BSP Basic - V1

A Guide to the Western Cape BSP Handbook 2017

A Guide to the

WESTERN CAPE

BIODIVERSITY SPATIAL PLAN
HANDBOOK 2017

INSIDE:
BIODIVERSITY
SPATIAL PLAN
MAP

of the Western Cape.

A Guide to the Western Cape BSP Handbook 2017 THE WESTERN CAPE
FLORISTIC REGION
Keywords
The Western Cape, which includes most of the Greater Cape Floristic Region,
& HANDBOOK PG NO’S contains the world’s most diverse non-tropical flora – a precious natural endowment
XXX Biodiversity hotspots that carries with it great opportunities and tremendous responsibilities.
XXX Biomes
XXX Vegetation units The Region’s habitats are under serious plans that enable environmental considerations
XXX Habitat loss threat from unsustainable land use practices, to be incorporated into planning processes at all
XXX Ecological infrastructure alien species infestation and infrastructural levels of government.
XXX Priority biodiversity areas development. With up to 94% habitat loss so
XXX Biodiversity planning far, more ecosystems are threatened here than The boundaries of the BSP2a.r e aligneBdiwoitmh es
XXX BSP GIS system anywhere else in South Africa. Its large and
XXX Natural resource management complex biodiversity, and the very real threat municipal and provincial boundaries, so
XXX Land use options of further habitat loss, combine to make the the most recent biodiversity information is
XXX Integrated development Western Cape a Global Biodiversity Hotspot. readily available to serve the specific needs
of development planners, environmental
planning Balancing the need to protect regional assessments and natural resource managers.
XXX Infrastructure investment biodiversity and the need for infrastructural and
XXX Ecosystem services economic development is an ongoing challenge. The key to the BSP Framework is a set of
XXX Ecosystem fragmentation Geographic information System (GIS) data
The Western Cape BSP layers and maps of freshwater and terrestrial
Photo by Scott Ramsay Framework biodiversity priority areas that should be
consulted in all spatial planning processes to
The Western Cape BSP Framework provides a ensure ecological sensitivity.
set of critical spatial planning tools designed to
protect the province’s ecological infrastructure The BSP Handbook is an authoritative
and priority biodiversity areas, and to enable document containing an encyclopaedic amount
sustainable development. Published by the of information. It is the key to unlocking the
Western Cape Department of Environmental vast storehouse of biodiversity and land-use
Affairs and Development Planning in information that resides within the BSP. This
collaboration with Cape Nature, the 2017 BSP brochure serves as a ‘field guide’ to the BSP
Handbook is a detailed scientific contribution Handbook.
to the countrywide biodiversity planning
effort. It’s part of a broader set of tools and How To Get Hold of the
initiatives that are provided for in Outcome 10 Western Cape BSP
of the National Government’s Medium Term
Strategic Framework (MTSF), which requires It’s available as a downloadable
that environmental assets, natural resources PDF on the SANBI website at
and biodiversity are well protected and www.bgis.sanbi.org (South
continually enhanced, with special attention to Africa’s Biodiversity Portal), or
vulnerable ecosystems, species and habitats. To directly from SANBI’s BGIS Unit.
achieve this the Western Cape government has Call (021) 799 8738
developed bioregional and biodiversity sector

3-4% 6% 37% 55% 70% 94%

of the global totals of of the world’s of SA’s vegetation (6 out of 9) of South of all species in the of habitat loss has
higher plant species biodiversity hotspots units Africa’s biomes region are endemic already occurred

(more than 9000)

