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| Biosphere Reserve Information | ||||
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WATERBERG |
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| General Description |
Waterberg Biosphere Reserve is situated within the Bushveld district in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The Waterberg, as the name implies, serves as a water reservoir for this arid region. It is an area consisting of low mountain ranges and escarpments with poor soils and a relatively low level of economic activity. The vegetation is dominated by different veld types, which are characteristic in mountainous savanna areas. Some 77,000 people live in the biosphere reserve (1999), which covers an area of about 400,000 hectares. The area has been inhabited over hundreds of thousand years and is one of the most important San Rock Art areas in South Africa. Tourism is the major source of income. However, people also practice cattle rising, crop production and are increasingly switching over to game farming for eco-tourism. The biosphere reserve concept will help a balance to be struck between the pressures of the tourist industry, the need to generate direct benefits to the local communities and the conservation of the natural assets. Attaining this balance is the goal of the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve Committee which was set up after a five year consultation process with all stakeholders concerned. A series of technical action plans have been elaborated among which also environmental education programmes play an important role, led by the Lapalala Wilderness School. |
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| Major ecosystem type | Tropical grasslands and savannas | |||
| Major habitats & land cover types | Sour Bushweld characterized by African Beechwood (Faurea saligna), Common Hookthorn (Acacia caffra), Red Seringa (Burkea africana, Terminalia sericea and Peltophorum africanum) etc.; steep slopes and cliffs, bare rock including the same tree species as mentioned above and with Albizia tanganyicensis and Combretum molle characteristic of the rocks; river-bank and freshwater habitats including wetlands, characterized by Mimusops zeyheri, Clerodendrum glabrum, Ficus thonningii etc.; cattle raising and game farming; irrigated tobacco cultivation; human settlements | |||
| Location | 23°10' to 24°40'S; 27°30' to 28°40'E | |||
| Area (hectares) | ||||
| Total | 414,571 | |||
| Core area(s) | 114,571 | |||
| Buffer zone(s) | 150,000 | |||
| Transition area(s) when given | 150,000 | |||
| Altitude (metres above sea level) | +830 to +2,085 | |||
| Year designated | 2001 | |||
| Administrative authorities | The Waterberg Biosphere Reserve Committee The provincial Department of Land, Agriculture and Environment who coordinates the Provincial MAB Programme | |||
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| Brief description |
Monitoring of precipitation Weather information Research on the Laphalala and Mokolo Rivers Annual or bi-annual grass monitoring Bi-annual game census Carrying capacity studies Butterfly surveys Bird and fish studies Roan antelope, leopard and black rhinoceros Stingless bees Insect studies Tree and plant identification Rock art Cultural, history and archaeological studies Socio-economic studies Studies on the local skills, capacity and training needs in the rural communities within the biosphere reserve, where micro-enterprises need to be developed within the rural tourism industry (planned) Sustainable utilization of natural resources monitored by the manager of the Provincial nature reserves |
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| Specific variables... | ||||
| Abiotic | Meteorology, monitoring/methodologies. | |||
| Biodiversity | Birds, fishes, freshwater/inland water, invertebrates/insects/spiders, methodologies, natural resources, plants, vegetation studies/plant cover, wildlife. | |||
| Socio-economic | Archaeology/Paleontology, capacity building, cultural aspects, small business initiatives, social/socio-economic aspects, tourism. | |||
| Integrated monitoring | Carrying capacity/Sustainability, monitoring/methodologies, rural systems, sustainable development/sustainable use. | |||
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| Contact address |
Rupert Baber Klipfontein Farm P.O. Box 907 0530 Vaalwater South Africa |
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| Telephone | (27.14) 755 40 02 Mobile: 08 33 95 08 33 |
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| Fax | (27.14) 755 44 18 | |||
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rupertbaber@yebo.co.za waterberg@biosphere.org.za |
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| Last updated: 10/3/2002 |
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