Boihalia 14, 3 & 4: 991-995 (1983)
The present status of vegetation conservation in South Africa
J. C . S C H E E P E R S *
A B ST RA C T
Progress with the conservation of representative stands of the great variety of South African ecosystems, as
represented by vegetation types, is reviewed against progress towards better co-ordinated and national planning of
the various conservation activities pursued by different conservation authorities.
RESUME
LE STATUT ACTUEL DE LA CONSERVATION DE LA VEGETATION EN AFRIQUE DU SUD
Les progrês obtenus dans la conservation de zones représentatives de la grande variété d'écosystêmes sud-africains,
tels qu'ils sont représentés par des types de végétation, sont examinés en les comparant avec ceux réalisés pour établir
un programme á l'échelle nationale et mieux coordonné des diverses activités ,de conservation poursuivies par
différentes autorités responsables.
A great d e a l has h a p p e n e d d u r in g the sixteen
years since the 1966 A E T F A T m e e tin g o n ‘C o n s e r ­
v a tio n o f v e g e ta tio n in A fr ic a s o u th o f the S a h a r a ’ .
T his p a p e r can o n ly s u m m a riz e the m a in d e v e lo p ­
m e n ts,
assess tre n d s a n d
a tte m p t to d e riv e
c o n c lu sio n s re g a rd in g th e prese nt
status o f v e g e ta tio n in S o u th A fr ic a .
co n se rv a tio n
In the lig h t o f H e d b e r g ’s (1976) follow - u p r e p o rt,
it is necessary to refer to the U p p s a la m e e tin g w he re
C o d d (1968) in his re g io n a l synthesis p o in te d o u t
th a t greater co - o rd in a tio n was n e e d e d b e tw e e n the
v ario u s b o d ie s c o n c e rn e d w ith c o n s e rv a tio n o f
in d ig e n o u s v e g e ta tio n . T his is g ra d u a lly c o m in g
a b o u t a n d w ill be refe rre d to a g a in .
A t the 1966 A E T F A T m e e tin g , R y c r o ft, r e p o r t­
in g o n the s itu a tio n in th e C a p e
P ro v in c e ,
r e c o m m e n d e d the cre a tio n o f extensive n a tu re
reserves to conserve m o u n ta in fy n b o s , K a r o o
S u c c u le n t S te p p e , S u b d e se rt ( K a r o o S h r u b a n d
G ra s s ), a n d su bd ese rt S te p p e , u sin g the n o m e n c la ­
ture o f the A E T F A T v e g e ta tio n m a p (K e a y , 1959).
A ls o u sin g the A E T F A T n o m e n c la tu r e , K illic k ,
briefly d e scrib ed the five v e g e ta tio n types in the
T ra n sv aa l a n d discussed th e ir c o n se rv a tio n status at
th a t tim e . H e suggested th a t it w o u ld be fa r m o re
de sirab le fo r co n se rv a tio n status o f v e g e ta tio n types
to be assessed o n the basis o f A c o c k s ’s V e ld T ypes
(1975) rath e r th a n th e v e g e ta tio n types used in the
A E T F A T m a p . H e r e c o m m e n d e d th a t each v eld
type s h o u ld c o n ta in o n e o r m o re reserves c o n ta in in g
a repre sen tativ e stan d o f th e v eld type. T his view
im m e d ia te ly g a in e d w id e ac ceptance th r o u g h o u t
S o u th A fr ic a . K illic k also suggested th a t steps
s h o u ld be ta k e n to conserve all forest — eve n o n
p riv a te ly o w n e d la n d .
assessing a d e q u a c y o f c o n se rv a tio n co v erag e. T hey
r e c o m m e n d e d th a t p r o te c tio n be e x te n d e d to
s u ita b le stands o f sw a m p fore st, m a n g ro v e s , coast
forest a n d d u n e forest.
