cape floral region protected areas · 2006-10-19 · table of contents volume 1: background...

World Heritage Scanned Nomination File Name: 1007rev.pdf UNESCO Region: AFRICA __________________________________________________________________________________________________ SITE NAME: Cape Floral Region Protected Areas DATE OF INSCRIPTION: 7th July 2004 STATE PARTY: SOUTH AFRICA CRITERIA: N (ii) (iv) DECISION OF THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE: Excerpt from the Report of the 28th Session of the World Heritage Committee Criterion (ii): The Cape Floral Region is considered of outstanding universal value for representing ongoing ecological and biological processes associated with the evolution of the unique Fynbos biome. These processes are represented generally within the Cape Floral Region and captured in the eight protected areas. Of particular scientific interest are the plant reproductive strategies including the adaptive responses to fire of the flora and the patterns of seed dispersal by insects. The pollination biology and nutrient cycling are other distinctive ecological processes found in the site. The Cape Floral Region forms a centre of active speciation where interesting patterns of endemism and adaptive radiation are found in the flora.

Criterion (iv): The Cape Floral Region is one of the richest areas for plants than for any similar sized area in the world. The number of species per genus within the region (9:1) and per family (52) are among the highest given for various species-rich regions in the world. The species density in the Cape Floral Region is also amongst the highest in the world. It displays the highest levels of endemism at 31.9 % and it has been identified as one of the world’s 18 biodiversity hot spots.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS A serial site - in Cape Province, South Africa - made up of eight protected areas, covering 553,000-ha. The Cape Floral Region is one of the richest areas for plants in the world. It represents less than 0.5% of the area of Africa but is home to nearly 20% of the continent’s flora. The site displays outstanding ecological and biological processes associated with the Fynbos vegetation, which is unique to the Cape Floral Region. The outstanding diversity, density and endemism of the flora are among the highest worldwide. Unique plant reproductive strategies, adaptive to fire, patterns of seed dispersal by insects, as well as patterns of endemism and adaptive radiation found in the flora are of outstanding value to science.

1.b State, Province or Region: Western Cape Province, Eastern Cape Province 1.d Exact location: S34 10 00 E18 22 30

Nomination of the

Cape Floral Region of

South Africa for inclusion on the World Heritage List:

By the Government of the Republic of South Africa

2003

Chief Directorate Western Cape Environmental Affairs Nature

Eastern Cape Conservation Board

S th Af i

Nomination of the

Cape Floral Region

of

South Africa

for inclusion on the World Heritage List:

By the Government of the Republic of South Africa

Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism

2003

Compiled for:

South African National Parks, Western Cape Nature Conservation Board

and Chief Directorate: Environmental Affairs Eastern Cape

This revision compiled by: Indigenous Vegetation Consultancy

in association with SANParks and Western Cape Nature Conservation Board

based on previous work by: Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (Phase 1)

De Villiers, Brownlie and Associates (Phase 1) Common Ground Consulting (Phase 2)

Indigenous Vegetation Consultancy (Phase 2) Shirley Pierce (Scientific Editor: Phase 2)

EnAct International (Environmental Law: Phase 2)

Report funded by:

United Nations Foundation and

WWF South Africa

TABLE OF CONTENTS

VOLUME 1: BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE NOMINATION OF THE CAPE FLORAL REGION AS A WORLD HERITAGE SITE.

INTRODUCTION i

CHAPTER 1 AN OVERVIEW OF THE CAPE FLORAL REGION ....................................... 1

SECTION 1.1 IDENTIFICATION OF THE CAPE FLORAL REGION AND THE CONSTELLATION OF PROTECTED AREAS ................................................ 1

1.1a Country ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1b Province........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1c Name of property.......................................................................................................... 1 1.1d Location on map and identification of geographical co-ordinates ................................ 1 1.1e Maps and plans showing boundary of area proposed for inscription........................... 5 1.1f Area of site proposed for inscription............................................................................. 5

SECTION 1.2 JUSTIFICATION FOR INSCRIPTION ............................................................. 5 1.2a Statement of significance ............................................................................................. 8 1.2b Comparative analysis ................................................................................................. 10 1.2c Authenticity / Integrity ................................................................................................. 14 1.2d Criteria under which inscription is proposed, and justification for inscription ............. 18

SECTION 1.3 DESCRIPTION OF THE CAPE FLORAL REGION AND THE REPRESENTATIVE PROTECTED AREAS.................................................. 21

1.3a Description of the property and the protected areas .................................................. 22 1.3b History and development............................................................................................ 34 1.3c Form and date of most recent records ....................................................................... 36 1.3d Present state of conservation..................................................................................... 37 1.3e Policies and programmes related to the presentation and promotion of the protected

areas ....................................................................................................................... 38

SECTION 1.4 MANAGEMENT OF THE EIGHT PROTECTED AREAS .............................. 39 1.4a Ownership .................................................................................................................. 39 1.4b Legal status ................................................................................................................ 43 1.4c Protective measures and means of enforcing them................................................... 47 1.4d. Agency with management authority ........................................................................... 59 1.4e. Level at which management is exercised................................................................... 59 1.4f. Agreed plans relating to the protected areas ............................................................. 62 1.4g. Sources and levels of finance .................................................................................... 65 1.4h. Sources of expertise and training relating to conservation and management

techniques .................................................................................................................. 66 1.4i. Visitor facilities and statistics...................................................................................... 67

Nomination of the Cape Floral Region, South Africa, as a World Heritage Site - 2003

1.4j. Protected area management plans and statement of objectives ............................... 67 1.4k. Staffing levels ............................................................................................................. 67

SECTION 1.5 FACTORS AFFECTING THE CAPE FLORAL REGION AND THE PROTECTED AREAS.................................................................................... 68

1.5a Development Pressures ............................................................................................. 68 1.5b Environmental Pressures ........................................................................................... 69 1.5c Natural disasters and preparedness .......................................................................... 71 1.5d Visitor and tourism pressures..................................................................................... 72 1.5e Number of inhabitants within the protected areas and buffer zones.......................... 72 1.5f Other ....................................................................................................................... 72

SECTION 1.6 CONSERVATION MONITORING.................................................................. 72 1.6a Key Indicators............................................................................................................. 73 1.6b Administrative arrangements for monitoring............................................................... 73 1.6c Results of previous reporting exercises ..................................................................... 74

SECTION 1.7 DOCUMENTATION ....................................................................................... 75 1.7a Photographs and slides .............................................................................................. 75 1.7b Copies of management plans relevant to the protected areas................................... 75 1.7c Bibliography................................................................................................................ 75 1.7d Address where inventory, records are kept................................................................ 91

CHAPTER 2: THE CAPE PENINSULA NATIONAL PARK................................................ 93

SECTION 2.1 IDENTIFICATION OF THE PROPERTY ....................................................... 93 2.1a Country ....................................................................................................................... 93 2.1b Province...................................................................................................................... 93 2.1c Name of property........................................................................................................ 93 2.1d Location on map and identification of geographical co-ordinates .............................. 93 2.1e Maps and plans showing boundaries of the Cape Peninsula National Park.............. 93 2.1f Area of the Cape Peninsula National Park................................................................. 96

