In order to provide a detailed description of the state of the environment, the focus has been to identify and examine specific issues within an overall theme in order to examine the state and pressures on each of these issues more thoroughly.

The key ISSUES regarding the State of Soil in the CMA are:

	Loss of soils and agricultural potential due to urban expansion and sprawl
	Loss of soils due to the mining of minerals, sand and clay
	Other issues affecting soils in the CMA but not presented in this report due to a lack of information, include:
	Soil erosion due to the disturbance of steep slopes and the flood plains of rivers. Destabilisation of slopes due to construction activities associated with roads and other urban development. Soil erosion resulting from uncontrolled veld fires and the clearing of alien vegetation.