R o b e r ts discussed fo u r A E T F A T v e g e ta tio n types
fo u n d in the O r a n g e F ree S tate . H e r e c o m m e n d e d
th a t p r o te c tio n be g iv e n to th e tw o m a in v a ria tio n s
o f w o o d e d stepp e (A cacia S a v a n n a ) e q u iv a le n t to
A c o c k s ’s V e ld T y p e N o . 16 (K a la h a r i T h o r n v e ld
a n d S h r u b B u s h v e ld ). H e also r e c o m m e n d e d th a t a
gre ater are a s h o u ld be co nse rve d o f the su bd ese rt
stepp e ( K a r r o id G r a s s la n d ) o f v a rio u s types. A s
p o in te d o u t by H e d b e r g (1 9 7 6 ), the la tte r n e e d has
b e e n p a rtia lly m e t by T ussen- die- R iviere G a m e
F a rm .
A g a in s t the fo re g o in g h isto rica l b a c k g r o u n d , a
m ile sto n e was rea che d w ith the review o f the status
o f c o n s e rv a tio n in the R e p u b lic o f S o u th A fr ic a ,
b e in g a S o u th A fr ic a n c o n tr ib u tio n to S e ctio n C T
( C o n s e r v a tio n o f T errestrial C o m m u n itie s ) o f the
In te r n a tio n a l B io lo g ic a l P r o g r a m m e . W h ile the
in v e stig atio n s re p o rte d o n w ere s tim u la te d by th e
in te r n a tio n a l p r o g r a m m e , the accent o f the review
was o n n a tio n a l ra th e r th a n in te r n a tio n a l needs. O f
p rim e im p o r ta n c e was the re p o rt o f E d w a rd s (197 4),
o n a b r o a d survey o f th e c o n se rv a tio n status o f S o u th
A fr ic a n v e g e ta tio n . S tatistical d a ta a n d m ap s
sh o w e d the d is tr ib u tio n a n d to ta l areas co nse rve d by
v ario u s c o n s e rv a tio n ag encies, th e size d is tr ib u tio n
o f n a tu re reserves, a n d the areas a n d pe rcen tage s o f
co nse rve d areas in re la tio n to A c o c k s ’s 70 v eld types
a n d seven m a in v e g e ta tio n types. M a jo r c o n se rv a­
tio n de ficiencie s lay in the K a r o o a n d K a r r o id
B u s h v e ld a n d G ra s s la n d v e g e ta tio n types, w he re 42
veld types h a d n o o r p ra c tic a lly n o c o n s e rv a tio n . In
the T ro p ic a l B u s h a n d S a v a n n a T ypes, n in e v eld
types w ere fo u n d to be ex tre m e ly la c k in g in
co n se rv a tio n . A d d it io n a l reserves w ere seen to be
n e e d e d to conserve ce rta in im p o r ta n t a n d local
B a y e r, B ig a lk e a n d C rass sim ila rly d e scrib ed the
occurren ce o f the five A E T F A T v e g e ta tio n types in
N a ta l, a n d discussed th e ir c o n se rv a tio n status. B y
im p lic a tio n , th e y also suggested th a t the A E T F A T
v e g e ta tio n types w ere n o t su ffic ie n tly fin e for
ecosystem s a n d species in the r e m a in in g 18 v e ld
types, espe cially the S c le ro p h y llo u s B u s h (F y n b o s )
* Botanical Research Institute, Department of Agriculture,
Private Bag X101, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
a n d T e m p e ra te a n d T ra n s itio n a l F orest a n d S cru b
T ypes a n d in ce rtain C o a s ta l T ro p ic a l F orest a n d
T h o r n v e ld T ypes. A p a r t fr o m m in o r sh o rtc o m in g s ,
th e c o n s e rv a tio n status was o u ts ta n d in g fo r six o f
992
T H E PRESEN T STATUS O F V E G E T A T IO N C O N S E R V A T IO N IN S O U T H A F R IC A
these 18 v e ld types ( u p to 46 pe r cent co n se rv e d ) a n d
very g o o d fo r a n o th e r six v e ld types.
