saddlebill header
Nylsvley Nature Reserve

South Africa


Information sheet for the site designated to the
List of Wetlands of International Importance
in terms of the
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
especially as Waterfowl Habitat


  1. DATE OF COMPILATION

    11 July 1997

  2. COUNTRY

    Republic of South Africa

  3. NAME OF WETLAND

    Nylsvley Nature Reserve

  4. GEOGRAPHICAL CO-ORDINATES

    24o 39' S 28o 42' E

  5. ALTITUDE

    The altitude of Nylsvley Nature Reserve ranges between 1080 m and 1154 m above sea level with an average altitude of 1100 m.

  6. AREA

    Nylsvley Nature Reserve comprises 3970 ha whilst the floodplain / wetland area is approximately 500 ha.

  7. OVERVIEW

    Nylsvley Nature Reserve forms part of the largest floodplain vlei in South Africa (Noble & Hemens, 1978). It is well known for its exceptional avifaunal diversity. The bird species list for the reserve includes 370 species. 102 Waterfowl species have been recorded on this floodplain. The endangered Roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) and rare Tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus) also occur on this reserve.

  8. WETLAND TYPE

    It is identified as an inland wetland and is classified as a floodplain vlei. Under the heading inland wetland, Nylsvley most closely approximates riverine floodplains, including flooded river basins, seasonally flooded grassland, savanna and palm savanna. The dominant wetland type is a seasonal river associated with a grassland floodplain.

    (N) Seasonal/intermittent/irregular rivers / streams / creeks.

    (Tp) Permanent freshwater marshes/pools; ponds (below 8 ha), marshes and swamps on inorganic soils; with emergent vegetation water-logged for at least most of the growing season.

    (Ts) Seasonal/intermittent freshwater marshes/pools on inorganic soil; includes sloughs, potholes, seasonally flooded meadows, sedge marshes.*

    * As appropriate, includes: floodplain wetlands such as seasonally inundated grassland (including natural wet meadows), shrublands, woodlands or forests.

  9. RAMSAR CRITERIA

    To be proposed as a Ramsar site the wetland needs to comply with at least one of the 11 listed criteria. Nylsvley Nature Reserve qualifies to be listed because it complies with eight of the criteria as follows: 1a, 1d, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3b, 3c.

  10. COMPILERS

    Craig Haskins and Johan Kruger
    Northern Province: Department of Agriculture, Land and Environment
    Chief Directorate Environmental Affairs
    PO Box 217
    Pietersburg
    0700
    RSA

    Tel: (0152 - 291 1276/9)
    Fax: (0152 - 291 1517)

  11. JUSTIFICATION OF THE CRITERIA SELECTED UNDER POINT 9

    Criteria for wetlands:

    Criteria 1(a): It is a particularly good representative example of a natural or near-natural wetland, characteristic of the appropriate biogeographical region.

    Motivation: Nylsvley Nature Reserve forms part of the largest floodplain vlei in South Africa. It is well known for its exceptional avifaunal diversity. 102 Waterfowl species have been recorded on this floodplain. The endangered Roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) occur on this reserve.

    The floodplain acts as a sink and is not flushed by floods as other hydrological systems are. On the other hand the floodplain (specifically permanently wet areas) is able to absorb and neutralize a certain level of pollution without adverse effects.

    Criteria 1(d): It is an example of a specific type of wetland, rare or unusual in the appropriate biogeographical region.

    Motivation: Nylsvley Nature Reserve forms part of the largest floodplain vlei in South Africa.

    Criteria for plants and animals:

    Criteria 2(a): It supports an appreciable assemblage of rare, vulnerable or endangered species or subspecies of plant or animal, or an appreciable number of individuals of any one or more of these species,

    Motivation: Within the reserve eight South African Red Data listed waterfowl species have been recorded breeding. They are: Rufousbellied Heron (Butroides rufiventris), Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus), Dwarf Bittern (Ixobychus sturmii), Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), Baillon's Crake (Porzana pusilla), Striped Crake (Aenigmatolimnas marginalis) and Black Stork (Ciconia nigra). In addition, this is the only site in South Africa where Rufousbellied Heron has been known to breed. The Striped Crake has not been recorded anywhere in the country besides on Nylsvley Nature Reserve (Tarboton, 1987).

    Breeding of endangered Roan antelope which use the floodplain extensively is another of the conservation priorities for the reserve.

    Criteria 2(b): It is of special value for maintaining the genetic and ecological diversity of a region because of the quality and peculiarities of its fauna and flora,

    Motivation: Of particular interest are the stands of wild rice, Oryza longistaminata. The reserve and parts of the floodplain are the only recorded localities for this plant species in South Africa (Gibbs Russell et al., 1994).

    Breeding of endangered Roan antelope which use the floodplain extensively is another of the conservation priorities for the reserve.

    Criteria 2(c): It is of special value as the habitat of plants or animals at a critical stage of their biological cycles (especially breeding conditions for waterfowl)

    Motivation: During good rain seasons the floodplain becomes a hype of activity, the best estimate for water bird numbers on the floodplain in wet years is approximately 80 000 (Tarboton, 1987). The floodplain also play an important role for frogs which breed in their thousand after good rains. An influx of fish after a flood is often seen. It is estimated that 300 to 600 ton fish breeds on the floodplain, depending on the extend of the flood.

    Criteria 2(d): It is of special value for its endemic plant or animal species or communities.

    Motivation: Within the floodplain as a whole there is at least one rare and endemic (to old Transvaal) plant, Ceropegia stentiae (Asclepiadaceae)

    Criteria for waterfowl:

    Criteria 3(b): It regularly supports substantial numbers of individuals from particular groups of waterfowl, indicative of wetland values, productivity or diversity,

    Motivation: During a good rain seasons the floodplain becomes a hype of activity, the best estimate for water bird numbers on the floodplain in wet years is approximately 80 000 (Tarboton, 1987). This is the sum for the whole floodplains and was calculated as follows: 43 000 bitterns, crakes and rails, 12 000 egrets and herons (17 species), 19 000 ducks (17 species) plus the numbers of other groups such as cormorants, darters, spoonbills and storks.

    Criteria 3(c): It regularly supports 1% of the individuals in a population of one species or subspecies of waterfowl.

    Motivation: This is the only site in South Africa where Rufousbellied Heron has been known to breed. The floodplain also supports more than 1% of the populations of Great white egrets, Squacco herons, Blackheaded heron and Black crowned night heron in South Africa (Tarboton per com).

  12. GENERAL LOCATION

    Nylsvley Nature Reserve is situated 12 km south of the town of Naboomspruit in the Northern Province of the Republic of South Africa. The reserve forms part of a larger floodplain system extending from Middelfontein (west of Nylstroom) in the south-west to Moorddrift (near Potgietersrus) in the north-east. The reserve is located in the upper reaches of the Nyl River floodplain.

  13. PHYSICAL FEATURES

    14.1 Geology and geomorphology

    To understand the geology and geomorphology of Nylsvley Nature Reserve it is important to include information for the floodplain as well. The sandstones of the Waterberg Group are found in the upper reaches of the floodplain. Rooiberg felsites underlie the middle reaches and the lower reaches are underlain by Karoo basalts. This geological mosaic is overlain by approximately 15 m of alluvial soils (Higgins & Rogers, 1993). The topography is gently sloping, 1:1750 m river gradient (Rogers & Higgins, 1993), with a few rocky outcrops. The reserve is situated along the interface of the Waterberg plateau (to the west and north-west) and the Springbok flats (to the south and east). The geology is thus complex with representation in the Bushveld complex, Waterberg sandstones, Karoo sandstones and Rooiberg lavas (felsites), giving rise to 17 soil forms and 34 soil series (Harmse, 1977). Two noteworthy features on the reserve are the hard plinthite ('laterite', derived from the felsites) and deep, heavy clay soils ('turf').

    14.2 Origins

    It is a natural floodplain subjected to seasonal flooding of varying intensities. Flooding is of erratic nature with alternating wetter and drier periods. The floodplain and the reserve have been altered by dams, dykes, weirs, road and rail culverts.