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WHAT IS A SYSTEMATIC A Guide to the Western Cape BSP Handbook 2017
BIODIVERSITY PLAN?
KEY PRINCIPLES
Systematic biodiversity planning involves mapping biodiversity features and OF BIODIVERSITY
patterns of land and resource use. Specialised software linked to the BSP GIS system PLANNING
is used to analyse data and set biodiversity targets.
1. Principle of representation:
The maps generated show where natural resource From a development point of view, the BSP is the the need to conserve a
management and conservation action should be primary source of biodiversity information for representative sample of all
focused and help planners assess the implications all land-use planning and decision-making in the biodiversity patterns
for biodiversity of various land use options. The Western Cape, aligns with national biodiversity
maps are not only used to plan conservation planning tools and is designed to facilitate 2. Principle of persistence:
interventions, but also to ensure that biodiversity pro-active forward planning, conservation and the need to maintain
opportunities and constraints are incorporated restoration. ecological and evolutionary
proactively into integrated development planning processes that allow
and infrastructure investment. From an ecosystem services point of view, the biodiversity to persist in the
BSP presents the biodiversity of our ecological long term
The many uses of the BSP infrastructure, which delivers ecosystem services,
as highly valuable assets. The sustainable 3. Biodiversity targets:
Developed at a relatively fine spatial scale (1:10 management of these assets to prevent quantitative targets set for
000 – 1:50 000), the BSP can be used for planning ecosystem fragmentation and loss must be biodiversity features
at local, district and provincial levels. integrated into all planning spheres.
4. Efficiency and conflict
avoidance: to meet
biodiversity targets while
avoiding conflict with other
land uses where possible.

6 Key 1. To provide a spatial framework for environmentally sustainable development
Objectives and resource use, and to provide the province with primary biodiversity
information for all land use planning and decision-making.
of the BSP
2. To maintain the province’s ecological infrastructure and avoid ecosystem loss
or fragmentation.
3. To strengthen the resilience of ecosystems and human communities to the
impacts of climate change.
To streamline and monitor land use decision-making and inform municipalities
4. and planners about the wise management of spatial biodiversity priorities.
5.
To focus on-the-ground conservation and restoration action in Biodiversity
Priority Areas and support CapeNature in implementing its biodiversity
mandate.

6. To mainstream biodiversity conservation in the development and production
sectors, and promote greater synergy between them and biodiversity
conservation.

PROVIDE COMBAT STRENGTHEN MONITOR FOCUS MAINSTREAM

a spatial ecosystem ecosystem resilience land use on Biodiversity biodiversity
framework fragmentation and decision-making Priority conservation
Areas
loss

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A Guide to the Western Cape BSP Handbook 2017

ENABLING LIVING FUNCTIONAL
LANDSCAPES: The logic and benefits of land-use legislation

COSTS OF NON-COMPLIANCE BENEFITS OF COMPLIANCE,

COLLABORATION AND SYSTEMS THINKING

Unnecessary costs, Negative landscape impacts, Ecological rehabilitation, Crisis preparedness
penalties, bureaucratic including fragmentation, loss resulting in functional and and disaster risk
of connectivity and reduced reduction
difficulties resilient landscapes
nutrient cycling

Landscape Rehabilitation

Pollution Landscape Degradation & Indigenous and Conservation
Unregulated Economic Soil Erosion Endemic Vegetation Agriculture

Development Well-Managed Orderly Commercial &
Living Spaces Industrial Development
Overgrazing
Monoculture Segregation Inappropriate Integration Healthy Mountain Catchments
Housing Models
Loss of Healthy Rivers Well-Managed Vleis
Coastal Dunes HABITAT and Wetlands and Estuaries
Marine Pollution LOSS

Canalisation

Effluent Intact Healthy Oceans
Coastal Dunes
Marine Conservation

Responding to The Benefits of

Climate Change Systems Thinking

MITIGATION: Ecological rehabilitation and
C02 emission reduction positive planning

ADAPTATION: Efficiency and
Disaster risk reduction conflict avoidance

DROUGHT FLOODS EXTREME Land-use guidelines and
WEATHER quantitative targets

Integrated
environmental management

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ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: A Guide to the Western Cape BSP Handbook 2017
A PILLAR OF THE
PROVINCIAL ECONOMY KEY
ECOSYSTEM
Ecosystems, which are systems of relationship between the living components of SERVICES
biodiversity and their environments, operate at all scales, from microscopic pond
life to tidal zones, forests and majestic mountain ranges. PROVIDE life-supporting
services such as air and water
Ecosystem services River catchments are highly productive water
providers, while groundwater systems play an UNDERPIN agriculture,
The benefits that we as human beings derive important role in interacting with surface water. especially the province’s wine
directly from nature are vital for our survival. and fruit industries
These natural goods and services include clean Coastal and Marine
air and water, flood and erosion control, building Ecosystems SUPPORT the provincial
materials, food sources, pollination and carbon tourism industry
storage. In the Western Cape, the ecological The 1000 km Western Cape coastline is diverse
infrastructure and its ecosystem services are an and rich in marine biodiversity, with numerous CONTRIBUTE to the
important pillar of our provincial asset base. estuaries that are either permanently or provincial film industry
periodically open to the sea.
Freshwater Ecosystems ENHANCE Cape Town’s
reputation as an international
Scarce water resources are key to the centre of arts and culture.
socio-economic development of the province.

