Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve

The Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve is situated in the coastal zone, North of Cape Town. Located in the Cape Floristic Kingdom, this Biosphere Reserve is known for its mosaic of diverse ecosystems and Habitats which include Marine, Beach and frontal dune Environments, Pans, Wetlands and rocky Outcrops. Many plant communities have adapted to the harsh environmental conditions (e.g. Elytropappus Rhinocerotis shrub lands, sand plain Fynbos with Phylica Cephalantha or dune thicket with Euclea Racemosa). The Langebaan Lagoon, is one of the core areas, is also designated as a Ramsar Wetland, as it is important for many Waterfowl. About 800,000 people live in the Biosphere Reserve and there are also up to 300,000 non-permanent Residents, who stay only for holidays and weekends (2010). Agriculture and Fisheries currently provide the largest proportion of Employment with: Fish Processing; Industrial Manufacturing and the Service Sector, are also sources of income. Management issues for the Biosphere Reserve concern mainly Mining Activities in the Area, intensive Agriculture, the invasion of alien species, uncontrolled Fires, uncontrolled off-road Vehicles and the over-utilization of the aquifers. Significant efforts have been made in the Biosphere Reserve to alleviate the degradation of the Natural and Human Environment, that has characterized the Area for the past Century! In accordance with the recommendation of the MAB Bureau made when this site was designated as a biosphere reserve in 2000, new core areas consisting of the small Dassen and Vondeling Islands and their surrounding seas areas have been added, thus improving the representation of Coastal Marine Systems of this Biosphere Reserve. It is hoped that the progress made in the promotion of sustainable development objectives and strategies will reach outside the Biosphere Reserve Boundaries, so that it might become a model for Coastal Zone Management, in the whole of South Africa! The Major Ecosystem types are: Coastal plains, Marine-influenced Fynbos Area, Rocky Islets, Marine Areas and Wetlands. Some of there major projects include: The use of Cape Gannets to provide ancillary information on the status of Epiplagic Fish Stocks; Flora Survey of the Southern Core Area; Long-term monitoring and population dynamics of Seabirds; Long-term study of demography and dietary changes of African Black Oyster Catchers; Groundwater resources; Tortoise Populations; Wader Populations in the Langebaan Lagoon and the Berg River and Inclusion of Dassen Island, Vondeling Island as Marine Core Area for Cape West Coast Biosphere Reserve!