    14.3 Hydrology

    The catchment area, 600 km2 (Tarboton, 1987) to 800 km2, is the south eastern fringe of the Waterberg plateau. The sub-catchments feeding the floodplain are those of the Groot Nyl, Klein Nyl, Olifantspruit, Modderloop / Rasloop, Middelfonteinspruit, Hessie-se-Water, De Wet Zyn Loop, Bad se Loop, Tobiasspruit, Andriesspruit and Kootjie se Loop. The flow in these streams is strongly seasonal with peak flows in the wet summer months dropping to minimum flows at the peak of the dry season (September / October). The storage capacity of the sub-catchments varies from one to the other with some having a greater storage capacity than others. For example, the Olifantspruit sporadically delivers large volumes of water during high rainfall events as there is very little storage capacity due to the rocky substrate and steep-sided valleys. The Klein Nyl is dammed (Donkerpoort dam - 2.38 x 106 m3 capacity). The Groot Nyl and Olifantspruit provide most of the streamflow to the reserve and the floodplain. Precipitation, ground-water storage and water abstraction are the primary factors which influence the water volume reaching the floodplain.

    The entire floodplain is 24 250 ha (including hydromorphic grasslands and sodic sites) and the Nyl River is the main drainage channel. During dry spells the floodplain dries completely and water is available only in permanent pools (refuge areas) in the channel. The water depth varies according to the type of flooding that occurs but seldom exceeds one metre.

    Table 1. Flooding events of the Nyl River as classified by Tarboton (1990).

    Flood size Total annual flow (x 106 m3) Inundation to (farm name)
    No flood < 15
    Small 15 - 20 Vogelfontein
    Small / Medium 20 - 25
    Medium 25 - 30 Mosdene
    Medium / Large 30 - 35
    Large > 35 Vaalkop

    Principal uses of water in the Nyl River system are crop irrigation and household use. An estimated 11 million m3 per annum are required to irrigate 1 525 ha of crop lands in the Nyl catchment (Theron et al., 1992). There are approximately 2 000 boreholes and in excess of 300 dams in the Nyl River system (Marneweck pers. comm.1). Nylstroom receives almost all of its water from the Roodeplaat dam (100 km south, Pretoria) and Naboomspruit uses approximately 0.75 million m3 per annum from boreholes on the Nyl River floodplain and surrounding areas. The Centre for Water in the Environment (University of Witwatersrand) in collaboration with Bill Pittman of Stewart Scott Consulting Engineers and with funding from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry are currently developing a hydrologic and hydraulic model for the Nyl River floodplain to investigate various water-use issues.

    14.4 Soil type and chemistry

    On Nylsvley Nature Reserve alone, 17 soil forms (classified according to the South African National Soil Classification System, Macvicar et al., 1977) and, within them, 34 soil series have been identified and mapped (Harmse, 1977). On a broader scale Scholes and Walker (1993) divided the soils into 9 major soil groups as follows:

    • shallow soils derived from felsite
    • deeper soils derived from felsite
    • alluvium
    • sodium-affected duplex soils
    • vertisols derived from basalt
    • shallow sandy soils derived from sandstone
    • deeper sandy soils derived from sandstone
    • deep sandy soils enriched with nutrients
    • sandy soils with alluvial horizon

    At an even broader level three mapping units occur:

    1. Black and red montmorillonitic clays - red clays contain less calcium carbonate, lower phosphorus and have higher percentages of iron and aluminium oxides than black clays. Black clays are confined to the shallow, poorly drained depressions of the floodplain. (Gary Marneweck, Wetlands consultant, Strategic Environmental Focus, Pretoria)
    2. Lithosols of the scattered sandstone outcrops (Maroelakop and Stemmerskop
    3. Savanna soils of red, yellow and grey ferrisallitic sands (upland situation) and loams of the bottomlands.

    14.5 Water quality

    The indications, at present, are that water entering the floodplain is of an acceptable quality. It should, however, be monitored and maintained within limits that will ensure the survival of the floodplain organisms. A decrease in water quality through water pollution of any sort could be critical as the floodplain acts as a sink and is not flushed by floods as other hydrological systems are. On the other hand the floodplain (specifically permanently wet areas) is able to absorb and neutralize a certain level of pollution without adverse effects.

    14.6 Depth, fluctuations and permanence

    When flooded the depth of the floodplain rarely exceeds one metre. Flooding categories, according to Tarboton, have been mentioned in the section on hydrology (13.3).

    Table 2. Higgins et al. (1996) described three flooding events according to the presence of water in three landscape units.

    Flood size Landscape unit Frequency Permanence
    Small Channel zone flood 7 in 10 years 3 - 4 months
    Medium Floodplain zone flood 4 in 10 years 50 days
    Large Hydromorphic zone flood 3 in 10 years > 50 days

    14.7 Catchment area

    600 km2 (Tarboton, 1987) to 800 km2

    14.8 Downstream area

    The floodplain is approximately 70 km long with an average width of 2 km (max. width 6 km). Nylsvley Nature Reserve is situated in the upper reaches of the floodplain and comprises approximately 500 ha of floodplain.

    14.9 Climate

    Situated in the summer rainfall region, the floodplain and catchment receive rains during the hot summer months and experience cool dry winters. The rainfall over the entire system is highly variable in time, space and intensity and varies between 740 mm / annum in the west and 600 mm / annum in the east. The 69-year mean annual rainfall at Nylsvley Nature Reserve is 623 mm with an annual coefficient of variation of 24% (Frost, 1987). Mean annual temperature is 19C (Scholes & Walker, 1993). Maximum daily temperature at Nylsvley Nature Reserve range from a mean of 29,2 ºC in December/January to 21,0 ºC in June/July. Minimum daily temperatures varies between 16,8 ºC in December/January and 4,0 ºC in June/July.

  14. HYDROLOGICAL VALUE

    The Nyl River floodplain is a wetland of international importance which owes its existence to the combination of its geomorphology and the variability of the hydrological regimes of its sub-catchments. It is an extremely dynamic system which requires both wet and dry periods to maintain its complex ecology. The floodplain and catchment represent a diverse and complete ecosystem whose components are dependent on each other to maintain the integrity of the system. Groundwater recharge and discharge have not been adequately investigated to justify comment. Due to its location at the top end of the floodplain, maintaining the integrity and function of the reserve's wetland will benefit downstream water users. The reserve also contributes to sediment trapping, maintaining water quality and fulfilling feeding and breeding requirements of a high diversity of waterfowl.

  15. ECOLOGICAL FEATURES

    According to Low & Rebelo (1996) the reserve comprises two broadscale vegetation types, namely Mixed Bushveld (#18) and Clay Thorn Bushveld (#14) which correspond with Acocks (1976) Mixed Bushveld and Sourish Mixed Bushveld and Springbok Flats Turf Thornveld respectively. Approximately 600 plants species have been recorded for the reserve (Scholes & Walker, 1993). The vegetation communities are many and varied due to the range of soil types and water regime. Various studies have attempted to dissect communities and vegetation types at various levels, as follows:

    Coetzee et al. (1977) distinguished four broad groups of communities, namely:

    1. Grassland and broad-leaved communities on elevated sandstone and felsite areas
    2. Microphyllous thorn savanna on termite mounds and the flat bottomlands excluding self-mulching, vertic soils
    3. A bottomland community on self-mulching, vertic soils
    4. Secondary grassland-thorn savanna of abandoned settlements

    These communities and species representation are dealt with in more detail by Coetzee et al. (1977).

    At another level Scholes and Walker (1993) distinguished nine vegetation types from the vegetation mapping of Coetzee et al. (1977) as follows:

    1. Burkea africana savanna
    2. Diplorhynchus condylocarpon savanna
    3. Combretum spp. savanna
    4. Acacia tortilis savanna
    5. Old village sites
    6. Acacia karoo savanna
    7. Floodplain grasslands
    8. Grasslands on vertic soils
    9. Seepline grassland

    The terrestrial vegetation and ecology have been extensively researched but it is only more recently that effort has been directed at the aquatic and semi-terrestrial vegetation within the reserve.

