2004 UC Proceedings Abstract
The Role of GIS in Systematic Conservation Planning for Rivers Track: Ecology and Conservation Author(s): Gillian Maree, Juanita Moolman, Gavin Fleming Systematic conservation planning is an applied branch of terrestrial conservation biology that seeks to identify spatially explicit options for biodiversity conservation. The River Conservation Planning Project aims to develop a conservation tool for achieving freshwater conservation targets in South Africa, while still fully compatible with more advanced terrestrial conservation planning approaches. This paper demonstrates the role of GIS for designing a river conservation system. Results of a provincial case study are presented to demonstrate how measures of conservation priority, key ecological processes as well as pragmatic considerations are integrated. This occurs within the framework of signatures of river biodiversity pattern and conservation targets, in order to generate spatial options for conservation within an ArcView environment. The outcome of the systematic planning processes is the identification of a mosaic of rivers that would best satisfy the predetermined conservation targets, which could be applied at various spatial scales. Gillian Maree CSIR Environmentek PO Box 395 Pretoria 0001 ZA Phone: +27 (0)12 841 4134 Fax: +27(0)128412506 E-mail: gmaree@csir.co.za Juanita Moolman Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Resource Quality Services Private Bag X313 Pretoria , Gauteng 0001 ZA Phone: +27(0)128080374 E-mail: MoolmanJ@dwaf.gov.za Gavin Fleming CSIR Environmentek PO Box 395 Pretoria , Gauteng 0001 ZA Phone: +27(0)128412489 E-mail: gfleming@csir.co.za |
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