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Cathkin Estates

Management Plan

Prepared by

Brousse-James & Associates

Ecological and Environmental Services

PO Box 13885

Cascades

3202

Tel: +27 (0)33-3470322

Fax: +27 (0)33-3470323

Cell: 0828954089

Email: brousse@sai.co.za

Cathkin Estates Management Plan

Prepared by Brousse-James & Associates ii

Work on the Cathkin Estates Management Plan commenced in August 2004. Contributors to the Management Plan are as follows.

BM James BSc (Hons), MSc (Agric)

Brousse-James & Associates

Ecological and wildlife management. Coordination

of specialist input and liaison with Developers and

Cathkin Estates Management.

BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD

Specialist ecological and grassland management.

Dr PS Goodman BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD

Specialist ecological and wildlife management.

M Coke BSc (Hons)

Specialist fish and aquatic ecosystem management.

DB James BA

Brousse-James & Associates

Editing and layout.

Cathkin Estates Management Plan

Prepared by Brousse-James & Associates iii

Table of Contents

1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CATHKIN ESTATES .................................. 1-1

1.1. Physical environment ................................................................................ 1-1

1.1.1. Climate ............................................................................................... 1-1

1.1.2. Topography and terrain morphology .................................................. 1-4

1.1.3. Geology, geomorphology, soils and land types ................................. 1-6

1.1.4. Hydrology and aquatic systems ......................................................... 1-9

1.2. Biological environment ............................................................................ 1-10

1.2.1. Vegetation ........................................................................................ 1-10

1.2.2. Mammals ......................................................................................... 1-16

1.2.3. Birds................................................................................................. 1-17

1.2.4. Amphibians and reptiles ................................................................... 1-18

1.2.5. Ecosystem processes ...................................................................... 1-19

1.3. Socio-political context ............................................................................. 1-24

1.3.1. Current land tenure or use of adjacent areas ................................... 1-24

1.3.2. Historical context ............................................................................. 1-24

2. SIGNIFICANCE OF CATHKIN ESTATES ................................................... 2-1

3. VISION AND OBJECTIVES ......................................................................... 3-1

4. MANAGEMENT TO CONSERVE BIODIVERSITY ...................................... 4-1

4.1. Hydrology / aquatic systems ..................................................................... 4-1

4.1.1. Objectives for aquatic systems management .................................... 4-1

4.1.2. Water supply management for animals.............................................. 4-1

4.1.3. Fish species stocking and management ............................................ 4-1

4.1.4. Wetlands planning and rehabilitation .............................................. 4-3

4.1.5. Threats to aquatic systems ................................................................ 4-4

4.1.6. Priority aquatic systems ..................................................................... 4-5

4.1.7. Monitoring/review of aquatic systems ................................................ 4-5

4.2. Soils ............................................................................................................. 4-6

4.2.1. Principles and policies for the management of soils .......................... 4-6

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4.2.2. Soil management objectives .............................................................. 4-6

4.2.3. Threats to soils .................................................................................. 4-6

4.2.4. Soil priorities and management options/actions ................................. 4-6

4.2.5. Monitoring of soils .............................................................................. 4-6

4.3. Vegetation ................................................................................................... 4-7

4.3.1. Principles and policies for vegetation management ........................... 4-7

4.3.2. Vegetation management objectives ................................................... 4-7

4.3.3. Threats to vegetation ......................................................................... 4-7

4.3.4. Vegetation priorities ........................................................................... 4-8

4.3.5. Vegetation management .................................................................... 4-8

4.3.6. Vegetation utilisation (indigenous species and exotic plantations) .. 4-16

4.3.7. Vegetation inventory/research and monitoring ................................. 4-16

4.4. Animals ..................................................................................................... 4-18

4.4.1. Principles and policies for the management of animals ................... 4-18

4.4.2. Animal management objectives ....................................................... 4-22

4.4.3. Threats to animals ........................................................................... 4-22

4.4.4. Priority animals ................................................................................ 4-23

4.4.5. Options/actions for management of animals .................................... 4-23

4.4.6. Utilisation of animals ........................................................................ 4-42

4.4.7. Animal inventory/research and monitoring ....................................... 4-42

5. CATHKIN ESTATES MANAGEMENT ......................................................... 5-1

5.1. Personnel management ............................................................................. 5-1

5.1.1. Principles and policies for personnel management ............................ 5-1

5.1.2. Staff employment, training and capacity building ............................... 5-1

5.2. Construction management ........................................................................ 5-2

5.2.1. Site demarcation and access ............................................................. 5-2

5.2.2. Site clearance .................................................................................... 5-2

5.2.3. Site protection .................................................................................... 5-2

5.3. Infrastructure management ....................................................................... 5-4

5.3.1. Overall objectives for infrastructure management .............................. 5-4

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5.3.2. Buildings ............................................................................................ 5-4