M e a n w h ile , th e N a tio n a l C o m m itte e fo r N a tu r e
C o n s e rv a tio n ( N A K O R ) h a d b e e n e sta b lish e d in
1963 to p r o m o te a n d co - ordinate n a tu re co n se rv a­
tio n in S o u th A fr ic a th r o u g h co - o pe ra tio n b e tw e e n
a ll o f th e o ffic ia l n a tu re c o n s e rv a tio n b o d ie s , w ith o u t
in an y w ay d e tra c tin g fr o m the a u to n o m y o f an y o f
these b o d ie s. N A K O R in itia te d a N a tio n a l P la n fo r
N a tu r e C o n s e rv a tio n at the reque st o f th e th e n
D e p a r tm e n t o f P la n n in g a n d the E n v ir o n m e n t (n o w
the D e p a r tm e n t o f E n v ir o n m e n t A ffa ir s ) th a t w o u ld
in te g rate a n d co - ordinate the N a tio n a l P la n fo r
N a tu r e C o n s e rv a tio n w ith o th e r p la n n in g to w a rd s
the N a tio n a l P hysical D e v e lo p m e n t P la n a n d
re g io n a l d e v e lo p m e n t p lan s.
A series o f q u e stio n n a ire s was d ra w n u p a n d sent
o u t to th e co n se rv a tio n b o d ie s c o n c e rn e d , a n d this
exercise is re p e a te d a n n u a lly to u p d a te the N a tio n a l
P la n .
T hese q u e stio n n a ire s relate to ex isting
p e rm a n e n t c o n se rv a tio n areas, p la n n e d o r p ro p o s e d
c o n se rv a tio n areas, a n d r e m a in in g fu tu r e c o n se rv a­
tio n needs. T h e a d e q u a c y o f ex isting a n d p la n n e d
fu tu re co v erag e, a n d th e r e m a in in g fu tu re c o n se rv a­
tio n n eed s are assessed fr o m d iffe re n t p o in ts o f v ie w ,
e .g . c o n se rv a tio n o f v e ld types, c o n se rv a tio n
special p la n t c o m m u n itie s , a n d c o n s e rv a tio n
special h a b ita ts o f th r e a te n e d species.
T o d a te , facilitie s fo r the stora ge, re trie v al a n d
processing o f d a ta a n d fo r m a p p in g h av e b e e n
p r o v id e d by the B o ta n ic a l R e se a rc h In s titu te o f the
D e p a r tm e n t o f A g r ic u ltu r e . U n t il recen tly the
B o ta n ic a l R e s e a rc h In s titu te p r o v id e d the services o f
a part- tim e #c o - o rd in a to r a n d part- tim e te c h n ic a l
s u p p o rt. T he D e p a r tm e n t o f E n v ir o n m e n t A ffa ir s
n o w p ro v id e s a full- tim e co - o rd in a to r w ith s u p p o r t­
in g staff, as w e ll as the S e c re ta ria t, a n d w ill so o n
assum e re sp o n sib ility
m a p p in g .
FYNBOS
pro cessing
and
q u e stio n n a ire s a n d m a p s are used at p la n n in g
w o rk sh o p s to d e te rm in e c o n se rv a tio n p rio ritie s at
n a tio n a l a n d p ro v in c ia l levels.