SECTION 2.2 JUSTIFICATION FOR INSCRIPTION ........................................................... 96 2.2a Statement of significance ........................................................................................... 96 2.2b Comparative analysis ................................................................................................. 97 2.2c Authenticity / integrity ................................................................................................. 97 2.2d Criteria under which inscription is proposed............................................................... 98

SECTION 2.3 DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 100 2.3a Description of the Cape Peninsula National Park .................................................... 100 2.3b History and development of the Cape Peninsula National Park .............................. 103 2.3c The most recent records of the Cape Peninsula National Park ............................... 104 2.3d Present state of conservation of the Cape Peninsula National Park ....................... 105


2.3e Presentation and promotion of the Cape Peninsula National Park.......................... 106

SECTION 2.4 MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................... 107 2.4a Ownership ................................................................................................................ 107 2.4b Legal Status.............................................................................................................. 107 2.4c Protective measures and means of enforcing them................................................. 108 2.4d Agency with management authority ......................................................................... 111 2.4e Level at which management is exercised................................................................. 111 2.4f Agreed plans related to the Cape Peninsula National Park ..................................... 114 2.4g Sources and levels of finance .................................................................................. 117 2.4h Sources of expertise and training............................................................................. 117 2.4i Visitor facilities and statistics.................................................................................... 118 2.4j The Cape Peninsula National Park management plan and statement of objectives119 2.4k Staffing levels for the Cape Peninsula National Park............................................... 120

SECTION 2.5 FACTORS AFFECTING THE CAPE PENINSULA NATIONAL PARK........ 120 2.5a Development Pressures ........................................................................................... 121 2.5b Environmental Pressures ......................................................................................... 122 2.5c Natural Disasters and Preparedness ....................................................................... 123 2.5d Visitor/tourism pressures .......................................................................................... 123 2.5e Number of inhabitants within the Cape Peninsula National Park............................. 124

Section 2.6 MONITORING.............................................................................................. 125 2.6a Key indicators ........................................................................................................... 125 2.6b Administrative arrangements for monitoring............................................................. 126 2.6c Results of previous reporting.................................................................................... 126

CHAPTER 3 THE CEDERBERG WILDERNESS AREA ................................................. 127

SECTION 3.1 IDENTIFICATION OF THE CEDERBERG WILDERNESS AREA .............. 127 3.1a Country ..................................................................................................................... 127 3.1b Province.................................................................................................................... 127 3.1c Name of property...................................................................................................... 127 3.1d Location on map and identification of geographical co-ordinates ............................ 127 3.1e Maps and plans showing boundaries of the Cederberg Wilderness Area ............... 127 3.1f Area of the Cederberg Wilderness Area .................................................................. 129

SECTION 3.2 JUSTIFICATION FOR INSCRIPTION ......................................................... 129 3.2a Statement of significance ......................................................................................... 129 3.2b Comparative analysis ............................................................................................... 130 3.2c Authenticity / Integrity ............................................................................................... 130 3.2d Criteria under which inscription is proposed............................................................. 130

SECTION 3.3 DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 132


3.3a Description of the Cederberg Wilderness Area........................................................ 132 3.3b History and development of the Cederberg Wilderness Area.................................. 134 3.3c The most recent records of the Cederberg Wilderness Area................................... 134 3.3d Present state of conservation of the Cederberg Wilderness Area ........................... 134 3.3e Presentation and promotion of the Cederberg Wilderness Area.............................. 135

SECTION 3.4 MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................... 135 3.4a Ownership ................................................................................................................ 135 3.4b Legal status .............................................................................................................. 135 3.4c Protective measures and means of implementing them .......................................... 135 3.4d Agency with management authority ......................................................................... 136 3.4e Level at which management is exercised................................................................. 136 3.4f Agreed plans relating to the Cederberg Wilderness Area........................................ 136 3.4g Sources and levels of finance .................................................................................. 136 3.4h Sources of expertise and training............................................................................. 137 3.4i Visitor facilities and statistics of the Cederberg Wilderness Area ............................ 137 3.4j The Cederberg Wilderness Area management plan and statement of objectives... 137 3.4k Staffing levels for the Cederberg Wilderness Area .................................................. 138

SECTION 3.5 FACTORS AFFECTING THE CEDERBERG WILDERNESS AREA .......... 139 3.5a Development pressures............................................................................................ 139 3.5b Environmental pressures.......................................................................................... 139 3.5c Natural disaster preparedness ................................................................................. 139 3.5d Visitor / tourism pressures ........................................................................................ 140 3.5e Number of inhabitants within the Cederberg Wilderness Area ................................ 140

SECTION 3.6 MONITORING.............................................................................................. 140 3.6a Key indicators ........................................................................................................... 140 3.6b Administrative arrangements for monitoring............................................................. 141 3.6c Results of previous reporting.................................................................................... 141

CHAPTER 4 THE GROOT WINTERHOEK WILDERNESS AREA ................................. 142

SECTION 4.1 IDENTIFICATION OF THE GROOT WINTERHOEK WILDERNESS AREA..................................................................................................................... 142

4.1a Country ..................................................................................................................... 142 4.1b Province.................................................................................................................... 142 4.1c Name of property...................................................................................................... 142 4.1d Location on map and identification of geographical co-ordinates ............................ 142 4.1e Maps showing boundaries of the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area..................... 142 4.1f Area of the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area ....................................................... 144

SECTION 4.2 JUSTIFICATION FOR INSCRIPTION ......................................................... 144 4.2a Statement of significance ......................................................................................... 144


4.2b Comparative analysis ............................................................................................... 144 4.2c Authenticity / Integrity ............................................................................................... 144 4.2d Criteria under which inscription is proposed............................................................. 145

SECTION 4.3 DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 146 4.3a Description of the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area............................................. 146 4.3b History and development of the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area....................... 147 4.3c The most recent records of the Groot Winterhoek ................................................... 147 4.3d Present state of conservation of the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area................ 147 4.3e Presentation and promotion of the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area .................. 148

SECTION 4.4 MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................... 148 4.4a Ownership ................................................................................................................ 148 4.4b Legal Status.............................................................................................................. 148 4.4c Protective measures and means of implementing them .......................................... 148 4.4d Agency with management authority ......................................................................... 149 4.4e Level at which management is exercised................................................................. 149 4.4f Agreed plans relating to the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area............................. 149 4.4g Sources and levels of finance .................................................................................. 149 4.4h Sources of expertise and training............................................................................. 149 4.4i Visitor facilities and statistics of the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area................. 149 4.4j Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area management plan and statement of objectives149 4.4k Staffing levels in the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area ........................................ 151

SECTION 4.5 FACTORS AFFECTING THE PROPERTY ................................................. 151 4.5a Development pressures............................................................................................ 151 4.5b Environmental pressures.......................................................................................... 151 4.5c Natural disaster preparedness ................................................................................. 152 4.5d Visitor / tourism pressures ........................................................................................ 152 4.5e Number of inhabitants within the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area ..................... 152


