Transcript Susie Brownlie Presentation Session C6 1

Systematic Conservation Planning,
Land Use Planning and SEA in South Africa
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Sustainable development embodied in Constitution
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Secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural
resources and promote conservation
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In South Africa: Cape Floristic Region, Succulent Karoo are global
hotspots
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Protected area network is inadequate to conserve a representative
sample of biodiversity and supporting processes
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Environmental law: EIA mandatory; SEA not mandatory
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EIA has limited effect in dealing with biodiversity impacts
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Municipal law calls for SEA in preparing spatial development frameworks
for land use planning
Systematic Conservation Planning
Two key building blocks: spatial layers and targets
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Considers biodiversity structure and composition (‘pattern’), and process
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Draws on societal vision & objectives – who needs plan & for what
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Decides on most appropriate scale – different scales answer different needs
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Sets explicit, defensible targets [% species, species-area relationships,
transformation, irreplaceability, threat]
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Involves key stakeholders: implementers, specialists, local communities
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Uses ‘land classes’ or biodiversity surrogates [habitat and geographic variables]
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Focuses on landscapes, not at species level [heterogeneity & process]
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Explores options to achieve vision, objectives and targets
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Best option: tailored to purpose and use, capacity to implement
Ecological
processes:
coastal-inland,
upland-lowland, soil
transition, climate
(EW, NS)
VISION
Threatened, focal or
umbrella species
Ecosystem
services, mainly
regulating and
supporting
OBJECTIVES
TARGETS
OPTIONS
CATEGORIES
LAND USE &
MANAGEMENT
CHECKS
Implementers - capacity
Local inputs and values
Spatial
Development
Framework
Specialist inputs
Biodiversity Pattern:
Land classes
Ecosystem values
& services,
mainly cultural &
provisioning
Spatial Planning using Systematic Conservation Planning
Example - Overberg Municipality
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Ecosystem status: much
Critically Endangered vegetation
in global & national contexts
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Highly fragmented; threatened
fragments with high connectivity
provide ‘building blocks’ to
enable process to persist
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Safeguard soil / vegetation
transitions, upland-lowland
gradients, coast-inland,
& coastal corridors
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Conserve protected areas,
special or unique habitats
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Protect catchments, wetlands,
coastal buffer & other NB
ecosystem service areas
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Spatial planning categories
tied to land use and
management
recommendations
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Planning categories
cut across land ownership
Systematic Conservation Planning and Impact
Assessment – positives and negatives
Positives
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Objectives & outcomes-driven, not baseline-driven
Provides ‘significance thresholds’ for use in EIA
Useful for screening purposes
Provides a clear trigger for further investigation
Sound basis for decisions, compensation
‘Buy in’ from stakeholders, shift in perspectives
Negatives
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Challenges of scale
Accessibility and interpretation of products
Risk of clearing ‘to target’
Sufficient consideration of threatened and locally endemic species?