W it h reg ard to the c o n s e rv a tio n o f v e g e ta tio n ,
T a b le 1 p ro v id e s a b r ie f s u m m a r y o f th e cu rre n t
OF SO UTH A F R IC A ( Provisional)
& J.C. Scheepers(l982)
SUBTROPICAL CO AST F O R E S T /T H IC K E T
TROPICAL
d a ta
vals. C o m p ila tio n s o f in fo r m a tio n d e riv e d fr o m the
22°
O. Edwards
fo r
T h e N a tio n a l P la n fo r N a tu r e C o n s e rv a tio n is an
on- going p ro je c t o f a n o p en - e nd ed n a tu re . T h e d a ta
base is a n n u a lly u p d a te d , a n d m ap s a n d c o ­
o r d in a te d p lan s are rev ie w e d at c o n v e n ie n t in te r ­
~r
B IO M E S
of
of
LOWLAND (COAST) FOREST
MONTANE FO RE ST-G RA SS LAND
A F R O -A LP IN E G R A S S -H E A T H
GRASSLAND
MOIST W O O DLAN O /TH IC KET
DRV W O O DLAN O /TH IC KE T
MIXED WOODLANDS
S E M I- A R ID
F ig . 1.— Provisional map of the biomes of South Africa.
J. C. S C H E E P E R S
TABLE 1. — Percentage areas conserved o f various veld
types (NB. These statistics are based on questionnairederived data and are subject to error)
Veld
Type
No.
Area o f
Veld
T ype(ha)
Area o f
Veld Type
conserved (ha)
Percentage
o f area o f
Veld Type
conserved %
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
2 639 950,0
210 890,0
83310,0
402 090,0
1 196580,0
356 450,0
645 520,0
952 840,0
1 194 180,0
2 379710,0
1 900 450,0
587 920,0
839 350.0
1 822 050,0
2 086 810,0
13 908 190,0
1 804 570,0
3 986 720,0
3 448 180,0
1 301 870,0
389 150,0
462 230,0
2716710,0
J74 350,0
935 880,0
3 378 590,0
1 956 930,0
2 135 760,0
7 688 440,0
1 115 240,0
3714910,0
3714 190,0
2810590,0
733 540,0
2 783 870,0
5 983 060,0
1 107 060,0
119 150,0
119 540,0
617 420,0
121 750,0
225 870,0
621 280,0
3 173 780,0
394 480,0
178 880,0
928 870,0
3 753 160,0
34 367
150
3 400
13901
11 144
21 200
200
30 559
77 133
528 840
590 835
0
300
4 766
853 067
986 826
700
63 384
15 293
50 901
35
0
29 720
0
6 900
4710
320
1 760
760
0
540
9 485
4 600
3 306
0
63 849
11 521
0
0
0
0
2 849
75 177
101 397
618
10530
22 503
903
1,30
0,07
4,08
3,46
0,93
5,95
0,03
3,21
6,46
22,2
31,1
0
0,04
0,26
40,9
7,0
0,04
1,59
0,44
2,27
0,009
0
1,09
0
0,74
0,14
0,02
0,08
0,01
0
0,01
0,25
0,16
0,45
0
1,06
1,04
0
0
0
0
1,26
12,10
3,19
0,15
0,59
2,42
0,02
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
1 714 730,0
4 707 150,0
275 780,0
1 079 790,0
1 211 510,0
290 240,0
62 910,0
989 980,0
1 475 200,0
980 080,0
256 720,0
1 522 320,0
3 003 360,0
151 940.0
788 830,0
540 580,0
1 843 740,0
577 160,0
248 990,0
67 330,0
1 980 130,0
1 747 290,0
7 300
13530
0
0
0
379
0
1 206
1 000
63 493
0
1 249
17 148
0
6 075
1 1 415
3 829
0
0
0
664 303
37 508
0,43
0,29
0
0
0
0,13
0
0,12
0,68
6,48
0
0,082
0,57
0
0,77
2,11
0,21
0
0
0
33,55
2,15
993
co n se rv a tio n status o f v e ld types. T h e n am e s o f the
v ario us v eld types are g iven in the A p p e n d ix . T o
fa c ilitate u n d e r s ta n d in g , the v eld types are g ro u p e d
in to several b io m e types as m a p p e d in F ig. 1. O n this
basis, the co n se rv a tio n status o f the v ario u s b io m e s
can be assessed (T a b le 2). A n im p o r ta n t p o in t to
re m e m b e r in e v a lu a tin g the co n se rv a tio n coverage
o f v eld types is th a t a n u m b e r o f veld types, n a m e ly