    Higgins et al. (1996) divided the floodplain into landscape units based on lateral, vertical and longitudinal gradients. Vegetation changes along these gradients in response to flooding. The landscape units are as follows:

    1. Channel - floating leaved e.g. Nymphaea lotus and Ludwigia stoloniphera and submerged aquatic species, e.g. Ceratophyllum demersum and Potamogeton thunbergii
    2. Channel levee - well drained sites for riparian tree species, otherwise nearly imperceptible, e.g. Combretum erythrophyllum and Polygonum kitaibelianum.
    3. Floodplain - approximately 35 plant species and very important for aquatic bird habitat and foraging, e.g. Oryza longistaminata, Paspalidium obtusifolium, and Panicum schinzii.
    4. Backflooded grasslands - termite mounds allow for establishment of woody species, e.g. Cyerus fastifiatus, Cynodon dactylon, Setaria sphacelata and Bothriochloa bladhii.
    5. Sodic islands - woody community on the periphery and grassland in the central pan, e.g. Acacia karoo, Carissa bispinosa and Chloris virgata.
    6. Hydromorphic grasslands - represent the ecotone between floodplain and terrestrial savanna, provide a conduit for movement of organisms between savanna and floodplain, e.g. Setaria sphacelata and Themeda triandra.

    Looking more closely at the aquatic vegetation Bailey (1990) classified six main communities in terms of dominant species and rank along the elevation profile from wettest to driest as follows :

    1. Submerged aquatic community dominated by Ceratophyllum demersum and Potamogeton thunbergii (elevation 0 - 1 m)
    2. Floating leaved community with Nymphaea lotus and Ludwigia stoloniphera as dominant species (0.5 - 1 m)
    3. Wild rice community with the grasses Oryza longistaminata and Leersia hexandra being dominant (0.5 - 1.5 m)
    4. Reed and sedge communities dominated by species such as Phragmites mauritianus and Cyperus fastigiatus occurring in patches on the floodplain (0.5-1.0 m)
    5. Floodplain grasslands dominated by species such as Paspalum serobiculatum and Panicum shinzii at lower elevations (1.5 - 1.8 m) and Cynodon dactylon at higher elevations (1.8 - 2.0 m)
    6. Semi-terrestrial grasslands dominated by terrestrial grasses such as Bothriocloa insculpta and Themeda triandra, but contain many more species (elevation 1.8 - 2.5 m).

  16. NOTEWORTHY FLORA

    Within the reserve a diversity of communities with more than 600 plants species is represented. Of particular interest are the stands of wild rice, Oryza longistaminata. The reserve and parts of the floodplain are the only recorded localities for this plant species in South Africa (Gibbs Russell et al., 1994). See also Ecological Features (section 14). Within the floodplain as a whole there is at least one rare and endemic (to Transvaal) plant, Ceropegia stentiae (Asclepiadaceae).

  17. NOTEWORTHY FAUNA

    Within the reserve eight South African Red Data listed waterfowl species have been recorded breeding. They are: Rufousbellied Heron (Butroides rufiventris), Little Bittern (Ixobrychus minutus), Dwarf Bittern (Ixobychus sturmii), Bittern (Botaurus stellaris), Pygmy Goose (Nettapus auritus), Baillon's Crake (Porzana pusilla), Striped Crake (Aenigmatolimnas marginalis) and Black Stork (Ciconia nigra). In addition, this is the only site in South Africa where Rufousbellied Heron has been known to breed. The Striped Crake has not been recorded anywhere in the country besides on Nylsvley Nature Reserve (Tarboton, 1987). The latest bird list for Nylsvley comprises 370 species (Appendix A).

    Looking to the floodplain as a whole some interesting facts emerge. For example, the Streakybreasted Flufftail has only been recorded on the Nyl floodplain and nowhere else in the country. Of the 102 waterfowl species recorded on the floodplain, 58 species are known to breed on the floodplain, more than on any other South African wetland. Twenty three of the waterfowl species are Red Data listed (Brooke, 1984) and eight of these are known to breed here (Tarboton, 1994). The number of bird species recorded on the entire floodplain is 412. The latest bird atlas numbers for the quarter degree square including Nylsvley Nature Reserve yielded 426 species, almost half the total number of bird species in South Africa. The best estimate for water bird numbers on the floodplain in wet years is approximately 80 000 (Tarboton, 1987).

    Breeding of endangered Roan antelope which use the floodplain extensively is another of the conservation priorities for the reserve. In total 79 mammal species (Appendix B) have been recorded in the reserve (Bronner, pers. comm.).

    Kleynhans (1991) recorded 10 fish species from the floodplain (from Nylsvley downstream) (Appendix C).

    Jacobsen (1977) has dealt with the herpetofauna for the reserve and recorded a total of 132 (23 lizards, 1 Amphisbaenia, 17 frogs and 29 snakes). Of these 11 amphibian species utilize the floodplain to a greater or lesser extent (Jacobsen, 1991).

  18. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL VALUES

    Nylsvley Nature Reserve is regarded as one of the premier birdwatching localities in the country. Most of the 10 000 visitors who visit the reserve each year are birdwatchers. A group camp and camp site provide outdoor recreation facilities for tourists. Friends of Nylsvley (a special interest group of the Wildlife and Environment Society of S.A.) promote conservation and environmental education by hosting natural history courses at the reserve.

    Scientific research is also an important component of the reserve, making Nylsvley Nature Reserve one of the most intensively studied sites in the world. The Savanna Ecosystem Project (1974-1989) included scientists from all disciplines whose aims were to develop a greater understanding of processes in savanna ecosystem function. Various international scientists still conduct scientific research in the reserve and surrounding areas of the floodplain. An Foundation for Research Development Special Programme entitled "Wetlands as Functional Units of the Landscape (1990 - 1994)" focussed ecological research on wetland vegetation and the relationship with the hydrological system.

    Signs of previous human occupation of the area have been discovered. Some of the earliest hominid relics (Australopithicus africanus, dated 2-3 My BP) were discovered 60 km to the north at Makapansgat (Brain, 1981). Stone implements from the Middle and Late Stone Age are widespread in the Nylsvley region (Scholes & Walker, 1993). At nearby Witkop and Klipputgat simple paintings have been found in sandstone shelters (Tarboton, 1987). Archeological sites at Nylsvley show Iron Age people having been present. The style of pottery and 14C dating of charcoal excavated in the area suggest that the settlements belonged to the Tswana culture of the Middle Iron Age. In the early nineteenth century a militant offshoot of the Zulus, the Matablele established a large village 100 km south of Nylsvley. The first influx of white settlers arrived in the Nylsvley area in 1838 (Scholes & Walker, 1993).

  19. LAND TENURE / OWNERSHIP

    The Northern Province Chief Directorate Environmental Affairs manages the Nylsvley Nature Reserve. The remainder of the floodplain is privately owned.

  20. CURRENT LAND USE

    Ramsar site

    Land use on the reserve is primarily conservation-orientated with tourism (birdwatching, walking, etc.) and environmental education also being important activities. No threat from human activities exists on the site itself.

    Surroundings and catchment

    The land use of the surrounding areas includes various forms of agriculture and cattle farming. Game farming has also emerged as a fast growing practice. The principle uses of water are crop irrigation and household use (Theron et al., 1992). An estimated 11 million m3 per year is used to irrigate 1 525 ha crop lands in the Nyl catchment. Forestry plantations are limited to 180 ha in the catchment area but a further threat is alien vegetation in the water courses. Approximately 200 ha of Eucalyptus species and Populus canescens are currently choking the subcatchments of the Nyl River.

    There are two urban centres in the Nyl River system - Nylstroom / Phagameng and Naboomspruit / Mogopong whose populations are approximately 22 000 and 13 000 respectively. Nylstroom receives most of its water requirements via a pipeline from Roodeplaat dam, Pretoria. The only impact of water loss from the system will be when the Donkerpoort dam (2.38 million m3 capacity), Nylstroom's original water source, refills at the beginning of the wet season. Naboomspruit receives some water (approximately 0.5 million m3) from the Welgevonden (Frikkie Geyser) dam on the Sterk River, which is not one of the Nyl tributaries. The balance of the water required is provided by boreholes in the Nyl river (approximately 0.75 million m3 per annum). The use of boreholes by the Naboomspruit municipality negatively affects downstream floodplain residents but does not influence the proposed Ramsar site as such. Current water requirement growth rates for the urban centres are in the region of 2.5%.

  21. DISTURBANCES AND THREATS, CHANGES IN LAND USE AND MAJOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

    Threats to the floodplain are mainly external with pressure on the system arising from water abstraction and agricultural activities. Thus far the floodplain has been modified through the construction of weirs, dams, levees and diversion structures. The construction of numerous impoundments in the catchment have, in places, altered the character of the tributaries to the detriment of the overall hydrological regime.

