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Grasslands in all their variations are currently one of South Africa’s most
threatened biomes, with only 2.5% formally conserved and more than
60% already irreversibly transformed. The primary threats to grassland
habitat include degradation and conversion mainly as a result of large scale
agriculture development, urbanisation, prospecting and mining. The South
African grasslands biome is the second largest biome in South Africa, covering
an area of 339 237 km². It contains the economic heartland of South Africa
and produces the bulk of water needed to sustain human life and underpin
economic growth.
Internationally, only 1.4% of grasslands are protected, the lowest of any
terrestrial vegetation types. Similarly in South Africa, grasslands are one of
the most threatened ecosystems, with only 2.5% formally conserved and
more than 60% already irreversibly transformed. Our grasslands host over
3 300 plant species, 15 of South Africa’s 34 endemic mammals, 22% of our 195
reptile species and one-third of the 107 threatened butterfly species. In
addition, grasslands are home to 10 of South Africa’s 14 globally
threatened bird species, including the Yellow-breasted Pipit Anthus chloris, Blue
Swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea, and the Denham’s Bustard Neotis denhami. As a
consequence, grasslands have been assigned a high priority for conservation
action. In addition to their biodiversity value, grasslands provide essential
ecosystem services required to support human life and wellbeing. These
services include food (grains), forage, livestock, game farming, nutrient
cycling, soil stabilisation, carbon storage, energy supply, tourism and
recreation and, arguably most importantly, fresh water resources.
The grasslands biome also contains the economic nucleus of South Africa
and is home to the majority of the South African human population. South
Africa’s entire maize crop and a large proportion of its wheat and seed
crops are produced in the grassland biome. The biome supports 6.4 million
cattle, 13 million sheep, and a significant portion of South Africa’s commercial
timber. It also holds great mineral wealth and is, therefore, under
tremendous pressure from the ever-growing mining industry. These
grasslands also contain 42 river ecosystems, including the catchments of
some of South Africa’s largest rivers, the Gariep, Vaal, Crocodile and Tugela
River catchments, are within South Africa’s grassland biome. Loss of
grass cover results in siltation of rivers and dams and, therefore, reduced
water quality. Intact grassland ensure long term provision of fresh water
resources critical for sustaining human life and underpins the economic
development of the country. Exotic vegetation releases more water into
the atmosphere through transpiration than the natural grassland species
would. This results in reduced replenishment of ground water supplies and
less surface water for human use. Loss of vegetation cover also exposes
the soil to the erosive forces of wind and rain, resulting in a loss of topsoil.
The loss of topsoil leads to a reduction in soil nutrients and, subsequently,
through the absence of effective nutrient cycling, biodiversity is reduced.
The loss of biodiversity in turn reduces the rate at which new topsoil is
formed, and so soil fertility is reduced and the ability to produce grazing
and food is reduced. Linked to this, loss of grassland vegetation cover
results in less carbon dioxide being sequestered and increased levels of
carbon dioxide in the air. These elevated levels are resulting in increased
mean temperatures and changing seasons, commonly known as climate
change, and this is impacting on crop production.
Crop agriculture causes irreversible damage to grasslands and a vast
majority of South Africa’s grassland biome has been ploughed and
developed into crop farms. One of the highest demand crops, and which
as a result covers the majority of the former grassland, is wheat. The
demand for bread and other crops will never decrease is likely to increase
in the near future and as a result the demand for ploughing more of the
remaining patches of intact grassland will increase. This demand is
real and conservationists accept and understand the need to sustain
food resources for our people but in conjunction with this we need to
maintain a balance in order to sustain the other natural resources provided
by grassland systems such as water, ecotourism, carbon sequestration and
flood attenuation.