the so-called ‘false ’ v eld types o f A c o c k s , are
sec o n dary , h a v in g b e e n d e riv e d fr o m the o r ig in a l
n a tu ra l v e g e ta tio n as a result o f o v e rg ra zin g a n d
tr a m p lin g , ov e r- b urning , a n d also u n d e r- u tiliza tio n
a n d selective g ra zin g . It w o u ld seem p o in tle ss to
conserve a n d m a in ta in these in th e ir ab u se d state by
c o n tin u e d m a lp ra c tic e , fa ilin g w h ic h th e y w ill revert
to the m o re n a tu r a l c o n d itio n , as is h a p p e n in g in the
T ussen-die-Riviere G a m e F a rm in the F alse U p p e r
K a r o o (W e r g e r, 1973). F r o m T a b le 2 it w ill be seen
th a t the c o n s e rv a tio n status o f th e G r a s s la n d B io m e ,
p a rtic u la rly the H ig h v e ld G ra s s la n d s , is p a rtic u la rly
lo w . T his is cause fo r grave c o n c e rn o w in g to the
serious th re a t p o sed by a g ric u ltu ra l in te n s ific a tio n
a n d o th e r d e v e lo p m e n ts .
T o s u m m a riz e th e prese nt p o s itio n , it can be seen
th a t, a lth o u g h chang es have ta k e n place since the
survey o f E d w a r d s (197 4), th e g e n e ral pic tu re
re m a in s s u b sta n tia lly
the sam e as p re v io u sly
re p o rte d . T he p re p o n d e ra n c e o f c o n s e rv a tio n e ffo rt
is c o n c e n tra te d in the v eld types o f the eastern a n d
so u th e rn parts o f S o u th A fr ic a . In c o n tra st, a lm o s t
n e g lig ib le c o n s e rv a tio n is fo u n d in th e sem i-arid to
arid w estern parts o f the co u n try .
R e g a r d in g th e co n se rv a tio n o f special p la n t
c o m m u n itie s , the in fo r m a tio n to da te is p a tc h y an d
reflects the fact th a t n o sta n d a rd ac ce p ta b le list o f
special p la n t c o m m u n itie s exists at prese nt. N e v e r­
theless, m u c h in te re stin g in fo r m a tio n has c o m e to
lig h t b u t m u c h m o re d a ta are still re q u ire d . T he
s ta n d a rd iz a tio n o f S o u th A fr ic a n p la n t- c o m m u n ity
n o m e n c la tu r e is n o w receiv ing a tte n tio n a n d this w ill
h e lp to system atize the c o n se rv a tio n o f special p la n t
c o m m u n itie s a n d p u t it o n a s o u n d fo o tin g .
W it h regard to K illic k ’s re p o rt at th e 1966
A E T F A T m e e tin g , the first step to w a rd s the
all- em bracin g co n se rv a tio n o f forest has b e e n ta k e n .
T he W ild life S ociety o f S o u th e r n A fr ic a has
la u n c h e d a survey, e n listin g the co - ope ration o f its
w id e m e m b e r s h ip in c lu d in g p r e d o m in a n tly th e lay
p u b lic , to ascertain th e answ ers to the fo llo w in g
qu e stio n s: W h e r e are all th e forests o n p riv a te la n d ?
W h a t is th e ir c o n d itio n ? Is th e ir c o n tin u e d existence
th re a te n e d in an y w a y ? W h a t special feature s
d istin g u ish each forest? W h ic h forests s h o u ld be
selected fo r co n se rv a tio n a c tio n ? T h e B o ta n ic a l
R e se arch In s titu te w ill p ro v id e p ro fe ssio n a l a n d
te c h n ical assistance w he re re q u ire d . A re p o rt w ill be
s u b m itte d to N A K O R in d u e course.
