Critically endangered fynbos in central Knysna
During a recent visit to Pledge Nature Reserve (PNR) by SANParks employees Johan Baard (scientist: GIS and Vegetation Ecology) and Maretha Alant (environmental planner), it was determined that the fynbos sections that occur on the upper areas of the reserve represent the critically endangered Garden Route Shale Fynbos. (The lower-lying areas comprise of Groot Brak River floodplain and Groenvlei coastal forest.)
Unfortunately this fynbos vegetation type has elsewhere been transformed by cultivation practices such as pasture and forestry and the fynbos section in PNR forms part of only 4% of this ecosystem protected in national nature reserves.
PNR management believes that the occurrence of this critically endangered vegetation type in the reserve validates the reserve’s conservation efforts and will hopefully boost the chances of receiving adequate funding to maintain the reserve.
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