Useful and Many species, a number of which are critically endangered,
Exploited are harvested or exploited for human use as food, for both
Species traditional (muthi) and commercial medicine, for cosmetics
and fragrant oil production, for the pet trade, and for game
farming and commercial hunting.

PLANT SPECIES: SEA LIFE: TERRESTRIAL SPECIES:

Bitter aloe (Aloe ferox) Abalone (Haliotis midae) Antelope Owls
Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) Rock lobster (Jasus lalandii) Baboons Tortoises
Honey badgers Butterflies
Honeybush tea Varieties of fish Cape vultures Colophon
(Cyclopia subternata) beetles

Protea varieties

POND LIFE MOUNTAINSCAPES TIDAL ZONE FORESTS

Photo by Riaan van der Waalt Photo by Scott Ramsay Photo by Marie-Adéle de Villiers Photo by Scott Ramsay 5

A Guide to the Western Cape BSP Handbook 2017 HABITAT LOSS AND
ECOSYSTEM RESILIENCE
Keywords
The Western Cape’s ecological infrastructure and the ecosystem services that it
& HANDBOOK PG NO’S provides are threatened by commercial fishing, coastal development, unregulated
XXX Biodiversity targets agricultural expansion, reduced freshwater flows, pollution, invasive alien species
XXX Compliance and climate change.
XXX Fragmentation
XXX Disaster risk reduction Land use pressures and • maintain the ecological processes that
XXX Conservation agriculture habitat change allow biodiversity to persist
XXX Catchment
XXX Endemic If biodiversity threats are not reduced, some • better withstand human-induced
XXX Adaptation ecosystems could collapse. pressures
XXX Systems thinking
The primary causes of loss of biodiversity in the • adapt to the impacts of climate change
Photo by Rupert Koopman Western Cape are: and mitigate its effects by capturing and
storing carbon.
• loss of habitat for vulnerable species
Strengthening ecosystem
• land transformation from natural to resilience
manmade landscapes
By integrating BSP guidelines into their
• modification and exploitation of natural planning, decision-makers can reduce the
watercourses impacts of climate threats and habitat loss.
Systematic biodiversity planning focuses
• increased frequency and shifts in the conservation action by setting clear goals. For
fire season example:

• invasive alien species • protect water source areas,
watercourses and groundwater
• climate change. recharge areas

What is ecosystem • implement appropriate fire
resilience? management

Ecosystem resilience is the ability of the • restore and maintain biodiversity for
ecosystem to absorb a certain amount of carbon storage
change, yet still remain functional. Resilience
can be maintained by focusing on intact areas • assist with disaster management and
and maintaining Biodiversity Priority Areas in a reduce vulnerability to floods and
natural or near-natural state, and by maximising droughts
connectivity between these areas.
• create functional connectivity in
Resilient ecosystems are able to deliver landscapes.
ecosystem services to:

Photo by Deon Geldenhuys BSP & SDGs

Adopted in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals, spearheaded by the
UN, present 17 global goals to transform our world. While most of these
goals have some connection with biodiversity spatial planning, four are
directly relevant to it:

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A Guide to the Western Cape BSP Handbook 2017