All of these factors illustrate how sensitive the grassland biome is to poor
land-use management and the need for farmer co-operation centred
on grazing densities and burning regimes, as well as alien plant control
and no longer ploughing up native grassland areas no matter how small.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust’s involvement in grassland conservation
started with the Blue Swallow (BSWG) and Oribi Working Groups (OWG)
which implemented conservation action for specific grasslands associated
with these species. Conservation globally has moved away from the single
species approach in favour of an ecosystems based approach. In order for
the EWT to achieve an ecosystems approach to grassland conservation the
intention was to implement conservation action for priority areas within
the grasslands and for suites of priority species inhabiting them to be
grouped under one programme. In 2009 the single species working groups,
namely the BSWG and OWG as well as the KZN Biodiversity Programme
became projects of a EWT-Threatened Grassland Species Programme
(EWT-TGSP).
Priority endemic, threatened and habitat specialist species in need of conservation attention and which can act as flagships
for the conservation of priority grassland areas have been identified. These are:
The Blue Swallow is Critically Endangered in South Africa and is very likely going
to be the next bird species to go extinct in South behind if we don’t implement
urgent conservation action to prevent this happening. This species is an intra-African
migrant, they breed in South Africa in summer but fly to central Africa over the
winter. Currently there are fewer than 100 birds left and less than 35 nests in
the whole of South Africa, the biggest population is in the KZN midlands with a
small population (<5 prs) remaining in Mpumalanga. The TGSP has been working
with this species for over ten years but only recently has the urgency led to a new
approach focussing on identifying the cause of recent and dramatic localised
population crashes.
Oribi are a type of small antelope that occur in
temperate grasslands, they are recognised as
Endangered in South Africa and their numbers are
declining as a result of further habitat destruction
but their greatest threat currently is poaching.
Hunting with dogs has grown exponentially in
recent years and is now a substantial gambling
industry with large hunts organised by taxi groups
reaching numbers of up to 60 dogs. The industry is
extensive an the value of bets reaches in to the tens
of thousands of rand. This form of hunting is illegal
and in most cases prey is caught on private land.
While specific species are targeted (indiscriminate
hunting) Oribi are particularly susceptible to this
form of hunting and this along with conserving
Oribi habitat are the focus of the Oribi working
group (which falls under the auspices of the EWT
TGSP).
The Yellow-breasted Pipit is recognised as Vulnerable (IUCN - global and national), however this status is in need of review. They are endemic and occur
only in moist highland grasslands (the most threatened grassland biome in South Africa) of the Drakensburg, endemic to South Africa in a strip from
Mpumalanga near Dullstroom to the northern Eastern Cape and a small population extends in Lesotho. They breed at altitudes above 1 500 meters above
sea level. Their threatened status is largely due to habitat loss and range contractions suggesting that their small populations are undergoing declines,
which is expected to accelerate given projected rates of habitat loss. Furthermore, they are particularly sensitive to disturbance and even slight habitat
degradation through poor land management is a significant threat. This species is therefore considered an important indicator of the condition of Moist
Highland Grasslands and has been identified as an umbrella species for grassland habitat conservation.
Sungazers / Ouvolk are endemic to the central grasslands of South Africa occurring
predominantly in the north-eastern Free State, with a small population
extending into south-western Mpumalanga. They are classified as
Vulnerable (IUCN) based on distribution data from 1978. However, the species is
likely to be at a greater risk of extinction than is suggested by its IUCN
status, given that these data are now out-dated. Sungazers are also listed on
CITES Appendix II. Current population estimates and the extent of the species
distribution are unknown within these relatively arid grasslands
dominated by crop and livestock agriculture. The entire distribution of the
Sungazer falls within the Highveld Agricultural Region. The Sungazer is unusual
as it does not live among rocks, but rather shelters in self-excavated grassland
burrows that extend up to 420 mm below the soil surface and are prone to
destruction during crop cultivation. Agricultural practises are therefore a
major and direct threat to the species, destroying large tracts of habitat and
creating fragmented, isolated populations.