T he p o s itio n in reg ard to the c o n se rv a tio n o f
th re a te n e d p la n t species gives cause fo r c o n c e rn . A
m a jo r h a n d ic a p b o th fo r the o ffic ia l co n se rv a tio n
agencies a n d fo r N A K O R in its fu n c tio n o f
co - o rd ina ting co n se rv a tio n activities a n d p la n s , has
b e en the la c k , u n til rec en tly , o f an a u th o r ita tiv e list
o f th re a te n e d p la n t species. T h e W o r k in g G r o u p fo r
T h re a te n e d P la n t Species ( o f the T errestrial B io lo g y
994
T H E PRESEN T STATUS O F V E G E T A T IO N C O N S E R V A T IO N IN S O U T H A F R IC A
T A B L E 2. - Conservation status o f South African biomes (w ith regional subtypes). The statistics are based on
questionnaire-derived data and are subject to error
Biome -
Regional subtype
(w ith percentage area o f South Africa and actual extent covered)
Area
conserved
ha
1.
Fynbos biom e (3,96%; 48 351,7 k m 2 )
(a) Mountain Fynbos (& Forest) (3,05%; 37 274,2 k m 2)
Percentage
area
conserved
%
734 844
15,19
701 811
18,8
Veld types 69 & 70
(b)
2.
(b)
4.
South-eastern
(1,2%; 14326,0 k m 2 )
Veld type 1 (south o f St Lucia)
Southern (Alexandria Forest) (0,17%; 2 108,9 k m 2)
Veld type 2
Tropical low land (coast) forest biom e
Veld type 1 (north of St Lucia) (3.85%; 46 985,0 k m 2 )
M ontane forest biom e (2,74%; 33 466,7 k m 2)
(a)
(b)
5.
33 033
(0,91%; 1 1 077,5 k m ! )
Veld types 46 & 47
Subtropical coast forest biom e (1,42%; 116434,9 k m 2)
(a)
3.
Lowland Fynbos
Montane
(0,91 %; 11139,5 k m 2 )
Veld types 4,44 & 45
Submontane (1,83%; 22 327,2 k m 2 )
Veld types 3,5 & 8
Afro-alpine grass-heath biom e (8,03%; 9 800,8 k m 2)
2,98
23 267
1,60
23 117
1,61
150
0,07
115 916
2,5
161 019
115916
6,86
10,4
45 103
2,02
63 493
6,48
64 034
21 319
0,26
0,57
(including Subalpine) Veld type 58
6.
South African grassland biom e (20,7%; 243 124,3 k m 2 )
(a)
7.
Eastern Grasslands
(3,07%; 37 503,1 k m 2)
Veld types 63, 64, 65 & 66
(16,84%; 205 621,2 k m 2)
Veld types 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 60, 61, 62, 68
Moist w oodland biom e (including scrub and savanna intergrades) (1,8%; 21 961,5 k m 2 )
(b)
Highveld Grasslands
4 2 715
0,21
98 533
4,49
(a)
Eastern
98 333
6,34
200
0,03
(1,27%; 15 506,3 k m 2 )
Veld types 6 & 9
(b)
8
(0,53%; 6 4 5 5 ,2 k m 2 )
Veld type 7
Dry w oodland biom e (including scrub and savanna intergrades) (1,99%; 24 292,1 k m 2 )
(a)
9.
South-eastern
Mopane
(1,71 %; 20 868,1 k m 2 )
Veld type 15
(b) Pteleopsis — Newtonia Dry Forest/Thicket (0,28%; 3 424,0 k m 2)
Veld types 1 & 10 (bo th in northern part o f St Lucia)
Savanna biom e (including scrub) (28,9%; 353 150,3 k m 2 )
(a)
(b)
Transvaal Bushveld
(9,4%; 114 796,7 k m 2 )
Veld types 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 67
Eastern Transvaal Lowveld (3,5%; 42 801,6 k m 2)
860 884
3,5
853 067
40,88
7817
2,28
227 160
134 644
6,43
1,17
1 119 675
26,16
987 526
6,28
Veld types 10 & 11
(c)
Kalahari Scrub and Thornveld
(12,87%; 157 127,6 k m 2 )
Veld types 16 & 17
(d)
10.