CHAPTER 5 THE BOLAND MOUNTAIN COMPLEX...................................................... 154

SECTION 5.1 IDENTIFICATION OF THE BOLAND MOUNTAIN COMPLEX ................... 154 5.1a Country ..................................................................................................................... 154 5.1b Province.................................................................................................................... 154 5.1c Name of property...................................................................................................... 154 5.1d Location on map and identification of geographical co-ordinates ............................ 154


5.1f Area of the Boland Mountain Complex..................................................................... 156


SECTION 5.3 DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 158 5.3a Description of the Boland Mountain Complex .......................................................... 158 5.3b History and development of the Boland Mountain Complex .................................... 160 5.3c The most recent records of the Boland Mountain Complex ..................................... 160 5.3d Present state of conservation................................................................................... 160 5.3e Presentation and promotion of the Boland Mountain Complex................................ 161

SECTION 5.4 MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................... 161 5.4a Ownership ................................................................................................................ 161 5.4b Legal status .............................................................................................................. 161 5.4c Protective measures and means of implementing them .......................................... 162 5.4d Agency with management authority ......................................................................... 162 5.4e Level at which management is exercised................................................................. 162 5.4f Agreed plans relating to the Boland Mountain Complex .......................................... 162 5.4g Sources and levels of finance .................................................................................. 163 5.4h Sources of expertise and training............................................................................. 163 5.4i Visitor facilities and statistics at the Boland Mountain Complex .............................. 163 5.4j The Boland Mountain Complex management plan and statement of objectives ..... 163 5.4k Staffing levels in the Boland Mountain Complex...................................................... 164

SECTION 5.5 FACTORS AFFECTING THE BOLAND MOUNTAIN COMPLEX ............... 164 5.5a Development pressures............................................................................................ 164 5.5b Environmental pressures.......................................................................................... 165 5.5c Natural disaster preparedness ................................................................................. 165 5.5d Visitor / tourism pressures in the Boland Mountain Complex................................... 165 5.5e Number of inhabitants within the Boland Mountain Complex................................... 165


CHAPTER 6 THE DE HOOP NATURE RESERVE.......................................................... 168

SECTION 6.1 IDENTIFICATION OF DE HOOP NATURE RESERVE .............................. 168 6.1a Country ..................................................................................................................... 168


6.1b Province.................................................................................................................... 168 6.1c Name of property...................................................................................................... 168 6.1d Location on map and identification of geographical co-ordinates ............................ 168 6.1e Maps and plans showing boundary of De Hoop Nature Reserve ............................ 168 6.1f Area of De Hoop Nature Reserve ............................................................................ 170


SECTION 6.3 DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 173 6.3a Description of De Hoop Nature Reserve .................................................................. 173 6.3b History and development of the De Hoop Nature Reserve ...................................... 175 6.3c The most recent records of De Hoop Nature Reserve............................................. 176 6.3d Present state of conservation................................................................................... 176 6.3e Presentation and promotion of De Hoop Nature Reserve........................................ 176

SECTION 6.4 MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................... 177 6.4a Ownership ................................................................................................................ 177 6.4b Legal Status.............................................................................................................. 177 6.4c Protective measures and means of implementing them .......................................... 177 6.4d Agency with management authority ......................................................................... 177 6.4e Level at which management is exercised................................................................. 178 6.4f Agreed plans relating to the De Hoop Nature Reserve............................................ 178 6.4g Sources and levels of finance .................................................................................. 178 6.4h Sources of expertise and training............................................................................. 178 6.4i De Hoop Nature Reserve visitor facilities and statistics........................................... 178 6.4j De Hoop Nature Reserve management plan and statement of objectives .............. 179 6.4k Staffing levels for De Hoop....................................................................................... 179

SECTION 6.5 FACTORS AFFECTING THE DE HOOP NATURE RESERVE .................. 180 6.5a Development pressures............................................................................................ 180 6.5b Environmental pressures.......................................................................................... 180 6.5c Natural disaster preparedness ................................................................................. 181 6.5d Visitor / tourism pressures ........................................................................................ 181 6.5e Number of inhabitants within De Hoop Nature Reserve .......................................... 181



CHAPTER 7 THE BOOSMANSBOS WILDERNESS AREA ........................................... 184

SECTION 7.1 IDENTIFICATION OF THE BOOSMANSBOS WILDERNESS AREA......... 184 7.1a Country ..................................................................................................................... 184 7.1b Province.................................................................................................................... 184 7.1c Name of property...................................................................................................... 184 7.1d Location on map and identification of geographical co-ordinates ............................ 184 7.1e Maps and plans showing the boundaries of the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area ... 186 7.1f Area of the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area............................................................. 186


SECTION 7.3 DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 188 7.3a Description of the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area .................................................. 188 7.3b History and development of the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area ............................ 190 7.3c The most recent records of the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area............................. 190 7.3d Present state of conservation................................................................................... 190 7.3e Presentation and promotion of the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area........................ 191

SECTION 7.4 MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................... 191 7.4a Ownership ................................................................................................................ 191 7.4b Legal status .............................................................................................................. 191 7.4c Protective measures and means of implementing them .......................................... 191 7.4d Agency with management authority ......................................................................... 192 7.4e Level at which management is exercised................................................................. 192 7.4f Agreed plans relating to the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area.................................. 192 7.4g Sources and levels of finance .................................................................................. 192 7.4h Sources of expertise and training............................................................................. 192 7.4i Visitor facilities and statistics of the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area ...................... 192 7.4j Boosmansbos Wilderness Area management plans and statement of objectives .. 192 7.4k Staffing levels for the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area ............................................ 193

SECTION 7.5 FACTORS AFFECTING THE PROPERTY ................................................. 193 7.5a Development pressures............................................................................................ 193 7.5b Environmental pressures.......................................................................................... 194 7.5c Natural disaster preparedness ................................................................................. 195 7.5d Visitor / tourism pressures ........................................................................................ 195 7.5e Number of inhabitants within the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area........................... 195

SECTION 7.6 MONITORING.............................................................................................. 195


7.6a Key Indicators........................................................................................................... 195 7.6b Administrative arrangements for monitoring............................................................. 196 7.6c Results of previous reporting.................................................................................... 196

CHAPTER 8 THE SWARTBERG COMPLEX .................................................................. 197

SECTION 8.1 IDENTIFICATION OF THE SWARTBERG COMPLEX............................... 197 8.1a Country ..................................................................................................................... 197 8.1b Province.................................................................................................................... 197 8.1c Name of property...................................................................................................... 197 8.1d Location on map and identification of geographical co-ordinates ............................ 197 8.1e Maps and plans showing boundary of the Swartberg Complex............................... 199 8.1f Area of the Swartberg Complex ............................................................................... 199


SECTION 8.3 DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 201 8.3a Description of the Swartberg Complex..................................................................... 201 8.3b History and development of the Swartberg Complex............................................... 203 8.3c The most recent records of the Swartberg Complex................................................ 204 8.3d Present state of conservation of the Swartberg Complex ........................................ 204 8.3e Presentation and promotion of the Swartberg Complex .......................................... 204

