Preface

When J.P.H. Acocks' "Veld types of South Africa" was first released in 1953, it had been nearly 20 years since Dr I.B. Pole Evans, Director of the Botanical Survey, had prepared the first colour vegetation map of the Union of South Africa. In his preface to the second (1975) edition of " Veld Types ", Dr Bernard De Winter, Director of the Botanical Research Institute, noted that

"No other work dealing with the vegetation of South Africa has had a more profound effect on the ecological scene in this country than Acocks's "Veld types of South Africa".

Sadly, John Acocks died in 1979, with his monumental revision of Veld Types unfinished. Although a third edition was released in 1988, this was, like its predecessor, more of a reprint than a revision. Thus, no new or updated maps of the vegetation of South Africa have been published since 1953.

So why, more than 40 years on, do we need such a product? Firstly, Acocks based his observations on the agricultural potential of the vegetation. We need a baseline map which can be used for more than agricultural planning. Secondly, approaches to and concepts in vegetation classification have changed markedly over the past three decades, and considerable new information has been collected. These need to be incorporated into a map of our vegetation. Thirdly, an up-to-date map is essential for planning development and conservation, and is a vital tool in education.

Four years ago the South African Association of Botanists convened a meeting to debate the production of a new vegetation map for South Africa. The vision of the group was to produce a new map with the following aims:

· to incorporate current information, based on both structure and floristics;

· to be available in electronic format for rapid dissemination and analyses;

· to be accompanied by a user-friendly text aimed at educators and planners;

· to provide an update of the conservation status of our vegetation types.

Seven regional co-ordinators formed a working group to construct the map and write the basic text. Shortly after this the then Department of Environment Affairs sponsored the project. Some 68 vegetation types, seven biomes and countless meetings later, we write this preface with a sigh of relief. The working group has been faced with many a dilemma over the location of vegetation boundaries, the creation of a new "Thicket " Biome, the intricacies of electronic data capture, and general agreement on vegetation type names.

We hope that the map, its electronic version and this companion will serve the best interests of southern African botany and conservation. If this map is as successful at encouraging interaction amongst conservationists, educators and botanists as it was in creating links between the academic and state institutions across the country, then it will have been well worth the effort.

Barrie Low and Tony Rebelo

Kirstenbosch, December 1995