Zandvlei Trust

Conservation Planning TWG.

CAPE Estuaries Programme: Development of an Estuary Management Plan (EMP) for Zandvlei Estuary, Muizenberg, Cape Town.

An abreviated outcome from the meeting on 14/09/2010.

Margit van Heerden, Cassandra Sheasby,                Doug Harebottle, Ommund Sivertsen, Timm Hoffman.
Lynn Jackson.

Timm, Mandy Noffke, Cassandra.                     The group at work.

Cassy went through the zonation plans for the Reserve and prospective areas for further management in the area. We discussed current monitoring by City and national scientific and local civil society interest groups contributions. Timm mentioned the botany group will be ready in March 2011 to introduce the their pressed flower collection with the database inventory. Lynn highlighted there are a number of data held by the City, ADU (Animal Demographic Unit), Zandvlei Trust and individuals which need to be co-ordinated and amalgamated so that meaningful co-ordinated management data can be generated. It is apparent the Reserve needs a person to generate integrated management data on a monthly basis with inputs on weather, rainfall, salinity, water level, water quality, fauna and flora stats and more for the sustainable management purposes. 
It was suggested that the 5 year ZIMP report back in 2011 co-incides with the launch of the botany groups plant collection.
It was noted that the fishermen in the community were reluctant to participate and or give input for the Management Plan.

1. TOR for Conservation & Planning WG

a) To review current management measures and propose changes / additions / alternatives which will facilitate the achievement of the relevant Management Objectives, including:

To ensure that any relevant future planning and development decisions acknowledge the socio-economic value and conservation significance of the estuary and prevent any further development within the boundaries thereof.

To create conditions suitable for the restoration and ongoing protection of Zandvlei and its biodiversity, including:

• establishing a zonation plan which designates sanctuary areas, areas for different uses (boating, walking, swimming etc), and buffer zones between the estuary and surrounding urban areas;

• preventing introduction of alien species and eradicating or controlling established invasive species;

• improving water quality and increasing salinity; and

• promoting sustainable use of resources.

b) To further develop the preliminary zonation plan including investigating the potential for a buffer zone;

c) To develop proposals for compiling an inventory and for monitoring key components of the biodiversity;

d) To discuss minimum requirements for the estuary from a biodiversity and ecological point of view (eg. for water quality, salinity etc). The proposals from this group would then be fed into the deliberations of the other TWG’s;

e) To identify and prioritise opportunities for rehabilitation;

f) To identify opportunities for ecotourism and other biodiversity-based livelihoods which could involve local communities.

2. Members

Timm Hoffman
Doug Harebottle
Dalton Gibbs
Darryl Colenbrander
Suretha Dorse
Gavin Lawson
Ommund Sivertsen
Arne Purves
Mandy Noffke