
32
32
0
Zone E (Umgeni river to Tongaat)
500
500
0
1025
1020
5
Total no. of trees planted
* The non-indigenous
trees that were planted
were fruit trees
Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 | 25
4.6.4. Education and outreach
Table 9: Outreach programmes or educational visits
Nature Reserve
Umbilo
Burman Bush
Type of visit
e.g. school, conservancy
Examples of
activities
Number
of people
D`MOSS Trail Walkers
- N ature trail walk
26
Tertiary institution (Research)
- Data collection
3
ilanda Wilds
Ningizimu Special School, Damerosa
- N ature trail walk
Special School, Kwa-vulindlebe,
Vaugh Home, Nduduzweni Place of - Presentation
Safety
90
van Riebeeck
Park
Damerosa Special School, Ningizimu - N ature trail walk
Special School, Kwa-vulindlebe
and presentation
50
Beacon Ridge, Nomzamo Mandela,
Olwasini Primary, Ndongeni
Primary, ABH Old Age Home
51
Silverglen
- Presentation
- Earth Hour
- Nature trail walk
Paradise Valley
Springside
Palmiet
Ekujabuleni Primary, Fern Primary,
Ekuphumuleni Primary, Simba
Group, UKZN students, Verulam
Primary
- Research
information (Alien
Plants)
568
- N ature trail walk,
meeting
Senzokuhle, Conservancy
Committee, Botha’s Hill
Environmental Group
76
Ramblers’ Group, Palmiet
Management Committee/Westville
Conservancy, Thandukwazi Senior
- Nature trail walk
Primary School, Bechet High
School, Mohammed Abraham
Islamic school, Ashley Mary Primary
920
26 | Biodiversity Report 2013/2014
Acknowledgements
The Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department would like to extend
sincere thanks to the following people for their time, cooperation and commitment in
compiling the information published in the State of Biodiversity Report 2013/2014 for
eThekwini Municipality. The following individuals have supplied either information, photos,
or comment on the publication, and all contributions have made this report possible.
Adrian Armstrong
Bheka Memela
Bheka Nxele
Cameron McLean
David Allan
Debra Roberts
Derek Morgan
Errol Douwes
Jessica Cockburn
Jody Fuchs
Kenneth Mabila
Khulile Mavundla
Lyle Ground
Margaret Cooke
Martin Clement
Mathieu Rouget
Natasha Govender
This is the eThekwini Municipality’s sixth State of Biodiversity report. The next report
will be for the 2014/2015 municipal financial year and will be produced in December 2015.
Nolunthando Mhlungu
Reshnee Lalla
Richard Boon
Suvarna Parbhoo
Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department
Development Planning, Environment and Management Unit
P.O. Box 680, Durban 4000, South Africa
+27 31 311 7875
www.durban.gov.za/durban/services/development-planning-and-management/epcpd
The cover graphic depicts the iconic
Banyan tree (Ficus benghalensis) at the
Durban Botanic Gardens. Ficus produces
prop roots which grow downwards as arial
roots and then grow into woody trunks.
Durban: State of
Biodiversity
KEY STATISTICS FOR 2013/2014
180
ha
of open spaces, representing onethird of the eThekwini Municipal Area.
D’MOSS
Chameleon Park
120
100
80
60
40
20
~10%
ONLY
Private
EPCPD
Giba SRA
PLCD-NRD
of the area of D’MOSS
is formally protected.
Figure A. Green areas on
the map denote eThekwini
Muncipality’s open space
system (D’MOSS).
2013/14
93%
eThekwini vegetation type
2 896 ha were managed.
138 ha of grasslands
were burned.
147 630 indigenous
trees were planted.
615 green jobs
were created.
25
*Figures excluding contribution made by
eThekwini Parks Department (PLCD).
20
13
20
12
20
11
09
08
07
06
04
20
10
20
20
20
20
20
~53%
In 2013/2014
(122 685 ha) of the
eThekwini Municipal Area
was classified as transformed.
Original
Area
Area required to Shortfall/
distribution (ha) remaining (ha) meet target (ha) surplus (ha)
Dune Forest
2683
704
1857
-1153
Eastern Scarp Forest
a
1449
2756
893
1863
Eastern Scarp Forest
b
3126
8800
1926
6874
Eastern Valley Bushveld
51818
26086
12955
13132
KZN Sandstone Sourveld
Grassland a
33170
7352
8293
-941
KZN Sandstone Sourveld
Grassland b
36602
3010
9151
-6141
a. Refers to vegetation occurring
450 m above mean sea level.
Grassland (other geology) a
9736
2094
2434
-340
b
57144
1439
14286
-12847
b. Refers to vegetation occurring
450 m below mean sea level.
Northern Coastal Forest
16440
1192
11786
-10594
Wetland
12439
4791
2985
1806
Grassland (other geology)
03
73
Estimated number of Chameleons
at Chameleon Park and the adjacent
D’MOSS strip – alarmingly below
biodiversity targets for this species.
Table A. Targets and deficits for ten eThekwini vegetation types
on the management of
invasive alien species.
20
20
Figure D. Dwarf Chameleon abundance since 2002.
Total number of birds
(Grey and Black-headed
Herons; Sacret Ibis and
Cattle Egret) at the Lake at the Durban
Botanic Gardens – a significant drop
from initial count of 1796 done
just 13 years previously.
*
R15 426 552 was spent
7%
r
Formally managed
No formal management
02
0
Ye
a
~74 500
Figure B (left) and C
(below). Management
of D’MOSS according to
management entity (B)
and area managed (C).
Estimate
D’MOSS (Durban Metropolitan
Open Space System) comprises
160
140
Biodiversity...
Rows highlighted in darker orange indicate
vegetation types for which conservation targets
can no longer be met due to loss of habitat.
“This is the assembly of life that took a billion years to evolve. It has eaten the storms - folded them
into its genes - and created the world that created us. It holds the world steady.” – Edward O. Wilson
Utility
Extractive
Field crops
Settlement
Recreational
Unicity boundary
Figure E. Irrevocably
transformed areas in Durban.