SECTION 8.4 MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................... 204 8.4a Ownership ................................................................................................................ 204 8.4b Legal status .............................................................................................................. 204 8.4c Protective measures and means of implementing them .......................................... 205 8.4d Agency with management authority ......................................................................... 205 8.4e Level at which management is exercised................................................................. 205 8.4f Agreed plans relating to the Swartberg Complex..................................................... 205 8.4g Sources and levels of finance .................................................................................. 206 8.4h Sources of expertise and training............................................................................. 206 8.4i Visitor facilities and statistics at the Swartberg Complex ......................................... 206 8.4j Swartberg Complex management plan and statement of objectives....................... 206 8.4k Staffing levels for the Swartberg Complex ............................................................... 207

SECTION 8.5 FACTORS AFFECTING THE SWARTBERG COMPLEX........................... 207 8.5a Development pressures............................................................................................ 207 8.5b Environmental pressures.......................................................................................... 208


8.5c Natural disaster preparedness ................................................................................. 208 8.5d Visitor / tourism pressures ........................................................................................ 208 8.5e Number of inhabitants within the Swartberg Complex ............................................. 208


CHAPTER 9 BAVIAANSKLOOF...................................................................................... 211

SECTION 9.1 IDENTIFICATION OF BAVIAANSKLOOF................................................... 211 9.1a Country ..................................................................................................................... 211 9.1b Province.................................................................................................................... 211 9.1c Name of property...................................................................................................... 211 9.1d Location on map and identification of geographical co-ordinates ............................ 211 9.1e Maps and plans showing boundaries of Baviaanskloof ........................................... 213 9.1f Area of Baviaanskloof............................................................................................... 213


SECTION 9.3 DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 216 9.3a Description of Baviaanskloof .................................................................................... 216 9.3b History and development.......................................................................................... 219 9.3c The form and date of the most recent records of Baviaanskloof.............................. 219 9.3d Present state of conservation of Baviaanskloof ....................................................... 219 9.3e Presentation and promotion of Baviaanskloof.......................................................... 220

SECTION 9.4 MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................... 220 9.4a Ownership ................................................................................................................ 220 9.4b Legal status .............................................................................................................. 220 9.4c Protective measures and means of implementing them .......................................... 221 9.4d Agency with management authority ......................................................................... 221 9.4e Level at which management is exercised................................................................. 221 9.4f Agreed plans relating to Baviaanskloof .................................................................... 222 9.4g Sources and levels of finance .................................................................................. 222 9.4h Sources of expertise and training............................................................................. 223 9.4i Visitor facilities and statistics of Baviaanskloof ........................................................ 223 9.4j The Baviaanskloof management plan and statement of objectives......................... 223


9.4k Baviaanskloof staffing levels .................................................................................... 224

SECTION 9.5 FACTORS AFFECTING BAVIAANSKLOOF............................................... 224 9.5a Development pressures............................................................................................ 224 9.5b Environmental pressures.......................................................................................... 225 9.5c Natural disaster preparedness ................................................................................. 225 9.5d Visitor / tourism pressures ........................................................................................ 225 9.5e Number of inhabitants within Baviaanskloof............................................................. 226


GLOSSARY OF TERMS ............................................................................................................... 228

GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS ....................................................................................................... 230

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Table 1.1.1 Location details and land areas of the protected areas representing the Cape Floral Region for World Heritage Site status............................................... 2

Tables 1.2.1 Comparison of diversity and endemism of vascular plants in various regions in the world.......................................................................................................................... 11

Table 1.2.2 Comparison of species to genus ratios in floras of selected regions in the world .... 12

Table 1.2.3 Species richness, endemism and proportion of life forms in six of the eight recognised Phytogeographic Centres of endemism of the Cape Floristic Region compared with the Cape Peninsula and entire Cape Floral Region......................... 13

Table 1.2.4 Ecological and evolutionary processes conserved in different-sized reserves in the Cape Floral Kingdom........................................................................ 16

Table 1.2.5 Summary of the Mission, Goals and Functions of the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board; the Vision, Mission and Functions of the Department of Economic Affairs, Environment and Tourism, Eastern Cape; and, the Vision and Mission of the South African National Parks............................................................. 17

Table 1.3.1 Representation by the nominated constellation of sites of the eight recognised Phytogeographic Centres of endemism in the Cape Floral Region.......................... 25

Table 1.3.2 Effectiveness of the seven protected areas in conserving Broad Habitat Units (BHUs) in the Cape Floral Region ................................................................... 32

Table 1.3.3 The contribution of the seven protected areas to conserving selected taxa in the Cape Floral Region ................................................................................................... 33

Table 1.3.4 Diversity of selected vertebrate fauna for the Cape Floral Region, indicating levels of endemism and numbers of species currently considered threatened ........ 34

Table 1.3.5 Extent of reservation within the Cape Floral Region of different reserve categories (refer to text for definition) within different land classes or Broad Habitat Units ....... 40

Table 1.4.1 Details of current and proposed budgets for the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board.................................................................................................... 67

Table 1.4.2 Department of Economic Affairs, Environment & Tourism (Eastern Cape Province) proposed Budget for 2001/02, by Programme.......................................................... 68

Table 1.5.1 Extent of land transformation by different factors in three land class categories in the Cape Floral Region ......................................................................................... 70

Table 2.1 A summary of major events in the history of the Cape Peninsula National Park ... 106

Table 2.2 Names and addresses of authorities controlling publicly owned land within the Cape Peninsula National Park and Cape Peninsula Protected Natural Environment ............................................................................... 114

Table 2.3 Summary of recent regional plans affecting the Cape Peninsula Protected Natural Environment ............................................................................................................ 116

Table 2.4 Summary of recent conservation planning initiatives relating to conservation of the Cape Peninsula National Park and Cape Peninsula Protected Natural Environment .................................................................. 118

Table 2.5 Initiatives affecting the conservation and management of the Cape Peninsula National Park .................................................................................. 119

Table 2.6 Visitor numbers to the Cape Peninsula National Park during 2001/2002............... 120

Table 2.7 List of development pressures and control measures for the Cape Peninsula National Park and Cape Peninsula Protected Natural Environment ............................................................................................... 123

Table 2.8 Environmental pressures and control measures for the Cape Peninsula National Park and buffer areas..................................................... 124


Table 2.9 Key indicators for monitoring within the Cape Peninsula National Park................. 127

Table 3.1 Percentage of species contained in the ten largest families and genera for several local floras and the Cape Floral Region ..................................................... 135

Table 3.2 A summary of major events in the history of the Cederberg Wilderness Area ....... 136

Table 3.3 Visitor numbers to the Cederberg Wilderness Area (January to August 2000)...... 139

Table 4.1 A brief history of major events in the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area.............. 149

Table 5.1 A summary of major events in the history of the Boland Mountain Complex ......... 162

Table 5.2 Visitors to Boland Mountain Complex during 2000................................................. 165

Table 5.3 Residents within the Boland Mountain Complex..................................................... 167

