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Hierarchical spatial organization and prioritization of wetlands: a conceptual model for wetland rehabilitation in South Africa

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Abstract

Wetland rehabilitation planning needs to take into account many different aspects of the wetland and its context. In South Africa, much emphasis is placed on the delivery of ecosystem services, poverty relief and skills development for those involved in labour-intensive rehabilitation measures. A framework is presented that facilitates decision-making with regards to wetland rehabilitation planning. This starts with prioritizing which wetlands need attention within a catchment. This is followed by decisions regarding which rehabilitation measures would be effective in improving certain ecosystem services based upon the aims of rehabilitation and the social context of the surrounding catchment. The functional unit that is most suitable to work with for rehabilitation is the Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) Unit, defined as a section of a wetland with more or less uniform hydrological and geomorphological characteristics. An individual wetland may comprise several HGM units, and a HGM Unit itself can be sub-divided into several smaller habitat or vegetation units. Different rehabilitation measures have been identified which are appropriate for the different scales in this spatial framework. Two case studies are presented as examples of how this spatial framework impacts upon the decisions made by the rehabilitation practitioner.

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Acknowledgments

This paper is the result of the labour of a large team of people working on many different aspects of wetland rehabilitation in South Africa during the Wetland Rehabilitation Research programme sponsored by the Water Research Commission. We would like to thank John Dini of the South African National Biodiversity Institute and Steve Mitchell of the Water Research Commission for their enthusiastic support of this programme. At the same time, another research group from the University of Cape Town was busy establishing a wetland classification for South Africa that could be used and applied by many different stakeholders. We have used their findings extensively and would like to thank them for a great job.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free State, Private Bag X13, Qwaqwa Campus, Phuthaditjhaba, 9866, South Africa

    E. J. J. Sieben

  2. Department of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    W. N. Ellery

  3. Centre for Environment and Development, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Pietermaritzburg, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa

    D. C. Kotze

  4. Fluvius Environmental Consultants, Postnet Suite 50, Private Bag X1, Cape Town, 8018, Vlaeberg, South Africa

    M. Rountree

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  1. E. J. J. Sieben
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  2. W. N. Ellery
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  3. D. C. Kotze
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  4. M. Rountree
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Correspondence to E. J. J. Sieben.

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Sieben, E.J.J., Ellery, W.N., Kotze, D.C. et al. Hierarchical spatial organization and prioritization of wetlands: a conceptual model for wetland rehabilitation in South Africa. Wetlands Ecol Manage 19, 209–222 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-011-9212-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-011-9212-8

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