Golden moles are a group of highly endangered subterranean mammals endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Few people are aware that of the ten most
endangered mammals in South Africa, five are golden mole species (according to the IUCN red data mammal assessment of 2010). There are currently 21
described species of golden mole within nine genera, all of which are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, and 18 of which share a distinctly southern African
centre of diversity. These species are morphologically very similar and it is quite possible that cryptic species exist among them. The IUCN Red Data List
(2007) states that of the 21 species of golden mole two are critically endangered, five are endangered, four are vulnerable and three are near threatened.
We aim to identify the remaining intact populations of the above
mentioned species, using these as flagship and umbrella species for
the conservation of priority remaining intact grasslands within each of
their specific grassland types. The presence of these five priority species
indicate healthy, ecologically functioning grassland systems that sustain
ecosystem processes such as water production and carbon sequestration.
The functionally intact areas identified using the presence of functional
and healthy populations of these species will be highlighted and the TGSP
will promote and assist the development of species specific conservation
areas (nature reserves) for each of these species. This will be followed by
formal stewardship agreements and proclamation to secure future
habitat for these species and to complement and capacitate the existing
stewardship efforts in the provinces where these species occur, with a
target of at least 10 000ha per species by December 2015.
These species distributions cover the moist highveld and mistbelt
grasslands of South Africa, covering the country’s water catchment
and thus by focussing on these areas we will secure and conserve the
production of fresh water for South Africa. The inset map (above) shows
the priority water catchment areas with Yellow-breasted Pipit (green),
Priority Golden Mole species (purple), Blue Swallow (red) and Sungazer
(blue) distributions overlayed, Oribi occur throughout this region.
The Threatened Grassland Species Programme (TGSP) proposes to take a
more proactive approach to grassland conservation, by:
• basing its projects on a sound spatial analysis of the grassland biome
overlaid with a spatial analysis of threatened faunal and floral species
• protecting ecological processes and in turn natural resources
(especially water)
• using species as indicators of habitat intactness/condition and
ecological integrity
• collaborating with other NGOs and relevant role-players in grassland
conservation
• the development of grassland management guidelines
• assisting with stewardship programmes in South African grasslands for
the conservation of remaining intact grasslands in the form of Nature
Reserves and Protected Environments
• collaborating with the relevant provincial authorities around grassland
conservation
• developing species (and potentially ecosystem) Biodiversity
Management Plans (BMPs); and
• commenting on and advising all relevant development applications
within the grasslands (within the bounds of our capacity).
This programme aims to use multiple conservation tools to identify, prioritize and conserve grasslands, grassland species and the natural resources that
they provide in South African. This will be achieved through the use of direct conservation tools in collaboration with landowners. Through conservation
and public awareness using species as indicators of effective, conservation friendly land-use management we aim to improve the farming ethic in the
region and to alter burning and grazing policy in the grasslands. Along with this through stewardship (and in future BMP-S) agreements we will encourage
landowners to manage conservatively aided by fiscal incentives and management support. In this way we hope to secure long term fresh water resources
in South Africa along with other ecosystem services.
Appendix 1: The benefits of conserving grasslands
Production of good-quality surface and ground water
The catchments of some of South Africa’s largest rivers, the Gariep, Vaal,
Crocodile and Tugela Rivers, are within South Africa’s grassland biome.
Loss of grass cover results in siltation of rivers and dams and, therefore,
reduced water quality. Exotic vegetation releases more water into the
atmosphere through transpiration than the natural grassland species
would. This results in reduced replenishment of ground water supplies
and less surface water for human use.
Soil protection
Loss of vegetation cover exposes the soil to the erosive forces of wind
and rain, resulting in a loss of topsoil. The loss of topsoil leads to a
reduction in soil nutrients and, subsequently, through the absence of
effective nutrient cycling, biodiversity is reduced. The loss of
biodiversity in turn reduces the rate at which new topsoil is formed, and
so soil fertility is reduced and the ability to produce grazing and food is
reduced.