    The proposed siting of a dam on the Olifantspruit to provide water for the municipality of Nylstroom was stopped after an Integrated Environmental Management procedure was completed in the early 1990's. Instead a pipeline from the Roodeplaat dam some 100 km south of the floodplain is currently providing water for Nylstroom.

    It is therefore essential that any further development in the catchment and on the floodplain is carefully evaluated and monitored to ensure that this important natural area is not irreparably impacted by further water regulation projects. There is no doubt that the Nyl River floodplain is a national asset that must be maintained in as near pristine a state as possible.

  22. CONSERVATION MEASURES TAKEN

    Of the 3970 ha protected within Nylsvley Nature Reserve, approximately 500 ha comprises floodplain. The nearby farm of Mosdene, comprising 4 972 ha, is a privately-owned nature reserve and Natural Heritage Site. The owner of Mosdene has recently (May 1997) removed all cattle from the farm and hopes to collaborate with others in a conservancy structure.

    A provisional management plan for Nylsvley Nature Reserve (Appendix D) has been drafted and is currently being implemented.

  23. CONSERVATION MEASURES PROPOSED

    In April 1994 a portion (850 ha) of the adjacent farm, Vogelfontein, was purchased and added to the reserve. A proposal by the Department of Environmental Affairs (29/11/95) for the USA-SA Binational Commission was compiled for the acquisition of funds needed for the expansion of the reserve to include the farms Mosdene, Vogelfontein sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 and Weltevreden section 3 (totalling 7 238 ha, see Topo-cadatral 1: 50 000 map - 2428 DA). While nothing resulted from this proposal there are plans by the landowners on these properties and others to create a conserved natural area near, possibly adjacent, to Nylsvley. This venture, if successful, will include approximately 1 800 ha of floodplain. Another private nature reserve of 367 ha on the farm Middlefontein (8 km upstream) is in the process of being established. Conservation on the floodplain is thus progressing favourably.

    As of 22 April 1994 a Government Gazette notice (number 719, Article 9B of the Water Act No. 54, 1956) stipulates that the building of dams with a capacity greater than 10 000 m3 in the Nyl River system is prohibited, without a permit from the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. Prior to April 1994 the limit was 250 000 m3. The Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa, with funds from the World Wide Fund for Nature (S.A.), is currently involved in a project involving the removal of Eucalyptus species which have infested approximately 150 ha of the Groot Nyl tributary, an important tributary for water provision to the floodplain. In the past two years 32 ha have been cleared.

  24. CURRENT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND FACILITIES

    Research facilities constructed for researchers involved in the Savanna Ecosystem Project are now used by the Centre for Water in the Environment (University of the Witwatersrand). Nylsvley Nature Reserve is one of the most intensively studied savanna sites in the world, having generated over one hundred scientific papers and reports, many postgraduate degrees and even a few books. For a recent synthesis of the published work consult Scholes and Walker (1993).

    Current research includes the following projects:

    • The Hydrologic and Hydraulic Study of the Behaviour of the Nyl River Floodplain - funded by Dept. of Water Affairs and Forestry in collaboration with Bill Pittman of Stewart Scott Consulting Engineers and CWE (Kevin Rogers, Andrew Birkhead, Chris James and Andy Fourie)
    • Plant responses to alterations in flooding regime: Community and life history approaches (Coetzee, M.A.S. (PhD, Botany, University of the Witwatersrand)
    • An ecosystem perspective of wild rice, Oryza longistaminata, on the Nyl River floodplain - (Marneweck, G.C. PhD, Botany, University of the Witwatersrand)
    • Nutrient reserve dynamics, foraging strategies, moult patterns and movements of White-faced Ducks in South Africa - Petrie, S.A. (PhD, Botany, University of the Witwatersrand)
    • Transferring scientific information from scientists to managers: Developing an interface for Nylsvley - Bestbier, R. (MSc, Botany, University of the Witwatersrand)
    • Change in vegetation characteristics in response to different disturbances on the Nyl River floodplain - Booij-Liewes, M. (MSc, Botany, University of the Witwatersrand)
    • Habitat requirements and management of Roan antelope (Hippotragus equinux equinux) in small conservation areas - Dörgeoloh, W.R. (PhD, Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria)

  25. CURRENT CONSERVATION EDUCATION

    Currently school groups as well as specialist interest groups like the Witwatersrand Bird Club and Friends of Nylsvley (affiliated to the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa) are catered for. Strategies involving the surrounding communities, including the farmers, are being developed through the Socio-Ecology section and Environmental Education section of the Chief Directorate Environmental Affairs (Northern Province).

  26. CURRENT RECREATION AND TOURISM

    A camp site, group camp, picnic site and three bird hides have been established (two more planned) on the reserve. Approximately 10 000 visitors per annum use the reserve at present.

  27. JURISDICTION

    Northern Province: Department of Agriculture, Land and Environment
    Chief Directorate Environmental Affairs
    PO Box 217
    Pietersburg
    0700
    RSA

    This site is a protected area in terms of Ordinance 12 of 1983, other legislation applicable to this site is Environmental Conservation Act, 1989 and the Water Act, 1956.

  28. MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY

    Northern Province: Department of Agriculture, Land and Environment
    Chief Directorate Environmental Affairs
    PO Box 217
    Pietersburg
    0700
    RSA

  29. REFERENCES

    Acocks, J.P.H. 1988 (3rd Edition). Veld types of South Africa. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 57.

    Bailey, C.L. 1990. The applicability of the Clementian and Gleasonian concepts to the description and explanation of vegetation organization in a semi-arid wetland. BSc Honours report, Botany Dept., University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

    Brain, C.K. 1981. In Scholes, R.J. & Walker, B.H. 1993. An African Savanna: Synthesis of the Nylsvley Study. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Brooke, R.K. 1984. South African Red Data Book - Birds. South African National Scientific Programmes Report No. 97, CSIR, Pretoria.

    Coetzee, B.J., van der Meulen, F., Zwanziger, S., Gonsalves, P. & P.J. Weisser. 1977. A phytosociological classification of the Nylsvley Nature Reserve. South African National Scientific Programmes Report No. 20, CSIR, Pretoria.

    Frost, P.G.H. 1987. The Regional Landscape: Nylsvley in perspective. South African National Scientific Programmes Report No. 133, CSIR, Pretoria.

    Gibbs Russell, G.E., Watson, L., Koekemoer, M., Smook, N.P., Anderson, H.M. & Dallwitz, M.J. 1991. Grasses of southern Africa. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa No. 58.

    Harmse, H.J. von M. 1977. Grondsoorte van die Nylsvley natuurreseservaat. South African National Scientific Programmes Report No. 16, CSIR, Pretoria.

    Higgins, S.I. & Rodgers, K.H. 1993. The Nyl River floodplain: Situation Report and Preliminary Statement of Impacts of the Proposed Olifantspruit Dam. Centre for Water in the Environment Report No. 03/93. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

    Higgins, S.I., Coetzee, M.A.S., Marneweck, G.C. & Rogers, K.H. 1996. The Nyl River floodplain, South Africa, as a functional unit of the landscape: A review of current information. Afr. J. Ecol. 34: 131-145.

    Jacobsen, N.G.H. 1977. An annotated checklist of the amphibians, reptiles and mammals of the Nylsvley Nature Reserve. South African National Scientific Programmes Report No. 21, CSIR, Pretoria.

    Jacobsen, N.G.H. 1991. The influence of the periodic flooding of the Nyl floodplain on Amphibians, Reptiles and Mammals. Report to the Chief Director of Nature and Environmental Conservation, Transvaal Provincial Administration, Pretoria.

    Kleynhans, C.J. 1991. The Nyl Floodplain: Its Ichthyofauna and Conservation Status. Report to the Chief Director of Nature and Environmental Conservation, Transvaal Provincial Administration, Pretoria.

    Low, A.B. & Rebelo, A.G. (Eds) 1996. Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Pretoria.

    Macvicar, C.N., De Villiers, J.M., Loxton, R.F., Verster, E., Lambrechts, J.J.N., Merryweather, F.R., Le Roux, J, van Rooyen, T.H. & H.J. von M. Harmse. 1977. Soil Classification : A bionomial system for South Africa. Scientific Bulletin 390. Dept. Of Agricultural Technical Services, Pretoria.

