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Cape Floristic Region

Tab 1

Overview

Common sugarbush protea, Cape Florisitic Region

The Cape Floristic Region is home to the greatest non-tropical concentration of higher plant species in the world. More than 6,200, or 69 percent, of its 9,000 species of plants are unique to this biodiversity hotspot.

Hugging the coastline along the far southwestern tip of the African continent, this 78,555-square-kilometer hotspot lies entirely within South Africa. Given its small size, it is remarkable for containing 3 percent of the world’s plant species. However, only 15,711 square kilometers of the natural vegetation remains intact.

The loss and degradation of biodiversity has serious implications for South Africa's society and economy. Natural ecosystems are responsible for many essential services for people, such as the provision of clean water and air, prevention of soil erosion and pollination of crops. Large portions of the country’s economy are also heavily dependent on natural resources.

The greatest threat to biodiversity in the Cape Floristic Region is agricultural and urban expansion. Agricultural land use has already consumed 26 percent of the region and devastated lowland areas. The invasion of alien species is also an enormous threat.

Our support focuses on the three mega-reserve areas of Cederberg, Gouritz and Baviaanskloof and the last remaining areas of natural vegetation in the lowlands beyond the Agulhas Plain.

Tab 2

Strategy

Our investment in the Cape Floristic Region began in December 2001. We focused on catalyzing action by nongovernmental organizations, community groups and other civil society partners on the most urgent priorities identified by Cape Action for People and the Environment (C.A.P.E.), a 20-year strategy for conservation and sustainable development of the Cape Floristic Region.

Guided by an ecosystem profile developed with stakeholders, we complemented other funding sources to strengthen the capacity of civil society to help implement C.A.P.E., which is now a national program. Four strategic directions guided our approach:

Support civil society involvement in the establishment of protected areas and management plans in biodiversity corridors.
Promote innovative private sector and community involvement in conservation in landscapes surrounding biodiversity corridors.
Support civil society efforts to create an institutional environment that enables effective conservation action.
Establish a small grants fund to build capacity among institutions and individuals working on conservation.

In 2008, we began implementing a fifth strategic direction to reinforce and sustain the gains made possible by our initial $6 million investment. This new strategic direction includes $1.65 million in targeted grants to eight organizations based on a consolidation plan drawing from the ecosystem profile and an assessment of our previous investment.

Results from our first phase of funding include improved management of more than 1 million hectares of protected areas, production landscapes and private land.

Other highlights include strengthened policies and guidelines for biodiversity and sustainable development, particularly in the Western Cape. These include the Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework, policies and procedures for stewardship, codes of practice, area-wide planning in agriculture for the integrated production of wine and a policy framework for ensuring that biodiversity priorities are included in Integrated Development Plans for municipalities.

Tab 3

Priorities

CEPF STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS	CEPF INVESTMENT PRIORITIES
1. Support civil society involvement in the establishment of protected areas and management plans in biodiversity corridors	1.1 Through civil society efforts identify and design innovative mechanisms and strategies for conservation of private, corporate or communal landholdings within biodiversity corridors 1.2 Support private sector and local community participation in the development and implementation of management plans for biodiversity corridors 1.3 Especially within the Gouritz and Cederberg corridors, identify priority landholdings requiring immediate conservation action
2. Promote innovative private sector and community involvement in conservation in landscapes surrounding biodiversity corridors	2.1 Promote civil society efforts to establish and support biodiversity-based businesses among disadvantaged groups, in particular in areas surrounding the Gouritz and Baviaanskloof corridors 2.2 Implement best practices within industries affecting biodiversity, e.g. the wine and flower industries
3. Support civil society efforts to create an institutional environment that enables effective conservation action	3.1 Support civil society efforts to consolidate data to support appropriate land use and policy decisions 3.2 Support civil society initiatives to integrate biodiversity concerns into policy and local government procedures in priority municipalities 3.3 Improve coordination among institutions involved in conservation of biodiversity corridors through targeted civil society interventions
4. Establish a small grants fund to build capacity among institutions and individuals working on conservation	4.1 Support internships and training programs to raise capacity for conservation, particularly targeting previously disadvantaged groups 4.2 Support initiatives to increase technical capacity of organizations involved in conservation, particularly in relation to the priority geographic areas
5. Reinforce and sustain the conservation gains achieved as a result of the initial 5-year CEPF investment in this region	5.1 Consolidate and strengthen implementation efforts for corridor conservation 5.2 Improve project development and implementation through support to grassroots communities 5.3 Support the sharing of lessons learned across and beyond corridors 5.4 Engage with the business sector 5.5 Develop capacity in implementing agencies 5.6 Secure support from government

Tab 4

Maps

Cape Floristic Region Biodiversity Hotspot

Tab 5

Fast Fact

The Cape sugarbird, one of the species unique to this hotspot, visits and pollinates about 300 protea flowers every day.

Regional Resources

- Consolidation program, June 2008
- Ecosystem profile, December 2001
- News
- Project database
- Publications