Abstract
i Opsomming ii Acknowledgements iii List of Figures vi List of Tables xii Chapter 1: Introduction 1 1.1 The importance of conservation and ecotourism 1 1.2 Background to Pilanesberg National Park and Madikwe Game Reserve 3 1.3 Heritage Park plans and motivation 4 1.4 The importance of research in planning, development and management of the proposed Heritage Park 6 1.5 Previous vegetation studies in the Savanna biome surrounding the CCA 7 1.6 Aims of this study 10 1.7
Highlights
1.1 The importance of conservation and ecotourismThe rapidly growing human population poses an increasing threat to the natural resources of the environment and leads to overexploitation and poverty (Meffe & Carroll, 1997; Primack, 2008)
The Ae land type in the Central Corridor Area (CCA) falls into the Dwaalboom Thornveld vegetation type described by Mucina & Rutherford (2006), which is characterized by Acacia species and is found on deep soil
Described communities in the Atherstone Nature Reserve and in the Thabazimbi district respectively that was somewhat similar to Communities 1 to 4 in the Ae land type of the CCA
Summary
The rapidly growing human population poses an increasing threat to the natural resources of the environment and leads to overexploitation and poverty (Meffe & Carroll, 1997; Primack, 2008). There are many complex processes threatening the health and future of our planet, including climate change, species extinction, degradation of ecosystems, growing social inequalities and the challenge to feed a growing population (IUCN, 2009b) If these threatening processes are not changed, it can lead to irreversible environmental damage. 8.8 % of the Savanna biome in South Africa and a mere 2.6 % in the North-West Province are protected in national parks, provincial and local authority reserves The conservation target for the Savanna biome is a minimum of 16 % and a maximum of 25 % (average 20 %), as this will represent 75 % of all the species that occur within this vegetation type (Mucina & Rutherford, 2006). It is of great importance to expand the protected areas in the Savanna biome in South Africa and in the NorthWest Province. The approach of tourism needs to be sustainable to be lucrative over the long term (Barrow, 2006)
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