Thesis (LLM. (Philosophy of Environmental Law and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2014 / Human well-being and progress toward sustainable development are vitally dependent upon improving the management of the Earth’s ecosystems to ensure their conservation and sustainable use. But while demands for ecosystem services such as food and clean water are growing, human actions are at the same time diminishing the capability of many ecosystems to meet these demands. This study explores the legal framework for the protection of grassland in South Africa. In particular, the study looks at the legal protection introduced to protect grassland in Haenertsburg area in South Africa. This study argues that Grassland is vital to the ecosystem, and plays a pivotal role in maintaining and providing life for many plant and animal species. The grassland is also important in our daily lives and is one of the most threatened biomes in South Africa. The study concludes by arguing that more regulatory measures are needed in order to protect the grasslands as threaten species.

MSc (Botany) / Department of Botany / Plant populations are determined by many elements that impose demographic filters. Following disturbance, in African savanna woodland trees regenerate both sexually and vegetatively. Vachellia karroo (Hayne) Banfi and Galasso, family Fabaceae and sub family Mimosideae, commonly known as “sweet thorn” or “soetdoring” (Afrikaans), is a leguminous shrub common throughout Southern Africa. Its distribution range is from the Southwestern Cape northwards into Namibia, Angola, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is a pioneer species and has the ability to encroach rapidly into grassland grazing areas. Therefore, V. karroo is considered the most important woody invader of grasslands in South Africa. This study aimed at investigating the population biology and ecology of V. karroo in the clay waterlogged site of the Nylsvley Nature Reserve. Plant height, stem circumference, canopy cover, distance between individuals were measured and disturbance levels on individuals of V. karroo were estimated during sampling. The results showed that the population of V. karroo display an adequate growth curve thus implying that the population of V. karroo in the Nylsvley Nature Reserve is healthy and viable. More mature healthy individuals were found in September and December, than during June and July; this is obviously because early summer season, and in September most of the savanna plant species were starting to actively recover from the winter dry season. This is confirmation enough that the population of V. karroo is expanding in the clay waterlogged areas of Nylsvley Nature Reserve.