Table 6.1 A summary of major events in the history of the De Hoop Nature Reserve ........... 178

Table 7.1 Areas and reserves comprising the Langeberg East Conservation Area............... 188

Table 7.2 A summary of major events in the history of the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area . 192

Table 8.1 A summary of major events in the history of the Swartberg Complex .................... 205

Table 9.1 Numbers of families, genera and species found in the existing Baviaanskloof and in the Cederberg Wilderness Area floras ......................................................... 219

Table 9.2 A summary of major events in the history of Baviaanskloof ................................... 221

Figure 1.1.1 Nomination of the Cape Floral Region, represented by eight sites ............................ 3

Figure 1.1.2 Topography and drainage of the Cape Floral Region and surrounds......................... 4

Figure 1.3.1 Geology of the Cape Floral Region........................................................................... 23

Figure 1.3.2 Biomes of the Cape Floral Region ............................................................................ 26

Figure 1.3.3 Vegetation types of the Cape Floral Region and surrounds ................................ 27,28

Figure 1.3.4 Phytogeographic Centres of the Cape Floral Region ............................................... 29

Figure 1.3.5 Broad Habitat Units of the Cape Floral Region.................................................... 30,31

Figure 1.3.6 Distribution of different types of protected land within the Cape Floral Region ........ 36

Figure 1.4.1 Outline of the structure of the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board............... 63

Figure 1.4.2 Outline of the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board’s State of Biodiversity Programme............................................................................... 66

Figure 2.1 Cape Peninsula National Park and surrounding reserves ........................................ 96

Figure 2.2 Land ownership of the Cape Peninsula National Park ............................................. 97

Figure 2.3 Organogram of South African National Parks structure.......................................... 115

Figure 2.4 Summarised organogram for the Cape Peninsula National Park structure............ 122

Figure 3.1 Cederberg Wilderness Area and surrounding reserves.......................................... 130

Figure 4.1 Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area and surrounding reserves .............................. 145

Figure 5.1 Boland Mountain Complex and surrounding reserves............................................ 157

Figure 6.1 De Hoop Nature Reserve and surrounding reserves.............................................. 171

Figure 7.1 Boosmansbos Wilderness Area and surrounding reserves.................................... 187

Figure 8.1 Swartberg and surrounding reserves...................................................................... 200

Figure 9.1 Baviaanskloof and surrounding reserves................................................................ 214


VOLUME 2: LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix 1 Topographic maps, at scales including 1:50 000; 1:250 000; and, 1:500 000, of the Cape Floral Region and of the eight protected areas.

Appendix 2 Two examples of management plans for Western Cape and Eastern Cape protected areas (including the WCNCB standardised format for management plans).

For the Cape Peninsula National Park, the following are included:

• The Integrated Environmental Management System (including Management Policy and Strategic Management Plan);

• The Environmental Information System; and,

• An overview on the Heritage Resources Management Plan.

Appendix 3 Assessment of the value of proposed World Heritage Sites for the Cape Floral Kingdom. A study by Cowling & Heijnis, 2000.

Appendix 4 World Heritage Site nomination: plant and vertebrate distributions in relation to nominated World Heritage Sites in the Cape Floral Region, South Africa. A study by Lombard, 2000.

Appendix 5 Cape Action Plan for the Environment.

Appendix 6 An overview of the State of Biodiversity Programme for the Western Cape.

Appendix 7 Ecological Auditing (Ekologiese Ouditering) – template of monitoring procedure for the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board.

Appendix 8 Legal statutes relating to the Cape Floral Region and the protected areas.

Appendix 9 Supplementary documentation gathered for the first phase (Phase 1) of the Nomination process – Cape Peninsula National Park and Cape Peninsula Protected Natural Environment.

VOLUME 3: PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL

Selected examples of policies, programmes and other materials relating to the presentation and promotion of the property and protected areas.

Nomination of the Cape Floral Region, South Africa, as a World Heritage Site - 2003 i

INTRODUCTION The property being nominated is the Cape Floral Region (CFR). Recognized globally as one of the world’s richest floral regions it has the distinction of being by far the smallest of the world’s six Floral Kingdoms, with some 9 000 species in only 90 000 km2. Astonishingly, almost 70% of these species are endemic, found nowhere else on the planet. Its diversity is comparable to many areas of similar size in moist tropics, remarkable for a temperate region. For these reasons, the Cape Floral Region is considered worthy of World Heritage Site status.

The nomination is for a natural property based on the following criteria:

Criterion 44.(a)(ii): Outstanding example representing significant ongoing ecological and biological processes in evolution.

Criterion 44.(a)(iv): The most important and significant natural habitats for in situ conservation of biological diversity.

The Cape Floral Region is located in the southwestern corner of South Africa, largely within the Western Cape Province, extending eastwards into the Eastern Cape Province, and minimally into the Northern Cape Province. The Cape Floral Region has a broadly Mediterranean-type climate with the western-most areas experiencing hot, dry summers and winter rainfall. Across the extent of the Cape Floral Region, there is an eastward trend for an increasing portion of the rainfall to fall in summer.

The distinctive vegetation for the Cape Floral Region is a sclerophyllous shrubland, known as fynbos (“fine-bush”). Fynbos comprises mainly fine-leaved shrubs such as heaths (Ericaceae), larger-leaved showy flowered Proteaceae, bunches of reed-like Restionaceae, and geophytic (bulb-like) plants, including many Iridaceae.

There are many forms of fynbos, which are named by habitat e.g. “mountain fynbos”, or according to a distinctive component e.g. “grassy fynbos”. Fynbos grows on the coarsely sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soils occurring over most of the region. Adjacent to the coast, on alkaline, marine sands, fynbos shrubland occurs in a mosaic with thicket patches of trees and larger, mainly bird-distributed, shrubs. On finer, slightly richer soils in the valleys and forelands there is a form of fine-leaved shrubland known as renosterveld. Renosterveld is rich in Asteraceae and extremely rich in geophytic plant species, although Proteaceae are poorly represented.

Other types of vegetation also occur in the Cape Floral Region, but to a lesser extent. For example, pockets of evergreen forests are concentrated within moist, fire-protected gorges and in areas of deeper soils of the Cape Floral Region. In the eastern Cape Floral Region, Valley Thicket and Succulent Thicket are found in deeper valleys, while in the drier interior, on richer soils, the vegetation is a low succulent shrubland called Succulent Karoo. These non-fynbos vegetation types contribute towards the phenomenal plant diversity of the Cape Floral Region; however, it is the fynbos shrublands, which hold about 80% of this plant richness. Furthermore, it is the extraordinary way in which fynbos plant richness is arranged across the landscapes of the Cape Floral Region that makes it unique – over each hill, new suites of species are encountered. Carl Linnaeus, recognising the floral riches of the Cape called it “this Heaven on Earth”, while the highly diversified family Proteaceae is named after the Greek God Proteus who could take on any form.

Although the Cape Floral Region has been forwarded as a World Heritage Site it is logistically not possible to nominate the whole region since it contains significant areas of agriculture and urbanisation. Furthermore, the peculiar nature of the pattern of species’ distribution across the region negates a single, smaller, representative protected area.