    Noble, R.G. & Hemens, J. 1978. Inland water ecosystems in South Africa - A review of research needs. South African National Scientific Programmes Report No. 34, CSIR, Pretoria.

    Rogers, K.H. & Higgins, S.I. 1993. The Nyl Floodplain as a Functional Unit of the Landscape: Preliminary Synthesis and Future Research. 01/93. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

    Scholes, R.J. & Walker, B.H. 1993. An African Savanna: Synthesis of the Nylsvley Study. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Tarboton ,W.R. 1987. The Nyl floodplain. Fauna & Flora 45.

    Tarboton, W.R. 1990. In Kleynhans, C.J. 1990. Die Nylrivier: Evaluasie van die moontlike effekte van die beplande Olifantspruitdam. Report to the Chief Director of Nature and Environmental Conservation, Transvaal Provincial Administration, Pretoria.

    Tarboton, W.R. 1994. In Craib, A. Nylsvley - Cinderella of Wetlands. Our Living World.

    Theron, T.P., Prinsloo, F., Grimsehl, H.W. & Pullen, R.A. 1992. In Rogers, K.H. & Higgins, S.I. 1993. The Nyl Floodplain as a Functional Unit of the Landscape: Preliminary Synthesis and Future Research. Centre for Water in the Environment Report No. 01/93. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.



    Appendix A: Bird species list for Nylsvley Nature Reserve (Warwick Tarboton 3pers. comm.)

    001 Ostrich 006 Great Crested Grebe
    008 Dabchick 055 Whitebreasted Cormorant
    058 Reed Cormorant 060 Darter
    062 Grey Heron 063 Blackheaded Heron
    064 Goliath Heron 065 Purple Heron
    066 Great White Egret 067 Little Egret
    069 Black Egret 070 Slaty Egret
    071 Cattle Egret 072 Squacco Heron
    074 Greenbacked Heron 075 Rufousbellied Heron
    076 Blackcrowned Night Heron 078 Little Bittern
    079 Dwarf Bittern 080 Bittern
    081 Hamerkop 083 White Stork
    084 Black Stork 085 Abdim's Stork
    088 Saddlebilled Stork 090 Yellowbilled Stork
    091 Sacred Ibis 093 Glossy Ibis
    094 Hadeda Ibis 095 African Spoonbill
    096 Greater Flamingo 099 Whitefaced Duck
    100 Fulvous Duck 101 Whitebacked Duck
    102 Egyptian Goose 103 South African Shelduck
    104 Yellowbilled Duck 105 African Black Duck
    106 Cape Teal 107 Hottentot Teal
    108 Redbilled Teal 112 Cape Shoveller
    113 Southern Pochard 114 Pygmy Goose
    115 Knobbilled Duck 116 Spurwinged Goose
    117 Maccoa Duck 118 Secretarybird
    122 Cape Vulture 123 Whitebacked Vulture
    124 Lappetfaced Vulture 126A Black Kite
    126B Yellowbilled Kite 127 Blackshouldered Kite
    128 Cuckoo Hawk 131 Black Eagle
    132 Tawny Eagle 133 Steppe Eagle
    134 Lesser Spotted Eagle 135 Wahlberg's Eagle
    136 Booted Eagle 137 African Hawk Eagle
    139 Longcrested Eagle 140 Martial Eagle
    142 Brown Snake Eagle 143 Blackbreasted Snake Eagle
    146 Bateleur 148 African Fish Eagle
    149 Steppe Buzzard 152 Jackal Buzzard
    154 Lizard Buzzard 156 Ovambo Sparrowhawk
    157 Little Sparrowhawk 158 Black Sparrowhawk
    159 Little Banded Goshawk 160 African Goshawk
    161 Gabar Goshawk 164 European Marsh Harrier
    165 African Marsh Harrier166 Montagu's Harrier
    167 Pallid Harrier169 Gymnogene
    172 Lanner Falcon173 European Hobby
    180 Eastern Redfooted Kestrel 181 Rock Kestrel
    182 Greater Kestrel183 Lesser Kestrel
    188 Coqui Francolin189 Crested Francolin
    191 Shelley's Francolin196 Natal Francolin
    199 Swainson's Francolin 200 Common Quail
    201 Harlequin Quail 203 Helmeted Guineafowl
    205 Kurrichane Buttonquail 208 Blue Crane
    210 African Rail 212 African Crake
    213 Black Crake 214 Spotted Crake
    215 Baillon's Crake 216 Striped Crake
    217 Redchested Flufftail 223 Purple Gallinule
    224 Lesser Gallinule 226 Moorhen
    227 Lesser Moorhen 228 Redknobbed Coot
    231 Stanley's Bustard 237 Redcrested Korhaan
    239 Northern Black Korhaan 240 African Jacana
    242 Painted Snipe 248 Kittlitz's Plover
    249 Threebanded Plover 255 Crowned Plover
    258 Blacksmith Plover 260 Wattled Plover
    264 Common Sandpiper 265 Green Sandpiper
    266 Wood Sandpiper269 Marsh Sandpiper
    270 Greenshank 272 Curlew Sandpiper
    274 Little Stint284 Ruff
    286 Ethiopian Snipe294 Avocet
    295 Blackwinged Stilt297 Spotted Dikkop
    300 Temminck's Courser303 Bronzewinged Courser
    305 Blackwinged Pratincole315 Greyheaded Gull
    338 Whiskered Tern 339 Whitewinged Tern
    349 Rock Pigeon352 Redeyed Dove
    353 Mourning Dove354 Cape Turtle Dove
    355 Laughing Dove 356 Namaqua Dove
    358 Greenspotted Dove 361 Green Pigeon
    364 Meyer's Parrot373 Grey Lourie
    374 European Cuckoo375 African Cuckoo
    377 Redchested Cuckoo378 Black Cuckoo
    380 Great Spotted Cuckoo 381 Striped Cuckoo
    382 Jacobin Cuckoo 385 Klaas's Cuckoo
    386 Diederik Cuckoo391 Burchell's Coucal
    392 Barn Owl393 Grass Owl
    395 Marsh Owl396 Scops Owl
    397 Whitefaced Owl398 Pearlspotted Owl
    401 Spotted Eagle Owl402 Giant Eagle Owl
    404 European Nightjar405 Fierynecked Nightjar
    406 Rufouscheeked Nightjar409 Mozambique Nightjar
    410 Pennantwinged Nightjar411 European Swift
    412 Black Swift415 Whiterumped Swift
    416 Horus Swift417 Little Swift
    418 Alpine Swift421 Palm Swift
    424 Speckled Mousebird426 Redfaced Mousebird
    428 Pied Kingfisher429 Giant Kingfisher
    431 Malachite Kingfisher 432 Pygmy Kingfisher
    433 Woodland Kingfisher 435 Brownhooded Kingfisher
    436 Greyhooded Kingfisher 437 Striped Kingfisher
    438 European Bee-eater 440 Bluecheeked Bee-eater
    441 Carmine Bee-eater 443 Whitefronted Bee-eater
    444 Little Bee-eater 445 Swallowtailed Bee-eater
    446 European Roller 447 Lilacbreasted Roller
    449 Purple Roller 451 Hoopoe
    452 Redbilled Woodhoopoe 454 Scimitarbilled Woodhoopoe
    457 Grey Hornbill 458 Redbilled Hornbill
    459 Yellowbilled Hornbill 464 Blackcollared Barbet
    465 Pied Barbet 470 Yellowfronted Tinker Barbet
    473 Crested Barbet 474 Greater Honeyguide
    476 Lesser Honeyguide 478 Sharpbilled Honeyguide
    481 Bennett's Woodpecker 483 Goldentailed Woodpecker
    486 Cardinal Woodpecker 487 Bearded Woodpecker
    494 Rufousnaped Lark 496 Flappet Lark
    497 Fawncoloured Lark 505 Dusky Lark
    507 Redcapped Lark 515 Chestnutbacked Finchlark
    518 European Swallow 520 Whitethroated Swallow
    523 Pearlbreasted Swallow 524 Redbreasted Swallow
    526 Greater Striped Swallow 527 Lesser Striped Swallow
    529 Rock Martin 530 House Martin
    532 European Sand Martin 533 Brownthroated Martin
    534 Banded Martin 538 Black Cuckooshrike
    541 Forktailed Drongo 543 European Golden Oriole
    545 Blackheaded Oriole 547 Black Crow
    548 Pied Crow 552 Ashy Tit
    554 Southern Black Tit 557 Cape Penduline Tit
    558 Grey Penduline Tit 560 Arrowmarked Babbler
    563 Pied Babbler 567 Redeyed Bulbul
    568 Blackeyed Bulbul576 Kurrichane Thrush
    577 Olive Thrush580 Groundscraper Thrush
    585 European Wheatear 589 Familiar Chat
    595 Anteating Chat596 Stonechat
    601 Cape Robin602 Whitethroated Robin
    613 Whitebrowed Scrub Robin615 Kalahari Robin
    619 Garden Warbler620 Whitethroat
    621 Titbabbler625 Icterine Warbler
    626 Olivetree Warbler628 Great Reed Warbler
    631 African Marsh Warbler 633 European Marsh Warbler
    634 European Sedge Warbler635 Cape Reed Warbler
    638 African Sedge Warbler 643 Willow Warbler
    651 Longbilled Crombec653 Yellowbellied Eremomela
    656 Burntnecked Eremomela 657 Greybacked Bleating Warbler
    658 Barred Warbler664 Fantailed Cisticola
    665 Desert Cisticola 671 Tinkling Cisticola
    672 Rattling Cisticola 677 Levaillant's Cisticola
    679 Lazy Cisticola 681 Neddicky
    683 Tawnyflanked Prinia 685 Blackchested Prinia
    689 Spotted Flycatcher 692 Collared Flycatcher
    693 Fantailed Flycatcher 694 Black Flycatcher
    695 Marico Flycatcher 696 Pallid Flycatcher
    698 Fiscal Flycatcher 701 Chinspot Batis
    706 Fairy Flycatcher 710 Paradise Flycatcher
    711 African Pied Wagtail 713 Cape Wagtail
    714 Yellow Wagtail 716 Grassveld Pipit
    718 Plainbacked Pipit 719 Buffy Pipit
    720 Striped Pipit 723 Bushveld Pipit
    727 Orangethroated Longclaw 731 Lesser Grey Shrike
    732 Fiscal Shrike 733 Redbacked Shrike
    735 Longtailed Shrike 736 Southern Boubou
    739 Crimsonbreasted Shrike740 Puffbacked Shrike
    741 Brubru Shrike 743 Threestreaked Tchagra
    744 Blackcrowned Tchagra 748 Orangebreasted Bush Shrike
    751 Greyheaded Bush Shrike753 White Helmetshrike
    756 Whitecrowned Shrike760 Wattled Starling
    761 Plumbcoloured Starling762 Burchell's Starling
    764 Cape Glossy Starling769 Redwinged Starling
    772 Redbilled Oxpecker779 Marico Sunbird
    787 Whitebellied Sunbird792 Black Sunbird
    796 Cape White-eye798 Redbilled Buffalo Weaver
    799 Whitebrowed Sparrow Weaver801 House Sparrow
    802 Great Sparrow 803 Cape Sparrow
    804 Greyheaded Sparrow805 Yellowthroated Sparrow
    806 Scalyfeathered Finch811 Spottedbacked Weaver
    814 Masked Weaver 815 Lesser Masked Weaver
    819 Redheaded Weaver 820 Cuckoo Finch
    821 Redbilled Quelea 824 Red Bishop
    826 Golden Bishop 829 Whitewinged Widow
    831 Redcollared Widow 832 Longtailed Widow
    834 Melba Finch 840 Bluebilled Firefinch
    841 Jameson's Firefinch 842 Redbilled Firefinch
    844 Blue Waxbill 845 Violeteared Waxbill
    846 Common Waxbill 847 Blackcheeked Waxbill
    852 Quail Finch 854 Orangebreasted Waxbill
    855 Cutthroat Finch 856 Redheaded Finch
    857 Bronze Mannikin 860 Pintailed Whydah
    861 Shafttailed Whydah 862 Paradise Whydah
    867 Steelblue Widowfinch 869 Yelloweyed Canary
    870 Blackthroated Canary 881 Streakyheaded Canary
    884 Goldenbreasted Bunting 886 Rock Bunting
    887 Larklike Bunting -