BSP LAND USE GUIDELINES Keywords
AND COMPLIANCE
REQUIREMENTS & HANDBOOK PG NO’S

BSP Guidelines for land-use planning, decision-making and resource management XXX Carbon storage
aim to achieve diversity-sensitive management of a mosaic of land uses, including XXX Invasive alien species
protection, restoration, production, settlement and subsistence. XXX Modification of watercourses
XXX Groundwater recharge area
Biodiversity management Guidelines for Protected XXX BSP land use guidelines
objectives Areas (PAs) XXX Ground-truthing
XXX Integrated Development
Biodiversity management objectives must be The National Environmental Management:
integrated into the planning and practices of Protected Areas Act (NEM:PAA) requires that Planning
all land users, planners and decision-makers. each protected area is governed by an approved XXX Spatial development
Complete compliance with BSP legislation management plan that identifies allowable
is required. activities and allocates them appropriately. framework
XXX Resilience

USING THE BSP MAP: 5 BASIC STEPS USING BSP IN
IDPs & SDFs
STEP 1: Prepare for site visit
Municipal Integrated Development
Determine the biodiversity context and access underlying biodiversity Plans (IDPs) normally include
information. an Environmental Sector Plan
or Integrated Environmental
STEP 2: Conduct site visit Management Programme. The
Province and its municipalities
Ground-truth the BSP Map, identify possible compromises or solutions to are obliged to develop legally
minimise impacts, and plan to avoid or remedy impacts. binding Spatial Development
Frameworks (SDFs) which indicate
STEP 3: Assess impact on biodiversity desired patterns of land use,
ensure sustainable development
Commission a specialist survey if necessary. If there are unavoidable and provide strategic guidance for
impacts, regard them as ‘red flags’ and consider an alternative site or plan for development and conservation.
restoration.
Biodiversity Priority
STEP 4: Identify biodiversity conservation Categories

opportunities In order to include biodiversity
priorities in existing municipal
Consider a stewardship agreement or biodiversity offset. Clear all alien spatial plans, municipalities
vegetation. Restore degraded land or freshwater ecosystems. develop land use zoning schemes
which include the 7 BSP categories
STEP 5: Include biodiversity considerations featured on the BSP Map.

in EIA report

Determine the least damaging configurations. Concentrate disturbance
footprints in degraded areas. Integrate biodiversity conservation into the
overall design.

BSP CATEGORIES

Protected Critical Critical Ecological Ecological Other Severely
Area Biodiversity Biodiversity Support Support Area Natural Area Modified to
PA Area 1: No Natural
Area 1: Area 2: ESA 1 2: ONA Remaining
terrestrial, forest, degraded CBA 2 ESA 2
NNR
aquatic CBA 1

Photo by Scott Ramsay 7

A Guide to the Western Cape BSP Handbook 2017

KEY MESSAGES

The BSP Map reinforces three Key Messages that are crucial for all concerned
with land-use planning in the province:

1. The value of our ecological especially the benefits of compliance and the
infrastructure and costs of non-compliance. This includes a broad
ecosystem services knowledge and understanding of:

We need to be fully conversant with the value of • the relevant legislation at national and
our ecological infrastructure and the services it provincial levels
provides, and the need to constantly assess and
limit the extent of habitat loss. This requires a • the BSP Categories and land use
good working knowledge of: guidelines, including multiple land use
combinations
• the key ecosystems and important
biodiversity features of the province • the benefits of compliance and positive
planning, as well as the costs and delays
• ground-truthing and how to that may arise from non-compliance.
implement it
3. Developing adaptive
• the benefits of effective natural resilience to climate change
resource management and how
increased biodiversity awareness can We need to understand the impacts of climate
improve land use efficiency change at both the global and local levels and
how to respond and adapt to a changing climate.
• the benefits of collaboration, what it This requires a thorough understanding of:
really means to collaborate effectively,
and how to go about it • what climate change is, how it comes
about, and what its knock-on effects are
• the benefits of BSP as a tool that likely to be at the provincial and local
enables systems thinking and helps levels
increase efficiency.
• how to investigate and develop ways
2. The necessity of to increase our resilience and adaptive
compliance with land use capacity
legislation
• how to avoid unnecessary
We need to understand the wisdom and ecological risks.
purpose of provincial land-use legislation, and

The abovementioned information is accessible through the BSP Hanbook,
the Strategic Water Source Area tools https://water.cer.org.za/

ECOSYSTEM LEGISLATIVE ADAPTATION &
SERVICES COMPLIANCE RESILIENCE

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