Against this brief background, this document proposes that it is most effective (in terms of species representation) and efficient (in terms of space) to present a serial nomination for a constellation of eight sites with a high degree of natural integrity, as well as a high level of conservation status in order to represent and conserve optimally the biodiversity of the Cape Floral Region.

Nomination of the Cape Floral Region, South Africa, as a World Heritage Site - 2003 ii

It must be noted that the series of eight natural properties emerged from an initial exercise to identify a minimum set of complementary natural properties that would best reflect the region’s biodiversity, based on information available at this time. The Global Environmental Facility-funded Cape Action Plan for the Environment (CAPE Project) (1998-2000) provided much of the information regarding the final boundaries and location of this set of sites, using Standard Reserve Selection algorithms.

Analyses based on information from the CAPE Project (Cowling et al., 1999a) were used to assist in the selection of the eight protected areas to represent the Cape Floral Region. In addition, the CAPE Project provides evidence of a commitment to continued conservation of the rich biodiversity of the Cape Floral Region, thus playing a key role in the future integrity of the eight protected areas.

Because this is a serial nomination, the format differs slightly from that of a single nomination. After a number of discussions with the World Heritage Site staff at UNESCO, the following format was agreed upon.

Chapter 1 aims to provide the reader with some background to the nomination and explains broadly the value of the Cape Floral Region, emphasising the constellation of eight protected areas. Chapter 1 thus comprises an overview chapter of the Cape Floral Region in its entirety. This nomination applies for inscription of the Cape Floral Region by means of a serial nomination for a constellation of sites, and provides justification for the inclusion of the eight protected areas distributed across the 90 000 km2 Cape Floral Region. This chapter includes some of the initiatives and recommendations from the CAPE Project, which has developed a strategic plan for the conservation of the biodiversity of the Cape Floral Region (refer also to Appendix 5; http://fred.csir.co.za/extra/cape/reports/reports.html).

• Section 1, identifies the Cape Floral Region and the eight protected areas, while Section 2, provides the justification for inscription of the eight protected areas as a natural property based on two criteria namely: Criteria 44(a)(ii) and (iv).

• Sections 3 to 7 deal with Description (3), Management (4), Factors Affecting the Property (5), Monitoring (6), and Documentation (7) of the eight protected areas as a unit.

• Section 1.8 contains the Signature on behalf of the Republic of South Africa.

Chapters 2-9 provide separate details for each of the eight protected areas that comprise this nomination according to the same headings in Chapter 1. Information that has already been mentioned in Chapter 1 is not repeated in these Chapters, but may be summarised where relevant.

Numbering of all sections includes the Chapter number followed by the section and then subsection number, hence Chapter 1, section 2, subsection b is referred to as 1.2b. Further subcategories of information are numbered using lower case Roman numerals e.g. 1.2b(i).

Overall, there are three volumes to this nomination.

• Volume 1, comprising nine chapters, is devoted to providing the background information for the nomination according to the format outlined above.

• Volume 2 contains all Appendices and includes maps, management plans for selected protected areas, selected legislation relating to the status and protection of the nominated site, reports in support of this nomination, details of the CAPE Project, State of Biodiversity reports and details of Ecological Audits carried out in the protected areas.

• Volume 3 covers the policies, programmes and promotion of the separate protected areas. Containing photographic and promotional literature spanning more than a decade, this volume aims to illustrate the majesty and detailed beauty of the Cape Floral Region, while indicating the activities of conservation authorities responsible for management of these sites.

Notes

• For clarity the individual sites are termed protected areas, and the surrounding buffer zones are termed reserves.

Nomination of the Cape Floral Region, South Africa, as a World Heritage Site - 2003 iii

• Throughout the document, the accepted use of technical terms has been retained. In some cases this has not been possible and in other cases the accepted words are in local languages. Hence, a glossary of terms has been employed. The first time such terms are used, they are marked in bold and are defined in the Glossary.

• Minor discrepancies in diversity statistics may be encountered in this document. Where possible these have been rationalised, but in places these small discrepancies are unavoidable and have come about as a direct result of using a variety of references for compilation of the nomination.

• For some of the individual protected areas, owing to focussed investigation of these areas by research groups (often from a number of institutions), substantial information is available on specific or general details regarding, for example, specific monitoring programmes or selected taxonomic data, while staff in other protected areas are currently in the process of updating and/or gathering such information. Greater detail for these areas is not currently available.

• Much of the information for the compilation of this nomination has been taken from management plans, research papers, unpublished reports and background information documents supplied by the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board, South African National Parks and the Eastern Cape Conservation authorities. Although the nomination has not been prepared as a formal scientific reference paper, where possible references to these documents are supplied for further reading and reference.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Phase 1:

The first phase of the nomination proposal was prepared by the South African National Parks (SANParks), in collaboration with the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board (WCNCB). Principal authors were James Jackelman (SANParks) and Peter Linder, Mike Picker and Amrei Von Hase of the University of Cape Town (UCT). Renee Selikowitz, Trevor Sparks and Jim Hallinan of SANParks, Peter Lloyd of WCNCB and John Yeld and Mike van Wierengen contributed to the compilation of information used in the nomination.

James Jackelman (previously SANParks), Monique Ruthenberg (SANParks) and Susie Brownlie (De Villiers, Brownlie and Associates) coordinated the compilation of this phase of the nomination proposal.

SANParks gratefully acknowledges financial support for the compilation of this nomination proposal from the Table Mountain Fund administered by the World Wide Fund for Nature (South Africa).

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) compiled the initial draft nomination for Phase 1 and the information extracted from this draft and presented here is acknowledged.

The following people are thanked for their insightful review of earlier drafts and valuable advice:

David Daitz (previously SANParks, now WCNCB); Dave McDonald and Brian Huntley of the National Botanical Institute (NBI); Dave Richardson of the Institute for Plant Conservation (IPC); Richard Cowling of the Terrestrial Ecology Research Unit (TERU); Tony Rebelo of the Protea Atlas Project (based at NBI); Makgolo Makgolo and Kallie Naude of the Department of Environment Affairs and Tourism (DEAT); Guy Palmer, Annelize le Roux, Kevin Shaw, Ernst Baard, Atherton de Villiers, Dean Impson and Peter Lloyd of WCNCB; and Ian McDonald and Brett Myrdal of WWF(SA).

Kwazulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service is thanked for allowing SANParks access to their nomination proposal for the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park.

The following individuals are thanked for their technical assistance:

Sally Adams and Pam Eloff of Technodraft for the maps; Don Mayne for graphics, Susie Brownlie for the preparation of the proposal, Monique Ruthenberg for all the niggling detail and Linda Bosman for editing and formatting the proposal.