    3 - Dr W.R. Tarboton, Avian and Wetland Consultant, Sericea, Nylstroom. S.A.



    Appendix B : Mammal species for Nylsvley Nature Reserve (Bronner pers. comm.)

    Myosorex varius Common shrew
    Crocidura hirta Lesser red musk shrew
    Crocidura cyanea Reddish-grey musk shrew
    Crocidura mariquensis Swamp musk shrew
    Crocidura fuscomurina Tiny musk shrew
    Suncus lixus Greater dwarf shrew
    Amblysomus julianae Juliana's golden mole
    Atelerix frontalis Southern African hedgehog
    Elephantulus brachyrhynchus Short-snouted elephant shrew
    Epomophorrus wahlbergii Wahlberg's fruit bat
    Taphozous mauritianus Mauritian tomb bat
    Nycleris thebiaca Eqyptian slit-faced bat
    Rhinolophus clivosus Geoffrey's horseshoe bat
    Phinolophus darlingii Darling's horseshoe bat
    Pipistrellus rusticus Rusty bat
    Pipistrellus kuhlii Kuhl's pipistrelle
    Eptesicus capensis Cape serotine bat
    Scolophilus dinganii Yellow house bat
    Tadarida aegyptiaca Egyptian free-tailed bat
    Galago moholi Lesser bushbaby
    Ceropithecus aethiops Vervet monkey
    Papio ursinus Chacma baboon
    Lepus capensis Cape hare
    Lepus saxatilus Scrub hare
    Pronolagus randensis Jameson's red hare
    Thryonomys swinderianus Greater cane rat
    Paraxerus cepapi Tree squirrel
    Hystix africaeaustralis Porcupine
    Pedetes capensis Springhare
    Cryptomys hottentotus Common mole-rat
    Saccostomus campestris Pouched mouse
    Dendromus melanotis Grey climbing mouse
    Cendromus mystacalis Chestnut climbing mouse
    Sleatomys pratensis Fat mouse
    Otomys angoiensis Angoni vlei rat
    Tatera leucogaster Bushveld gerbil
    Tatera brantsi Highveld gerbil
    Aethomys namaquensis Namaqua rock rat
    Aethomys chrysophilus Red veld rat
    Lemnisomys rosalia Single-striped mouse
    Rhabdomys purnilio Four-striped field mouse
    Mus minotoides Pygmy mouse
    Mastomys natalensis Multimammate mouse
    Dasmys incomotus Water rat
    Rattus rattus House rat
    Graphiurus murinus Tree dormouse
    Canis adustus Side-striped jackal
    Canis mesomelas Black-backed jackal
    Aonyx capensis Cape clawless otter
    Mellivora capensis Honey badger
    Ictonyx striatus Striped polecat
    Genetta genetta Small-spotted genet
    Genetta tigrina Large-spotted genet
    Paracynictis selousii Selous mongoose
    Cynictis penicillata Yellow mongoose
    Galerella sanguinea Slender mongoose
    Ichneumia albicauda White-tailed mongoose
    Atilax paludinosus Marsh mongooose
    Mungos mungo Banded mongoose
    Proteles cristatus Aardwolf
    Hyaena brunnea Brown hyaena
    Panthera pardus Leopard
    Felis lybica African wildcat
    Orycteropus afer Aardvark
    Potamochoerus porcus Bushpig
    Phacophoerus aetiopicus Warthog
    Tragelaphus strepsiceros Kudu
    Tragelaphus scriptus Bushbuck
    Sylvicapra grimmia Common duiker
    Redunca arundinurm Reedbuck
    Aepyceros melampus Impala
    Raphicerus campestris Steenbuck
    Hippotragus equinus Roan antelope
    Damaliscus lunatus Tsessebe
    Connochaetes taurinus Blue wildebeest
    Giraffa camelopardalis Giraffe
    Taurotragus oryx Eland
    Equus burchelli Burchell's zebra
    Manis temminckii Pangolin



    Appendix C: Fish species recorded on the Nyl floodplain (Kleynhans, 1991)

    Aplocheilicthys johnstoni Johnston's Topminnow
    Barbus bifrenatus Hyphen Barb
    Barbus brevipinnis Shortfin Barb
    Barbus paludinosus Straightfin Barb
    Barbus trimaculatus Threespot Barb
    Clarias gariepinus Sharptooth Catfish
    Marcusenius macrolepidotus Bulldog
    Oreochromis mossambicus Mozambique Tilapia
    Pseudocrenilabrus philander Southern Mouthbrooder
    Tilapia sparmanii Banded Tilapia



    Appendix D: Management Plan for Nylsvley Nature Reserve Update 31/07/97

    Preamble

    At a workshop held at Nylsvley Nature Reserve (1995) the need for a goal orientated management plan was identified. Participants to this workshop included professional staff from Northern Province Environmental Affairs, Central Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, National Parks Board, Natal Parks Board and staff from the Centre for Water in the Environment, WITS. This idea stemmed from various problems experienced in the conservation fraternity . Some of these problems include; the lack of direction in conservation management in South Africa, lack of accountability for decisions taken, managing for an undefined endpoint, inconsistency in management actions, setting unachievable tasks and insufficient incorporation of research into management.

