heading of section or presentation fire … · heading of section or presentation fire application...

HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Fire Application for Grassland Management

eThekwini Municipality | Planning Unit

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & CLIMATE PROTECTION DEPARTMENT

by Bheka J. Nxele

Biodiversity, Climate & Green Project

Implementation Branch

“Fire Application for Grassland Management”

September 2012

HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity

• Ecosystem Management

• Background on Grassland Management

• Fire-managed areas within EMA (selection)

• Working on Fire Programme - IFMS (WoF)

Training;

IAP Control;

Green economy;

Local Economic Development

• Herbicide-Assist Programme

Biocontrol trials on specific IAPs

Emerging-weed Control (Triplaris americana)

Indigenous invasive species (Pteridium aquilinum)

Fire training for landowners

• Challenges faced by green projects such as WoF

Contents

Fire Application for Grassland Management

HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Ecosystem Management

Ecosyst. Serv. Areas (id, mapping, mngment agreements etc).


Sustainable Ecosystem Management Approach: • Vital for delivery of essential ‘life-supporting’ ecosystem services • Should be mainstreamed into societal conscience, political thinking & economic processes

Changing times – call for “mental disposition” • Incr. human pop – demand for finite resources – enviro. degradation – Climate Change – FEEDING THE WORLD??? = Sustainable Ecosystem Management & Equitable Governance (Munang et al. 2011)

Facts on Human Activities: • Dramatic in biod. loss; habitat destruction; incr. soil erosion; deforestation; desertification processes; soil degradation; limiting fresh water supply; changing global climate; facilitating IAS infestations etc. (Peters & Lovejoy, 1992)

HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Background on Grasslands

• Grasslands dominantly constitute a herbaceous layer of a variety

of species, including forbs.

• In savanna systems, the continuous herbaceous layer of grassland gets

broken by woody species.

• Grasslands usually support a rich diversity of both flora and

fauna – ever-growing conservation interest (Uys & Bond).

• Grasslands (Open Savanna systems) play a crucial role in providing;

a) grazing fields for livestock

b) carbon storage

c) agricultural fields,

d) other ecosystem services

In a nut-shell, grasslands greatly increase the ability of the land to

support people!


HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Scientific Facts on Grassland Management

• Historically, fire has been the most dominant, natural, tool employed for a

number of reasons (moribund, manage species, control IAS etc. – effective!)

• Grasslands comprise of different species – respond differently to fires.

• Fire (intensity & frequency) affects different grassland species, differently.

• Whilst forbs seem to be less affected by fires, grass species composition

remains highly susceptible to bias as a response to fire.

• Impacts on grasslands, indirectly affects both fauna and the ecosystem

service value of a grasslands – more so if the impacts are unmanaged!

Fire-tolerant

species

Fire-

intolerant

species


HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Scientific Recommendations to Grassland Management - Fire

• Understanding how grassland species respond to fire,

is essential in…

a) applying the correct fire regime and thus

b) sustainably managing a grassland

• Such understanding provides the basis for knowledge on….

i) species composition and response to fire regimes

ii) how spatial and temporal arrangement of fires affect biota and

iii) fire-regime interactions with other processes (ecological / anthropogenic).


HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Grassland Status in EMA

KZN Vegetation Type1 Conservation Status EM3 Conservation Status SANBI

Dry Ngongoni Veld Endangered Vulnerable

Moist Ngongoni Veld Critically Endangered Vulnerable

Eastern Valley Bushveld Near Threatened Least Threatened

KZN Hinterland Thornveld Vulnerable Vulnerable

KZN Sandstone Sourveld Critically Endangered Endangered

North Coast Bushland Critically Endangered Endangered

South Coast Bushland Endangered Endangered

North Coast Grassland Critically Endangered Endangered

South Coast Grassland Critically Endangered Endangered


HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Working on Fire Project

• WoF is a South African, government-funded, multi-partner org focused on

Integrated Fire Management and Veld & Wildfire fighting (IFMS).

• WoF specializes in control and eradication of IAS by various methods incl.

the use of fire in winter i.o.t. enhance the sustainability and protection of

ecosystem services and natural processes through integrated fire

management.

• WoF contributes to the National Vision of boosting economic empowerment,

skills development, social equity and accelerated service delivery.

• WoF currently operates in KZN as well as other provinces such as Gauteng,

wherein in it is responsible for widespread eradication of IAS, implementing

controlled burns and putting fire-breaks


HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity WoF Project in eThekwini Municipality, cont’d

Within eThekwini, WoF operates on sites strategically identified by the EPCPD (priority sites of conservation significance – Syst. Cons. Plan).

