CMA - Catchment Management Agency CMC - Catchment Management Committee CMF - Catchment Management Forum CMP - Catchment Management Plan CMS - Catchment Management Strategy. GIS - Geographic Information System ICM - Integrated Watershed Management IWQS - Institute for Water Quality Studies KNR - KrantzkloofNature Reserve KZN - KwaZulu-Natal.
PLATES
Preamble
The Nkonka Stream, (Figure 2-4), which feeds the Emolweni Rjver inKNR, runs underground through the bottom of the property. The Nkonka Stream, (Figure 2-4), which feeds the Emolweni River in the KNR, runs underground through the base of the property.
Conclusion
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 1. Introduction
- Budget analysis
- Interviews
- Recreational users
- Educational users
- General public
- Conservancy members
- Owner of property bordering private land
- Valuation study
- Catchment Community structures
- Alien invader control and nursery development
- Introduction
- Funding "crisis"
- User charge
- Underfunded items 1. Facilities maintenance
- Valuing natural areas
- Value of plants
- Devaluing factors for KNR
- Integrated Catchment Management
- Managing water resources
- Managing natural vegetation
- Disturbance, regeneration and ecological succession
- Horticultural techniques
- Conclusion
An assessment was also made of the damage that could occur as a result of fire due to the deterioration of the KNR. They can cause major changes in the composition of flora and fauna in a region and the landscape as a whole. Plant and ecosystem responses depend on the cutting method and time of year (Cronk & Fuller, 1995).
The use can be perpetual, as a more or less permanent part of the local economy (such as in fuelwood), or intermittent, when people fall back on the fruits and other products from the forests in times of scarcity, or for quality wood (Geldenhuys, 1997 ). The ecological reserve refers to the water required to protect the aquatic ecosystems of the water supply. Due to the steeply incised landscapes of the wetter eastern edge of the region and the duplex structure (sand and clay) of many of the soils, the potential for soil erosion is very high (Fuggle & Rabie, 1991).
The development of the National Forestry Action Program (NFAP) and the promulgation of the National Forests Act (NFA) established a new vision for the provision, management and benefit sharing of South Africa's forests (Shackleton, 2000). In order to monitor the consumption of forest products, mapping of the area will be necessary. Organic substances, which are one of the most important immobilization substrates in the soil, are lost during burning processes.
The full name and home address of the applicant and the place where the plants will be sold must be stated.
Chapter Five
Facilities maintenance
The use value for picnics will decrease if the facilities are not maintained. Approximately thirty barbecue areas are available to the public, there are various marked trails and a large open grassy area for picnicking. Reduced budgets for roads, buildings and recreational facilities will negatively affect how picnickers rate the KNR if roads/buildings/facilities deteriorate. People visiting the KNR will have to contribute to the budget shortfall (R15 000) if they expect the buildings (toilets) and picnic areas to be maintained and further developments to take place.
A mere RlOOO per year is not enough, compared to the cost of maintaining these facilities. The labor costs of maintaining recreational facilities and walking trails are significant as there are two and a half to three thousand visitors per month which puts wear and tear on the facilities, including roads. The budget change for buildings (staff housing and interpretation center) from R to RI44 (1998) to RlOOO will apply further labor pressure as the funds for contractors to do the maintenance work will not be available.
The NCO had few opportunities to attend important conservation meetings due to the reduced budget for vehicle operating costs, affecting his capacity for professional networking. This affected the efficiency with which KNR was managed after the budget cuts.
Alien invader control
Any setback in the Alien Invaders program during the period when there were no funds in the budget for alien control was prevented by the funds made available by local defenses, e.g. Lack of resources to monitor the extent of invasion in feeding areas (vehicle operating costs) and a slight setback in the alien control program will result in higher costs as exotics increase their infestation. The problem of alien attacks in the KNR area will not be solved until the properties surrounding the area are cleared of intruders.
The spread of alien vegetation to KNR is mainly due to the alien plants in the gardens of the surrounding community whose seeds are carried by water, wind or birds passing by. There are many nature reserves in the area, but the Kloof Conservancy is the most active. Although hand-picking will not be cost-effective in clearing plots, training should be provided to land-clearers to recognize native vegetation that could be left behind to provide competition for further attack by alien invasive plants.