    The existing Nylsvley Nature Reserve (NNR) management plan (De Villiers 1986) is based on ill-defined goals with the emphasis on species conservation. Much has changed since the compilation of this management plan. The conservation of natural processes and natural systems in totality are now more important than preserving a rare antelope species. In this modern day and age environmental education, eco-tourism and an integrated environmental management approach are all part of what was previously known as nature conservation. With a growing human population and more pressure on our natural resources the motivation for conserving a species, system or process needs to be well motivated. The old preservationist attitude needs to be altered to promote a sustainable utilisation management regime.

    Managing a nature reserve without a clear vision and objectives is an aimless exercise (Coombes & Mentis 1992). A clear vision, well defined objectives and realistic goals form the basis of a management plan for the Nylsvley Nature Reserve. In future it will be necessary to give more attention to the management and conservation of the flood plain on the reserve, especially if the application to register this site as a RAMSAR site turns out to be successful. An adaptive management approach will be followed which might cause the management plan to change from time to time. However all management actions will always be measured against the vision.

    Vision

    To recognise the uniqueness of the Nyl flood plain system, to manage for biotic integrity within the reserve and to promote conservation and sustainable utilisation within the entire catchment.

    Nyl flood plain system - flood plain and catchment including the savanna areas in the reserve.

    Operating principles

    1. Controlled utilisation is permissible (including tourism)
    2. There is an obligation to promote and facilitate Environmental Education (EE)
    3. There is an obligation to rehabilitate.
    4. Subscribe to all treaties to which South Africa is a party.
    5. Maintain the integrity of the system (habitat and species).
    6. Promotion of ecotourism
    7. All development must be linked to the resource potential.
    8. Maintain the aesthetic quality of the area.

    Nylsvley in context

    Context refers to circumstances, facts, condition, time, place, manner, cause, surroundings etc. relevant to Nylsvley.

    International

    1. It is a potential RAMSAR site.
    2. International scientists recognise it as an important representative site.
    3. A number of International Red Data listed species breed at Nylsvley.
    4. It is internationally recognised as being an excellent destination for bird watchers due to its high species diversity.
    5. The system is unique in South Africa in terms of its hydrological functioning.
    6. It has the potential to be used in building capacity in wetland management. (This is linked to IWRB programs).
    7. It has the highest bird species diversity in southern Africa.

    National

    1. It has a high tourism potential especially with respect to birdwatching.
    2. It is the largest flood plain vlei in South Africa.
    3. Numerous Red Data listed species are found at Nylsvley Nature Reserve and on the flood plain as a whole.
    4. It is a nationally recognised research site.
    5. It is one of the best studied wetland areas, with its associated savanna component.
    6. It is a proclaimed provincial nature reserve.
    7. Legislation to implement the RAMSAR Convention is now in place.
    8. Workshop facilities and group camp are very good and well known.

    Local

    1. The reserve serves as a refuge for problem animals and other wildlife in an agricultural area.
    2. It is an important breeding site for birds.
    3. It plays a significant role in local water issues and development.
    4. The flood plain provides important grazing for cattle with its higher stocking rate.
    5. It has a high ecotourism potential.
    6. It is a source of employment for locals.
    7. There are no large rural development or communities in the immediate proximity.
    8. It serves as a witness area in issues pertaining to environmental education, biodiversity and sustainable utilisation.

    Strengths

    1. A good base of scientific information available.
    2. It is an excellent breeding and staging site for nomadic aquatic birds.
    3. Nylsvley has a large number of red data listed species.
    4. Nylsvley has a good spectrum of wild animals.
    5. The flood plain system in the savanna is resilient to change, and has recreational and aesthetic attributes.
    6. It has a high biodiversity.
    7. The catchment is not to big with limited potential for development.
    8. It is highly accessible from Gauteng (road and railway).
    9. There is good research and education opportunities and facilities.
    10. It has a good water quality.
    11. It is a protected area.
    12. It has a high productivity in terms of game.
    13. There is a high tourism potential for the whole system and not only the reserve.
    14. Many of the neighbouring landowners are conservation conscious. (potential conservancy).
    15. Freedom to walk on the reserve (no dangerous animals).
    16. Excellent facilities for workshops.
    17. Climate is ideal for tourists.
    18. Accessible to local communities.

    Threats

    1. Water extraction for urban and agricultural purposes in the catchment are a threat to the natural hydrological regime.
    2. Exotic plants in the catchment threatens the hydrological regime.
    3. Overgrazing in the catchment and on the flood plain.
    4. Afforestation in the catchment.
    5. Damaging agricultural programs (Quelea spraying).
    6. Development of water resources (building of dams).

    Objectives

    1. To conserve the diversity of landscape units, processes, communities and species.
    2. To increase the conservation status of the reserve and the flood plain (using legislation and /or acquiring land).
    3. To promote the participative conservation of the broader flood plain area.
    4. To promote the conservation of red-data listed species.
    5. To conduct and encourage management orientated research.
    6. To provide educational programs for the promotion of the conservation and utilisation of natural resources.
    7. To provide facilities and promote activities for ecotourism.
    8. To allow controlled utilisation of renewable resources as a management tool.
    9. To strive for a participatory decision-making approach to the management of the reserve.
    10. To facilitate research for other national, regional and international research programs.

    Combining research and management

    There is a definite need to integrate Scientific data and knowledge with management procedures. Managers working in the operational world with its difficulties relating to shortages in staff, financial constraints pressures from top management, communities and NGO's battle to interpret and implement scientific data into their management programs. On the other hand scientists spend many hours, money and effort to compile scientific reports that seldom gets implemented. It is thus clear that their needs to be an operational interface where the scientist can produce scientific data into a system and the manager can extract scientific data in a user friendly format to implement in his daily management programs.

    Scientists use a variety of tools for collecting and analysing data but few tools are available for organising and representing data (De Ornelas 1995). Models are one tool used because they enable the definition of problems, the organisation of thoughts, the understanding of data, communication and testing, synthesis of knowledge and predictive potential (De Ornelas 1995). Unfortunately models are limited to quantitative knowledge, and ecological data are often qualitative. The Information System (IS) is a tool developed to specifically deal with qualitative information. In essence it is a knowledge base. As with traditional models the knowledge base consist of entities and relationships between entities that form a simplified description of the real world. The execution of a traditional model requires the calculation of results, the operation of an IS model requires the induction and deduction of results (De Ornelas 1995). An IS system is as good as the information you put into the system.

    An IS system for Nylsvley will be completed by the end of 1996. All available information be it ecological, hydrological, educational, managerial etc. will be incorporated in the knowledge base. This system will then be used by scientists,/ managers, educationists, and tourism experts working on the reserve to extract information or to add information to the system. The Nylsvley Nature Reserve Management Committee (NNRMC) will also use this system as a decision support system in their decision making process.

    Decision making

    Once a reserve has a vision, operating principles and objectives all people involved in the management of the reserve need to come together to transform these objectives into realistic goals which can be measured. This is the first task of the Nylsvley Nature Reserve Management Committee (NNRMC). This committee comprises staff from resource management (reserve manager, regional managers), professional services (ecologists), environmental education (educationist), tourism and any expert who might make a contribution towards the management of the reserve. This committee basically manages the reserve and with the aid of the decision support system collectively decides on management principles. This committee meets four times a year on fixed dates. Tasks are allocated to staff members by this committee and they report back to the NNRMC on their progress, problems and successes.