The programme focuses on,..

a) Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs) clearing b) Application of fire-breaks and controlled burns. Current WoF team comprises of aprox. 60 members (locally based youth) – one base in Pinetown (New Germany) One highly specialized High Altitude Team (HAT), work on steep area/cliff lines.


HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Ecosystem Management & Co-management


Status quo - assessment

Planning & Co-management

Implementation – evaluation & adaptation

Info dissemination

….& awareness

HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Ecosystem Management, Training & Co-management


Fire Dept.

IFMS & EPCPD

2-way participation

Site Preparation Live-fire Application


Training, cont’d


Machinery – timber processing

Coffin manufacturing

Chainsaw handling

Fire Application & confidence

HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Health & Safety – a priority for WoF!

Human safety and avoiding

Environmental contaminations

form the bases of WoF principles.


Chemical application

Protective gear

HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Some WoF Managed Areas in eThekwini Municipality

WoF Managed Area Area (Ha) Virginia Airport D'MOSS 18.61

Krantzkloof Nature Reserve

High Meadow Managed Area 17.63

Edgecliff Managed Area 81.99

Cliffdale Managed Area 8.28

Assagay Managed Area 7.92

Alfred Park Managed Area 1.02

Crestview Managed Area 14.20

Empisini Nature Reserve 56.44

Giba Special Rating Area

Monteseel 25.27

Bluff Grasslands 8.58

Treasure Beach Dune (St Geran) 1.33

Hillcrest 1.19

Forest Hills 4.53

Cliffdale (Erf 127) 6.54

Langefontein 1.44

Remainder of Hamilton No. 14305 26.2

Remainder of Tongaat (Erf 747) 1.65

Crestview (Erf 48) 0.4

Waterfall Farm No 978 4.6

Total Area 287.82


New areas – land

acquisition

HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Biocontrol Trials


Over and above mechanical and chemical controls implemented,

there are also biocontrols released.

• Biocontrol agents, sourced from the same area as IAP, are host specific.

St. Helier strains of Cyrtobagous selviniae released for Kariba weed.

In New Germany, hypogeococcus pungens released for The Queen of the Night.

Normally one strain is released per IAP.

WoF has released two strains of Hypogeococcua sp.

WoF Programme is recognised as the 1st breeding programme in the country

to introduce two genetically diverse strains of the same species.

Aggressive approach to controlling the spread of an unwanted weed

HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Emerging weed Control


• Whilst there is much focus on well-established and widespread IAP populations,

close attention is paid on emerging weeds.

• Few Projects, in collaboration with SANBI, aimed at controlling emerging weeds such

as Triplaris americana through the Early Detection & Rapid Response (EDRR)

• HAT plays a great role in these projects, mainly on steep slopes.

• Collaborations with national WfW (HAT Manager, Mr. Q. Pretorius), through SANBI,

have also been initiated to control another priority emerging species

Furcraea foetida (Mauritius hemp) – Paradise Valley, Westville, Umngeni Rd verges

& Cator Manor

Population of of Diplocyclos palmatus

(Lollipop climber), were greatly reduced

by the WoF team – mainly from

Edgewood Nature Reserve & Edgecliff

area in Pinetown.

HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Indigenous Invasive Species – Bracken fern


Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). is indigenous. It rapidly invades areas and render the land less productive, just as do alien species. Bracken has an extensive root system, which enables the fern to effectively outcompete other species for moisture and nutrients. Old, dead fronds often remain in the stand and form dense mulch on the ground, inhibiting the germination and growth of other plants, including pasture species. Bracken also regenerates rapidly after fire and may dominate recently burned areas. Various national Acts protect South African ferns both directly and indirectly but… Bracken fern is excluded from this protection (Fern Society of Southern Africa) – invasive plant.


WoF as implementing agent, for the EPCPD of eThekwini Municipality

faces an array of challenges (minor but can be detrimental!)

a) Lack of understanding for fire application, as a management tool, in

grassland management – {awareness}

b) Lack of appreciation and acknowledgement of WoF Crew

c) Inherent danger associated with fire (e.g. damage to properties, break-

away fires, etc). – {quality of WoF staff & training}

d) Logistical pressures & the subsequent miscommunication with property

owners.

Challenges faced by WoF


HEADING OF SECTION OR PRESENTATION - Biodiversity Environmental Planning & Climate Protection

Green Projects for

Sustainable

Development

Bheka J. Nxele

Cell: 082 – 780 9499

Office: 031 – 322 4310

[email protected]

Fax: 031 – 311 7134

eThekwini Municipality

“BIODIVERSITY, WE ARE ALL IN IT,

TOGETHER!!!”

The End!!!

mailto:[email protected]

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