Carbon sequestration
Loss of grassland vegetation cover results in less carbon dioxide
being sequestered and ultimately more carbon dioxide in the air. These
elevated levels are resulting in increased mean temperatures and
changing seasons, commonly known as climate change, and this is
impacting on crop production.
Grazing
Less grassland means less grazing for both indigenous species and
livestock.
Supporting services for harvestable products
Reduced vegetation cover and loss of topsoil and the resultant reduction
in soil fertility compromises our ability to cultivate grain and other crops.
Fewer grasslands also mean less grass is available for harvesting thatch grass
for the building industry, and fewer grasses and sedges are available for use
in producing and selling a wide range of arts and crafts.
Eco-tourism value
Birding is currently the fastest growing eco-tourism sector in South Africa.
The tourism industry provides employment for one in 20 South Africans.
Much of this tourism is based on South Africa’s scenic beauty and unique
wildlife, to which the grasslands contribute significantly.
Appendix 2: Background information on biodiversity stewardship
The Stewardship Programme has been identified as one of the key
tools in addressing the threats to our grasslands, as only 2.5% of
grasslands are formally protected and the majority of this biome is privately/
communally owned. Any efforts to conserve threatened grassland areas,
therefore, need to involve private landowners and communities, and the
support of provincial stewardship efforts is crucial in this respect.
Nationally the Stewardship Programme is run by the Department of
Environmental Affairs and was launched in the Western Cape in 2001. The
Stewardship Programme aims to make conservation more attractive and
to encourage effective conservation commitment in exchange for concrete
and periodic benefits. Biodiversity Stewardship offers four basic options /
categories for participating landowners (see figure 1) with legislative backing.
The different categories offer different levels of security and require different
levels of commitment. The various categories will attract different incentives
and benefits. All options are voluntary and the landowner retains title and
ownership.
country’s biodiversity on private and communal land. Furthermore it will
improve the management of natural systems and biodiversity outside of
state‐managed protected areas, by providing strategic direction to
biodiversity conservation activities within these areas and ensuring that
essential ecosystem services continue to operate and deliver benefits to
society.
Figure 1 Diagram of the four basic options for the KZN
Stewardship Programme, this model approach has been adopted by the
other provinces.
Some of the financial benefits currently offered include support from
National Treasury and fiscal incentives such as property rates exemptions /
rebates (see Appendix 3), NGO support e.g. Conservation International and
carbon trading (rangeland management).
Some of the non‐financial support includes assistance in the development
of a management plan, Working for Water (alien clearing & herbicide
assistance), Working for Wetlands on wetland rehabilitation,
conservation management advice, support, expertise, assistance with law
enforcement, etc., reintroductions of species, training – providing the skills for
conservation managers / field rangers, and marketing.
Stewardship is essential in securing representative samples of the
Member of
For further information or contacts for local
conservation officers please contact us
Oribi Working Group
Sungazer Working Group
Blue Swallow Working Group
WAZA (BirdLife South Africa, PFIAO, WWF South Africa, WITS, Wildlands,
UP, WESSA, TUT, UCT, SANBI, UFS, EKZNW, UKZN, MTPA, Johannesburg
Zoo, FSEDTEA, Pretoria Zoo, ECP, DETEA, CAP, DEA, SA-CAN, CSA.)
Conservation Supporters
Ian Little
TGSP Manager
[email protected]
Samson Phakathi
TGSP Senior Field Officer
[email protected]
Bradley Gibbons
TGSP Field Officer
[email protected]
ENDANGERED WILDLIFE TRUST
Physical Address:
Ardeer road, Building K2, Pinelands Office Park, Modderfontein,
Johannesburg, South Africa
Postal Address:
Private Bag X11, Modderfonetin, Johannesburg, South Africa, 1645
Te:l: +27 11 372 3600
Fax: + 27 11 608 4682
www.ewt.org.za