South-eastern Karroid Scrub and Thornveld
(3,15%; 38 424,4 k m 2 )
Veld types 21, 22, 23, 24
Karoo (26,27%; 320 759,48 k m 2 )
(a)
Succulent Karoo
(6,71 %; 81 949,2 k m 2 )
29 755
181 277
0,7
11 206
0,565
0,137
92212
0,565
77 859
1,03
8 446
6,43
Veld types 25, 31, 33, 34, 39
(b)
Central Karoo
(13,37%; 163 241,38 k m 2)
Veld types 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 32, 35, 40, 43
11.
(c) Karoo - Grass Transition (6,19%; 75 568,9 k m 2 )
N am ib desert biom e (0,167%; 1313 k m 2)
Small parts o f Veld types 3 1 ,3 3 and 34 in vicinity o f lower Orange River
995
J. C. S C H E E P E R S
S e ctio n o f th e N a tio n a l P r o g r a m m e fo r E n v ir o n ­
m e n ta l Sciences) has b e e n w o r k in g fo r several years
to d ra w u p a list o f th re a te n e d p la n t species. T his has
n o w b e e n p u b lis h e d ( H a ll et al., 1980) a n d a le a d can
be giv en to th e c o n se rv a tio n agencies. T h e list is
essentially a first d ra ft a n d m u c h m o re research
needs to be d o n e b e fo re the c o n se rv a tio n o f
th re a te n e d p la n t species can be p la n n e d a n d p u t in to
18
19
20
III A
FA LSE B U S H V E L D TYPES
21 False Thornveld of Eastern Cape
22 Invasion of Grassland by Thorn
IV
K A R O O A N D K A R R O ID TYPES
23 Valley Bushveld
24 The Noorsveld
25
S u c c u le n t
M o u n t a in
S c ru b
(Spekboomveld)
26 Karroid Broken Veld
27 Central Upper Karoo
28 Western Mountain Karoo
29 Arid Karoo
30 Central Lower Karoo
31 Succulent Karoo
32 The Orange River Broken Veld
33 The Namaqualand Broken Veld
34 Strandveld
IV A
FA LSE K A R O O TYPES
35 False Arid Karoo
36 False Upper Karoo
37 False Karroid Broken Veld
38 False Central Lower Karoo
39 False Succulent Karoo
40 False Orange River Broken Veld
41 Pan Turf Veld Invaded by Karoo
42 Karroid Merxmuellera Mountain
Veld Replaced by Karoo
43 Mountain Rhenosterbosveld
practice o n a scien tific basis.
In
b rie f, w h ile there are e n c o u ra g in g signs o f
progress, it is cle ar th a t the c o n se rv a tio n status o f
the S o u th A fr ic a n flo ra a n d v e g e ta tio n is still
d e fic ie n t in a n u m b e r o f respects. T o m a k e g o o d
these de ficien cie s is a c h a lle n g in g a n d im p o r ta n t task
th a t w ill d e m a n d a great d e a l o f h a rd w o rk in the
years a h e a d .
ACKNOW LEDGM ENTS
I
w ish to express m y g ra te fu l th a n k s to D r S. S. d u
Plessis, C h a ir m a n o f N A K O R , fo r p e rm issio n to use
statistics d e riv e d fr o m the d a ta b a n k o f th e N A K O R
N a tio n a l P la n fo r N a tu r e C o n s e rv a tio n . I a m also
greatly in d e b te d to M isses A . P. B a c k e r a n d E . C .
A . S m ith fo r th e ir h e lp in p re p a rin g T ab le s 1 a n d 2.