Nomination of the Cape Floral Region, South Africa, as a World Heritage Site - 2003 iv

Phase 2:

The Phase 2 Steering Committee, comprising Guy Palmer, Annelise le Roux, Ernst Baard, and James Jackelman, are thanked for their support and help throughout this phase of the project. Aletta Jordaan and her staff provided valuable material and were responsible for the compilation of Volume III in its entirety. All the reserve, area and regional managers provided support and valuable information. Staff from the Chief Directorate: Environmental Affairs (Eastern Cape), Alan Southwood, Leon Els, Derek Clarke, and others are also thanked for their input. Therese Kollmann (now Forssyth) edited the final figures and Ernst and Stefanie Baard prepared the Powerpoint slide presentation with help from Riki de Villiers. Chris Burgers of the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board is thanked for checking the final documentation. Roger Porter of Kwazulu-Natal Nature Conservation Service is thanked for his critical review of the document. Staff at UNESCO are thanked for their patience and willingness to respond to queries.

Common Ground Consulting and Indigenous Vegetation Consultancy drafted the second phase of the nomination, in collaboration with the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board. Shirley Pierce acted as Scientific Consultant and Scientific Editor. Nicholas Smith (EnAct International) drafted the Environmental Law section. All are thanked for their substantial input.

Phase 3 (this document):

The two phases of the nomination process were merged and refined through collaborative effort between the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board and SANParks. Lee Jones (Indigenous Vegetation Consultancy) was responsible for the final drafting of the merged nomination document. Paul Britton (SANParks) and Guy Palmer (WCNCB) are thanked for joint co-ordination of this phase as well as for the review of drafts and constructive commentary.

Riki de Villiers, Therese Forsyth and Mosili Ntene are thanked for revising the figures and Ernst Baard for updating the PowerPoint slide presentation. Peter Lloyd and Annelise le Roux for final editing and proofreading.

DEDICATION

We would like to dedicate this nomination to our late colleague Chris Burgers, in memory of his great contribution to the conservation of the Cape Floral Region.


CHAPTER 1 AN OVERVIEW OF THE CAPE FLORAL REGION

SECTION 1.1 IDENTIFICATION OF THE CAPE FLORAL REGION AND THE CONSTELLATION OF PROTECTED AREAS

1.1a Country Republic of South Africa

1.1b Province Western Cape Province and Eastern Cape Province

1.1c Name of property Cape Floral Region of South Africa, represented by the Cape Peninsula National Park, Cederberg Wilderness Area, Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area, Boland Mountain Complex, Boosmansbos Wilderness Area, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Swartberg Complex and Baviaanskloof.1

1.1d Location on map and identification of geographical co-ordinates The Cape Floral Region (CFR) is situated on the southwestern tip of Africa between latitudes 31o and 34.5ºS and longitudes 18o and 26ºE (Table 1.1.1). The Cape Floral Region covers much of the Western Cape Province, extends into the Eastern Cape Province where it is represented by the Baviaanskloof protected area, and reaches marginally into the Northern Cape. In the south and west the region is restricted by the ocean, while the interior margin is formed by the Succulent Karoo, the Nama-Karoo, and eastwards by Thicket (Figures 1.1.1 and 1.3.2).

The serial nomination comprises eight spatially separate protected areas that represent the Cape Floral Region. The Cederberg Wilderness Area is the most northwesterly protected area and borders the Succulent Karoo close to the northwestern limit of the Cape Floral Region (Figures 1.1.1 and 1.3.2). Southwards lies the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area and even further south are several contiguous reserves making up the Boland Mountain Complex (Figure 1.1.1). The Boland Mountain Complex is situated on the eastern shore of False Bay, across the bay from the Cape Peninsula Protected Natural Environment and the Cape Peninsula National Park, the most southwesterly protected area. The Boland Mountain Complex, and the Cederberg and Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Areas lie in a north / south orientation along a range of mountains which form part of the Cape Fold Belt (Figure 1.1.2).

1 Although Baviaanskloof does not formally, nor legally, have the status of a Wilderness Area (refer section 1.4b(iii)), it is managed according to guidelines for a true Wilderness Area and is known by many as the Baviaanskloof “Wilderness Area”. Boshoff et al. (2000) refer to Baviaanskloof as a Conservation Area. For the purposes of this nomination, given that proclamation of Wilderness Area status is imminent, the protected area will simply be referred to as Baviaanskloof, or as the Baviaanskloof protected area.

Table 1.1.1 Location details and land areas of the protected areas representing the Cape Floral Region for World Heritage Site status.

Broader Area Southwest co-ordinates Northeast co-ordinates Area

Cape Floral Region 340 21´ 40”S & 180 28´ 30”E 330 30´ 00”S & 250 45´ 00”E 90 000 km2

Protected area name Southwest co-ordinates Northeast co-ordinates Central Point Area (ha)*

Cape Peninsula National Park 340 21´ 40”S & 180 28´ 30”E 330 57´ 25”S & 180 26´ 10”E 340 10´ 00”S & 180 22´ 30”E 17 000

Cederberg Wilderness Area 320 36´ 20”S & 190 08´ 17”E 320 07´ 10”S & 190 02´ 05”E 320 21´ 10”S & 190 08´ 00”E 64 000

Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area 330 10´ 52"S & 19° 05´ 50"E 320 59´ 05”S & 190 09´ 15”E 330 05´ 30”S & 190 08´ 00”E 26 000

Boland Mountain Complex 340 20´ 25"S & 180 46´ 10"E 330 25´ 00”S & 190 05´ 00”E 330 55´ 20”S & 190 09´ 50”E 113 000

De Hoop Nature Reserve 340 30´ 12"S & 200 27´ 07"E 340 22´ 40"S & 200 36´ 13"E 340 25´ 30”S & 200 29´ 30”E 32 000

Boosmansbos Nature Reserve 330 58´ 56”S & 200 48´ 00”E 330 52´ 46”S & 200 56´ 12”E 330 55´ 30”S & 200 52´ 40”E 15 000

Swartberg Complex 330 24´ 19”S & 200 35´ 30”E 330 22´ 40”S & 230 11´ 50”E 330 22´ 00”S & 220 21´ 15”E 112 000

Baviaanskloof 330 38´ 45”S & 230 25´ 00”E 330 25´ 20”S & 240 50´ 55”E 330 37´ 30”S & 240 01´ 00”E 174 000

* Total land areas of the core, protected areas are given here in hectares (ha), rounded off to the nearest thousand ha. More accurate estimates are available, but minor discrepancies in the calculation of total land area exist, due to the often-extreme topography of this region, as well as the different scales applied (e.g. using different scales to capture information within Geographical Information Systems) and/or other methods of calculation used. For the purposes of this nomination, the use of an approximate size was considered to be more than adequate, given the substantial land areas of each contributing protected area. It is crucial to note, that despite the anomalies of scale presented by measuring land area on GIS systems, all boundaries for each protected area are officially, and unambiguously, fixed.


The Boland Mountain Complex comprises a collection of contiguous protected areas (Figure 1.1.1). The Hottentots Holland, Jonkershoek and Assegaaibosch Nature Reserves, in the Boland mountain range; the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, which is bounded by agricultural and forestry land to the east and by the coast to the west; and the Limietberg Nature Reserve in the north of the Boland Mountain Complex.