5.3.3. Roads, paths and quarries (management and rehabilitation) ............ 5-4

5.3.4. Fencing (wildlife and security) ............................................................ 5-5

5.3.5. Communication systems .................................................................... 5-5

5.3.6. Water supply ...................................................................................... 5-5

5.3.7. Sewage and waste-water disposal .................................................... 5-5

5.3.8. Airstrips and/or helipads .................................................................... 5-8

5.4. Waste management .................................................................................... 5-8

5.5. Wildlife protection programme .................................................................. 5-9

6. ACCOMMODATION AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES .......................... 6-1

6.1. Accommodation guidelines ....................................................................... 6-1

6.1.1. Architectural specifications ................................................................ 6-1

6.1.2. Guidelines for establishment of gardens ............................................ 6-1

6.1.3. Domestic animals .............................................................................. 6-2

6.1.4. Control of noise and disturbance ....................................................... 6-3

6.2. Recreational facilities and guidelines ....................................................... 6-3

6.2.1. Principles and policies for recreation ................................................. 6-3

6.2.2. Zonation ............................................................................................. 6-3

6.2.3. Picnic and camping sites ................................................................... 6-3

6.2.4. Motorised recreation .......................................................................... 6-4

6.2.5. Bicycles .............................................................................................. 6-4

6.2.6. Walking trails ..................................................................................... 6-4

6.2.7. Aquatic sports .................................................................................... 6-4

7. GLOSSARY ................................................................................................. 7-1

8. REFERENCES ............................................................................................. 8-1

9. APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Preliminary bird list for Cathkin Estates Appendix 2: Shrubs and trees suitable for rehabilitation and eland food

Appendix 3: Protocol for clearing of alien plants

Appendix 4: Architectural guidelines for Cathkin Estates

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Prepared by Brousse-James & Associates vi

Appendix 5: Cathkin Estates Home Owners Association Conduct Rules Appendix 6: Wildlife-associated diseases of importance in KwaZulu-Natal

Appendix 7: Wildlife field observation form

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Prepared by Brousse-James & Associates vii

List of Figures and Tables

Figure 1: Mean monthly rainfall distribution for Monks Cowl for the 51 years from

1950 to 2000 .................................................................................................... 1-1

Figure 2: Distribution of mean annual rainfall over Cathkin Estates ........................ 1-2 Figure 3: Temporal pattern of effective rainfall (1951-1999) from Monks Cowl, shown as the deviation from the wet season mean (October to March inclusive) ....... 1-3 Figure 4: Topography and drainage of Cathkin Estates .......................................... 1-4

Table 1: Slope and aspect areas on Cathkin Estates .............................................. 1-5

Figure 5: Slope distribution found on Cathkin Estates ............................................. 1-5

Figure 6: Land types on Cathkin Estates ................................................................. 1-7

Table 2: Summary of some soil properties of the land types occurring on Cathkin

Estates ............................................................................................................. 1-8

Figure 7: Vegetation map of Cathkin Estates ........................................................ 1-15

Figure 8: A schematic representation of ecological and economic carrying capacity

....................................................................................................................... 4-20

Figure 9: Idealised relation between yield from a herbivore population and its density

....................................................................................................................... 4-21

Table 3: Summary of ecological characteristics of species considered for introduction

to Cathkin Estates .......................................................................................... 4-31

Table 4: Proposed stocking rates for Cathkin Estates ........................................... 4-33

Table 5: Proposed management strategies for large herbivores on Cathkin Estates

....................................................................................................................... 4-36

Cathkin Estates Management Plan

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1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF CATHKIN ESTATES

1.1. Physical environment

1.1.1. Climate

The Drakensberg is one of the best watered, least drought-prone areas of southern Africa. The climate of the Drakensberg region is dominated by the influence of subtropical anticyclones. In summer, the subsidence inversion may rise above the escarpment resulting in an influx of humid air from the Indian Ocean by south-easterly winds. Annual precipitation totals throughout the Drakensberg vary in the region between about 1000 mm in the foothills to 1800 mm at the escarpment. Precipitation in the summer months (October to March) accounts for 80 % of the annual total (Figure 1) and rainfall in summer is often in the form of thunderstorms. Rainfall peaks in January, and the month with the lowest rainfall is July. In winter, the subsidence of air causes atmospheric stability and consequently a distinct dry season. However, due to seasonal shifts in the climatic belts, frontal depressions, which have formed at mid latitudes, extend far inland in the form of cold fronts and cause sudden drops in temperature and some precipitation in winter (Tyson et al., 1976).

Mean Monthly Rainfall - Monks Cowl

0.0 50.0
100.0
150.0
200.0
250.0

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Month

Rainfall (mm)

The mean annual rainfall (July to June), as recorded at the closest rainfall station at Monks Cowl, is 1370 mm, with a spatial variation at Cathkin Estates from approximately

896 to 1190 mm (Figure 2), which is therefore slightly lower than that for Monks Cowl.

Figure 1: Mean monthly rainfall distribution for Monks Cowl for the 51 years from 1950 to 2000

Cathkin Estates Management Plan

Prepared by Brousse-James & Associates 1-2

The map in Figure 2 was extracted from Shultze et al. (1997), and was derived with reference to data from rainfall stations and from modelling mean annual precipitation (MAP) according

to altitude, distance from sea, aspect, terrain roughness and direction of prevailing rain-

bearing winds. It can therefore not be relied upon as an accurate depiction of rainfall

distribution within Cathkin Estates and must be used as an approximation thereof. Plant growth is related to rainfall and the rainfall recorded at Monks Cowl from 1950 to 2000 is summarised in Figure 3, as follows: A largely below average rainfall period from 1950/52 to 1972/73; A generally above average rainfall from 1973/74 to 1978/79; A short below average period from 1979/80 to 1982/83;

Above average from 1983/84 to 1991/92;

Below average from 1992/93 to 1994/95; and

Above average from 1995/96 to 1999/00.

The range in rainfall varied during this period from a maximum of 2547 mm to a minimum of

861 mm per annum.

The mean rainfall in a 24-hour period between 1950 and 2000 was 3.75 mm and the maximum in any 24-hour period was 154 mm. Figure 2: Distribution of mean annual rainfall over Cathkin Estates

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Monks Cowl - Deviation from wet season mean

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