REFERENCES
A c o c k s, J. P. H ., 1975. V eld types o f South A frica. Mem. bot.
Surv. S. Afr. 40.
T E M P E R A T E A N D T R A N S IT IO N A L F O REST
A N D S C R U B TYPES
44 Highland Sourveld and Dohne
Sourveld
45 Natal Mist Belt 'nGongoni Veld
46 Coastal Rhenosterbosveld
47 Coastal Macchia
C o d d , L. E. W ., 1968. Regional synthesis. In I. & O . Hedberg,
Conservation of vegetation in Africa south of the Sahara.
Acta Phytogeogr. Suec. 54: 257-260.
E d w a r d s , D . , 1974. Survey to determine the adequacy of existing
conserved areas in relation to vegetation types. A
preliminary report. Koedoe 17: 3-38.
H a l l , A . V ., D e W in t e r , M ., D e W in t e r , B. & V a n
O o s t e r h o u t , S. A. M ., 1980. Threatened plants of southern
Africa. S. A . National Scientific Programmes Report No. 45.
H e d b e r g , I., 1976. Follow-up of the A ET FA T meeting at
Uppsala in 1966 on ‘Conservation of vegetation in Africa
south of the Sahara’. Boissiera 24: 437 -441.
K e a y , R. W . J., 1959. Vegetation map of Africa south of the
Tropic of Cancer. London: Oxford University Press.
W e r g e r , M. J. A ., 1973. A n account of the plant communities of
Tussen-die-Riviere Game Farm, Orange Free State.
Bothalia 11: 165-176.
VI
P U R E G R A S S V E L D TYPES
48 Cymbopogon-Themeda Veld
49 T r a n s i t i o n a l
Cym bopogon
—Themeda Veld
50 Dry Cymbopogon-Themeda Veld
51 Pan Turf Veld
52 Themeda Veld or Turf Highveld
53 Patchy Highveld to Cymbopo­
gon-Themeda Veld Transition
54 Turf Highveld to Highland
Sourveld Transition
55 Bankenveld to Turf Highveld
Transition
56 Highland Sourveld to Cymbo­
pogon-Themeda Veld Transition
57 North-Eastern Sandy Highveld
58 Themeda—Festuca Alpine Veld
59 Stormberg Plateau Sweetveld
60 Karroid Merxmuellera Mountain
Veld
VI A
FA L SE G R A S S V E L D TYPES
61 Bankenveld
62 Bankenveld to Sour Sandveld
Transition
63 Piet Retief Sourveld
64 Northern Tall Grassveld
65 Southern Tall Grassveld
66 Natal Sour Sandveld
67 Pietersburg Plateau False Grassveld
68 Eastern Province Grassveld
V II
S C L E R O P H Y L L O U S BU SH TYPES
69 Fynbos
V II A
FA L SE S C L E R O P H Y L L O U S BU SH TYPES
70 False Fynbos
A P P E N D IX : V E L D TYPES
C O A S T A L T R O P IC A L FO R E S T TYPES
Veld Type No. 1 Coastal Forest and Thornveld
2 The Alexandria Forest
3 The Pondoland Coastal Plateau
Sourveld
4 The Knysna Forest
5 The ’nGongoni Veld
6 The Zululand Thornveld
7 The Eastern Province Thornveld
IN L A N D T R O P IC A L FO R E S T TYPES
8 North-eastern Mountain Sourveld
9 Lowveld Sour Bushveld
III
T R O P IC A L B U SH A N D S A V A N N A T Y P E S
(B U S H V E L D )
10 Lowveld
11 Arid Lowveld
12 Springbok Flats Turf Thornveld
13 Other Turf Thornveld
14 Arid Sweet Bushveld
15 Mopani Veld
16 Kalahari Thornveld
17 Kalahari Thornveld Invaded by
Karoo
Mixed Bushveld
Sourish Mixed Bushveld
Sour Bushveld