National Grasslands Programme

Grassland . Photo: Mark Robertson

The grassland biome is the most threatened biome in South Africa. A Grassland Forum was initiated in 2002, which brought together various role-players from across provincial boundaries. This Forum has now requested that SANBI lead a National Grassland Biodiversity Initiative and develop appropriate programmes within the grassland biome. The goal of this programme is to ensure that ecological services provided by the grasslands are sustained now and into the future, contributing to economic development and poverty alleviation. Grasslands are important for economic development but this development also threatens the grasslands. As such the initiative will follow a strategic approach of mainstreaming biodiversity in production landscapes and sectors including agriculture, forestry and urban sectors.

In October 2004, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) approved funding to support an 18-month detailed planning process, involving in-depth stakeholder participation, to develop this initiative. The following reports have been published by this programme.

Grassland Project Reports

Download as .pdf files:

• Progress Report on the Grassland Project August 2006 (76 KB)
• Urban development and biodiversity in Gauteng : Workshop proceedings: July 2005 (416 KB)
  
• Background Information Report 1_Spatial Assessment (8.84 MB)
• Background Information Report 2_Agricultural Assessment (876 KB)
• Background Information Report 3_Identification of Compatible land Uses for Biodiversity (1.33 MB)
• Background Information Report 4_Strategic Coal Mining Review (11.4 MB)
• Background Information Report 5_Monetary Value of Grasslands (260KB)
• Background Report Mining_Impact & Compatibility Addendum (632 KB)

If you you like a CD with these and other Reports, please contact nazare@sanbi.org or phone (+27) 012 8435 025.

Forthcoming Event

Grasslands Partner's Conference
22 - 24 November 2006
Biodiversity Centre, SANBI, Pretoria.
Download Invitation

Contact Persons for Grassland Project

Lala Steyn, Grasslands Project Developer at (+27) 012-8435025 lala.steyn@mweb.co.za
Florence Nazare, Grasslands Project Coordinator at (+27) 012-8435025 nazare@sanbi.org