    Minutes taken from these meetings can then be used as progress reports to measure the success rate in attaining the set goals. As goals are achieved new ones will be set. Problems pertaining to achieving goals will be analysed and if necessary goals will be altered to make them more realistic and most important achievable.

    By using the above mentioned approach to management it ensures that proper planning is done all staff and other experts are involved in the management, research and management understand each other and management decisions are not made by one person only. It is thus an integrated management approach involving all disciplines.

    Goals for Nylsvley Nature Reserve

    Objective 1

    To conserve the diversity of landscape units, processes, communities and species.

    Goals

    1. Describe, classify and delineate landscape units at 1 : 10 000 from source to Moordrift.
    2. Develop a landscape orientated management strategy for NNR
    3. Develop a landscape orientated management strategy for the rest of the flood plain.
    4. Evaluate the consequences of the existing management practices
    5. Characterize the flood/hydrological regime from source to Moordrift.
    6. Set up a monitoring program after completion of the above mentioned study.
    7. Set up an environmental forum for the flood plain and catchment.
    8. Evaluate new research results and incorporate this into management plan.
    9. Assess existing inventories of communities and species according to landscape units.
    10. Prioritise species and communities for management.
    11. Develop monitoring programs for identified species for management of biodiversity.
    12. Set up technical guidelines for monitoring communities and species.

    Objective 2

    To increase the conservation status of the reserve and the flood plain (using legislation and/or acquiring land).

    Goals

    1. Set up a comprehensive strategy for acquiring land.
    2. To register NNR as a RAMSAR site.
    3. To use all available legislation to increase the conservation status of the NNR and the flood plain.

    Objective 3

    To promote the participative conservation of the broader flood plain area (Biosphere).

    Goals

    1. Draw up a development plan for the reserve and surrounding flood plain.
    2. Market the development plan to stakeholders at a forum meeting.
    3. Categorise the stakeholders (pro-conservation, sell out, pro-conservancy etc.)
    4. Initiate a negotiation process with stakeholders.

    Objective 4

    To promote the conservation of Red Data- listed species.

    Goals

    1. List all Red Data-listed faunal and floral species that naturally occur on Nylsvley.
    2. Develop criteria to categorise species for management.
    3. Categorise and prioritise species for management according to criteria developed.
    4. Develop a management orientated monitoring strategy for prioritised species.

    Objective 5

    To conduct and encourage management-orientated research.

    Goals

    1. Identify all existing databases and other relevant information to develop an information base.
    2. Identify research projects to assist in achieving management goals and objectives.
    3. Identify projects that can be conducted internally.
    4. Prioritise projects according to necessity, available finance, time and manpower.
    5. Provide a list o relevant expertise outside the department for consultative purposes.

    Objective 6

    To provide educational programs for the promotion of the conservation and utilization of natural resources of the NNR.

    Goals

    1. Do a stakeholder analysis.
    2. Do a socio-ecological impact analysis.
    3. Develop specific EE programs to achieve goals and objectives of Nylsvley.
    4. Upgrade the EE facilities on NNR.
    5. Translate available scientific information into a more user friendly format to use for EE purposes.
    6. Investigate the potential to develop an environmental school at NNR.

    Objective 7

    To provide facilities and promote ecotourism in the context of local and national initiatives.

    Goals

    1. Assimilate information on consumptive and non-consumptive utilisation pertaining to ecotourism.
    2. Determine the ecotourism potential for the reserve and the rest of the flood plain.
    3. Develop and implement a ecotourism development plan for the reserve.
    4. Initiate the development of a tourism plan for the whole flood plain.

    Objective 8

    To allow controlled utilization of renewable resources as a management tool.

    Goals

    1. Make an inventory of all natural resources which are and can be utilised.
    2. Analyse the utilisation potential of all natural resources.
    3. Develop a utilisation strategy for each identified resource.
    4. Integrate utilisation strategies into the overall management strategy.

    Objective 9

    To strive for a participatory decision-making approach to management of NNR.

    Goals

    1. Hold Nylsvley Nature Reserve Management Meetings four times a year on predetermined fixed dates.

    Objective 10

    To facilitate research for other national, regional and international research programs.

    Goals

    1. Permit research from non-departmental institutions that are not contradictory to the objectives of the department.

    Setting actions from goals

    Prioritising and allocating goals

    In order to prioritise goals the following system was agreed on by all members of the NNRMC.

    1. goals describing projects that can be started within the current financial year.
    2. goals describing projects that must be budgeted for in the coming financial year.
    3. goals describing long-term projects of lesser importance than B goals.

    From the above mentioned it is clear that a C goal might be just as important as an A goal but it might need more planning and financing to achieve than an A goal. At each meeting a particular goal might be placed in a different category depending on the budget and available manpower.

    Responsibility for the various goals are allocated to the different sections in the department (i.e. Region, Biodiversity Unit, Tourism etc.) Although individuals or organisations outside the department might be involved in the project the responsibility still lies with the section the particular goal was allocated to. In Table 1 an exposition of prioritised goals and the responsible departmental sections are given.

    Project proposal / Business plan

    Objectives and Goals are synonymous with Programs and Projects and can be implemented within the framework of the Business Plan Proforma of the Department (Table 1).

    It is essential for each departmental section to have a workshop on the objectives and goals allocated to them by the NNRMC. Each section will have to select a person responsible for the project. This person will be asked to draw up a project proposal / business plan/action plan for the project. This document will have to be submitted to the NNRMC for approval. Once approved by the NNRMC and head office the project can start and the document will form part of the overall management plan of the reserve.

    Table 1 An exposition of goal priorities and departmental sections responsible for the achievement of allocated goals for the Nylsvley Nature Reserve and surrounding flood plain.

    Professional Services Resource Management & Environmental Education Tourism
    Goals Priorities Biodiversity Unit Ecological Services Socio-Ecology Unit IEM Resource Management Conservation Services Environmental Education -
    Objective 1
    Goal 1 A * - - - - - - -
    Goal 2 A * - - - - - - -
    Goal 3 B * - - - - - - -
    Goal 4 A * + - - - - - -
    Goal 5 A * - - - - - - -
    Goal 6 C * - - - - - - -
    Goal 7 B - - - + * - * -
    Goal 8 A * + + + - - - -
    Goal 9 B * - - - - - - -
    Goal 10 B * - - - - - - -
    Goal 11 C * - - - - - - -
    Goal 12 C * - - - - - - -
    Objective 2
    Goal 1 B - - - - * - - -
    Goal 2 A * - - - - - - -
    Goal 3 C - - - - * + - -
    Objective 3
    Goal 1 B - - + * + - - +
    Goal 2 C - - - * + - - *
    Goal 3 B - - + * + - - -
    Goal 4 B - - - * + - - -
    Objective 4
    Goal 1 A * - - - + - - -
    Goal 2 B * - - - + - - -
    Goal 3 B + - - - * - - -
    Goal 4 B * - - - - - - -
    Objective 5
    Goal 1 A - - - - * - - -
    Goal 2 B + + + - * - - -
    Goal 3 C * - - - - - - -
    Goal 4 C + + + - * - - -
    Goal 5 A * - - - - - - -
    Objective 6
    Goal 1 A - - + * + - + -
    Goal 2 B - - * - + - - -
    Goal 3 B - - - - + - * -
    Goal 4 A - - - - * - - -
    Goal 5 C - - - - - - * -
    Goal 6 B - - + - * - + -
    Objective 7
    Goal 1 A - - - - + - - *
    Goal 2 B - - - - + - - *
    Goal 3 B - - - - + - - *
    Goal 4 C - - - - + - - *
    Objective 8
    Goal 1 A - + - - * - - -
    Goal 2 A + * - - - - - -
    Goal 3 B - * - - - + - -
    Goal 4 C - - - * + - - -
    Objective 9
    Goal 1 A - - - * + - - -
    Objective 10
    Goal 1 A * - - - - - - -

    Legend

    A - A Goal that can be started within the current financial year.
    B- A Goal that can only be started within the next financial year.
    C- Long term Goals planned for the period after the next financial year.

    * Indicates the section responsible for the Goal.
    + Indicates sections that might be involved in the Goal
    - Indicates no involvement.


Top of page If you have any comments on this page, or need more information, please contact John Dini at nat_jd@ozone.pwv.gov.za.
Home This page is maintained by the South African Wetlands Conservation Programme and was last updated on 12 January 1999.