Proper training for edge cutters in reporting and eradicating alien intruders on public (and possibly) private property would help uncover/treat some infestations. The sustainable development of forests will satisfy one of the goals included in the KNR Management Plan (2003), i.e. maintain the relationship between meadows and forests.
Other sources of income
- Funding organisatio s
- User charges
The development of a conservation trust allows a portion of the interest to be applied to the principal amount, which could mitigate the shortfall. One of the hiking clubs asked for an entry fee of R5 and a donation to the Conservation Trust. This is the prerogative of an honorary officer who provides expertise and experience to those who join the march.
80% of respondents said they would donate less than half to the Trust now that they have to pay entrance fees. 17 people who were not aware of the cutbacks did not see the cutbacks as a reason to increase the entrance fee. Another approach to estimating potential income can be made by estimating the number of visits per month.
The amount collected will depend on how successful the management is in obtaining funds from the total number of visitors and the effect of user charges on the frequency of visits of the estimated 2500 visitors. A portion of the user fee (20 %) goes towards a community levy which will be used to assist needy communities with their projects.
Possible impact of budget shortfall
Kloof Primary - do not attend but are actively involved in removing aliens and planting native trees in the school grounds. He also stated that there was no erosion in the nature reserve except for man-made structures like roads, hiking trails, etc.
Use value
- Water consumption
- Forest produce
Alternatively, the costs to the community due to the deterioration of water quality (increase in sediment load) were estimated based on the need to travel to obtain clean water or the cost of building 10 settling tanks (Table 5 - . 16). Attempts to fence off these areas have failed due to cutting and theft of the fence wire. The cost of fencing must be justified in terms of the profits likely to accrue, with crime rates falling, the removal of forest products likely to be on a small scale and some people needing openings to provide passages to work.
The socio-economic and political context of the use of access points in the Molweni area will need to be considered. In this way, the total area open to nursery development can be quantified and compared to the private land where the study took place. Affected areas also have inherent potential value due to the horticultural value of various pioneer plant species.
If it can be proven that there is value for these plants that can be removed sustainably, interest in utilizing these plants as an alternative to the harvesting of muthi plants, which are threatened, will likely arise. Any nursery development would then be in supplier territory, with plants harvested, sold wholesale to the local nursery owners.
SHRUBS
Integrated Catchment Management (feM) 1. Community conservation
- Multiple use management
- Regeneration and Ecological Succession
- Regeneration density
- Numbers / m 2 and wholesale prices
- Supply and demand
The large participation of conservationists shows their commitment to cooperation in the management of the catchment area. The involvement of the Molweni Development Committee in the future of the forum will be essential as the forum needs to be well represented. Interaction with schools in the Molweni Valley below Wyebank was through the donation of native trees by Spoornet, Inchange, Collingwoods and the public through the efforts of the then Natal Parks Board via lan Patrick of Krantzkloof.
Seeds donated by area primary schools through Kloof SAP's Batcop program were given to be planted by the children. Regeneration of the woody component as a potential resource (in a fife exclusion block) can be studied. To achieve these management goals, people who use KNR and people who can provide expertise to support the management of KNR use should be included in the ESF.
Monitoring the effect on the quality and quantity of biota is important and inventory and mapping of these areas is required. Crews working for WWP in the Outer West were supposed to have removed some of the native plants (conservancy member, pers. comm.).
Conclusion
Conclusion & Recommendations
- Introduction
- Funding
- User charges
- Total Economic Value
- Integrated Catchment Management
- Community Conservation
- Alien invader control
The KNR Management Plan (updated 2003) contains all the information needed to prepare a Catchment Area Plan (CMP) and should be integrated into the CMP for the entire Emolweni Subdivision. Forums should popularize and network the availability of native plants and the nursery should be a source of rehabilitation projects from the forums. The funding proposal must be submitted to the CMA, Green Trust, WWP and Conservation Trust.
This should be done in conjunction with the NCO and should be done while awaiting the outcome of the funding proposal. Community needs should be examined to facilitate the appropriate allocation of the Community levy to different projects. Payment for piecework, which also depends on sensitivity to damage from native flora, should be considered.
Whoever attracts pupils from Wyebank and Clermont should be pursued and the introduction of the foreigner problem into the curriculum should be negotiated. The use of fire as a control technique should be based on the objectives of a particular RMU.