East of the Boland Mountain Complex is the coastal De Hoop Nature Reserve, with 46 km of marine frontage, while north of De Hoop is Boosmansbos Wilderness Area in the Langeberg Mountains (Figures 1.1.1 & 1.1.2). Northeast of the latter protected area, is the Swartberg Complex in the Swartberg Mountains, parallel to the east / west trending coast, in the northern extreme of the Cape Floral Region (Figure 1.1.1). Baviaanskloof lies to the east of the Swartberg Complex in the Eastern Cape.

These eight protected areas therefore, conserve a representative sample of the wide diversity of the Cape Floral Region along both axes of the extensive Cape Fold Mountains (section 1.3).

1.1e Maps and plans showing boundary of area proposed for inscription A map of the Cape Floral Region, the protected areas and the relevant provinces in relation to Africa and South Africa, is shown in Figure 1.1.1. Figure 1.1.2 shows the varied topography of the Cape Floral Region, including both axes of the Cape Fold Belt, and the main drainage lines. The full extent of the Cape Floral Region is shown in a 1:500 000 topographical map that is appended to this document (Appendix 1).

The eight protected areas are relatively evenly distributed across the Cape Floral Region (Figure 1.1.1). Detailed maps of each of the protected areas are provided in Chapters 2-9 while 1:50 000, and 1:250 000 topographical maps are appended (Appendix 1).

Geographical co-ordinates of the eight protected areas are listed in Table 1.1.1.

1.1f Area of site proposed for inscription The total area of the Cape Floral Region is approximately 90 000 km2. The total area, of the constellation of eight protected areas representing the Cape Floral Region, amounts to over 550 000 ha or about 6% of the 90 000 km2 Cape Floral Region (Table 1.1.1).

The reserves under conservation-orientated land use, surrounding the eight protected areas, total over 1 315 000 ha. Therefore the total area of the protected areas and their surrounding reserves total over 1.8 million hectares.

SECTION 1.2 JUSTIFICATION FOR INSCRIPTION

1.2(i) Introduction A series of eight natural properties is proposed within the Cape Floral Region. The eight natural properties are related because they belong to the same biogeographic province, together having outstanding universal value. The Cape Floral Region is often loosely referred to as the ‘Fynbos Biome’, since fynbos is the dominant vegetation type and contributes most of the species to the flora of this Region (Figure 1.3.3). The flora characteristic of the Cape Floral Region is commonly referred to as the ‘Cape Flora’.

The nominated sites fulfil two of the criteria for inclusion in the World Heritage List as a natural property, namely criteria (ii), and (iv) defined in Paragraph 44.(a) of UNESCO’s Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention (refer to section 1.2d).


With its highly distinctive flora, exceptional species richness and high degree of endemism, the Cape Floral Region has long been recognised as a global priority for conservation action. Owing to this diversity of plants and its vulnerability to threats, the Cape Floral Region is considered by many to be a biodiversity “hotspot” of global significance (Myers, 1990; Mittermeier et al., 1998). The Cape Floral Region is also listed as a global Centre of Plant Diversity (WWF & IUCN, 1994); an Endemic Bird Area (Bibby et al., 1992); and, a Global 200 EcoRegion (Olson & Dinerstein, 1998).

The region coincides with the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of the world’s six Floral Kingdoms. The Cape Floral Region’s species richness of just on 9 000 plant species in an area of only 90 000 km2 is exceptional when compared with the rest of Africa and southern Africa. Global comparisons reveal that its diversity is similar to some of the most species-rich regions on earth, including tropical rainforests. The Cape Floral Region has higher levels of species richness, and particularly endemism, than several ecosystems and islands representing hotspots in the comparable climate of the Mediterranean Basin (Goldblatt & Manning, 2000).

The area is home to an astounding 1 435 Red Data Book (threatened) plant species (Rebelo, 1992b). Most are thus classified because they are highly localised endemics, which persist in very small populations.

The Cape Floral Region is exceptional in terms of the pattern, or the arrangement, of plant richness across the landscape. The region has relatively high alpha diversity – a measure of plant species richness in one habitat. However, the Cape is special with regard to measures of plant species turnover, having very high beta diversity – that is plant species turnover along habitat gradients, and particularly special in having very high gamma diversity - species turnover in similar habitats across geographical gradients. The high levels of species turnover, particularly in terms of gamma diversity, as well as the high levels of floral endemicity have enabled botanists to divide the entire region into eight Phytogeographic Centres of endemism (refer also to section 1.3a(iii); Figure 1.3.4). Each Phytogeographic Centre is delimited by large numbers of endemic plant species.

The Cape Faunal Centre (sensu Stuckenberg, 1962) coincides roughly with the Cape Floral Region and contains a distinctive fauna with some invertebrates showing little change over millions of years. These relictual faunas date back to the time of Gondwanaland. There are numerous natural phenomena and, in global terms, areas of exceptional beauty, aesthetic value and cultural significance. It is truly a remarkable area of global conservation significance.

This Justification section is divided into two parts. The first outlines the process that was used to identify the constellation of protected areas, which represent the Cape Floral Region in this nomination. The second addresses the justification of the eight protected areas as part of a constellation of sites. Justification of each selected protected area is provided in the relevant sections in Chapters 2 – 9.

1.2(ii) Selection of the eight protected areas This selection took careful consideration of the World Heritage Site Guidelines, which recommend that ”it is the series as such of universal value and not its individual components”.

The Cape Floral Region is physically diverse with varying topography, climate and soil types which act in concert to give rise to exceptional patterns of biodiversity. As explained in the Introduction above, this plant biodiversity is not evenly distributed but is concentrated in Phytogeographic Centres of endemism. Therefore, areas on the west coast are entirely different from areas on the south coast or from those in the eastern and southern limits of the region. Thus, a reserve to the west would be home to very rich areas of mountain fynbos while a reserve in the eastern end would conserve grassy fynbos and mountain fynbos, as well as the transition to a more sub-tropical and Ethiopian faunal region. The natural processes that support this biodiversity also span steep gradients, including rainfall, temperature and altitudinal gradients, and links between all aspects of these ecosystems must continue operating if diversity is to be conserved.

This is a compelling rationale for representation of the spatial diversity of the Cape Floral Region by a number of separate protected areas rather than a single protected area which, given the sheer extent and diversity of the Cape Floral Region, is practically unfeasible.


1.2(iii) Identification of the eight protected areas The identification of a range of protected areas, representative of the biodiversity of the Cape Floral Region, has followed several steps, which can be divided into two broad phases. The first steps were taken in an initial phase where the initial identification of protected areas, including the Cape Peninsula Protected Natural Environment, was undertaken (Anon, 1999). The process followed in this initial phase (Phase 1; Anon, 1999) was “an initial exercise to identify a minimum set of complementary natural properties that would best reflect the region’s biodiversity, based on information available at this time”. The authors of the Phase 1 nomination process went on to recommend that this was only a provisional list of protected areas, and that this selection should be confirmed perhaps using more rigorous reserve selection algorithms, such as used in the CAPE Project (Appendix 5).

The formal analysis used in the CAPE Project was based on the need to achieve conservation targets for the conservation of biodiversity in perpetuity (Cowling et a

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