Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A land cover classification showing the landscape structure of a given area is necessary to make appropriate measures for environmental planning. The environmental impacts from insensitive human activities have led to a severe loss of biodiversity in the Cape Floristic Region over time. The natural biodiversity of the North-West Sandveld in particular, has suffered severe loss and a high level of fragmentation. The rapid growth of certain agricultural practices in the Sandveld has led not only to loss of biodiversity, but the secondary effects of excessive water extraction, invasive alien fauna and flora species and harmful run-off from toxic herbicides and pesticides. To plan effectively, an accurate map of a suitable resolution needs to be created to effectively display spatial information. The primary aim was to demonstrate that a semi-automated fine-scale, land cover classification using object-oriented image analysis is possible for a large local area to examine the environmental issues pertaining to the Sandveld. Towards this aim, a model to classify land cover of the study area was developed and its effectiveness analysed and interpreted. To meet these requirements, pre-processed SPOT 5 satellite imagery was used to digitize certain classes and to generate frame, border and Normalized Differentiation Vegetation Index (NDVI) layers for the object-oriented classification in eCognition. The accuracy of the results was determined using the Kappa coefficient which gave an accuracy level of 70%. The environmental impacts were determined after area calculations were done on each class. The results showed that the natural areas still made up the greatest percentage of the Sandveld but that it is highly fragmented, especially along the coast and many areas, although left in a natural state, were being overgrazed by livestock. The temporary irrigated, temporary non-irrigated strip agriculture and permanent agriculture classes made up the most of the remainder of the areas and had the largest impact on the Sandveld‟s biodiversity. For the biodiversity of the Sandveld to remain intact, a balance between enforcing the law and encouraging inhabitants of the Sandveld to encourage more environmentally balanced practices needs to be created. Stewardship programmes and education will greatly enhance the effectiveness of any conservation efforts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING:'n Landbedekkingsklassifikasie wat die landskapstruktuur van 'n gegewe gebied aandui, is noodsaaklik om gepaste omgewingsbeplanning toe te pas. Die effek van intensiewe menslike aktiwiteite op die omgewing oor 'n lang tydperk, het gelei tot die verlies van biodiversiteit in die Kaapse Blommestreek. Die natuurlike biodiversiteit van veral die Noordwes Sandveld is deur ernstige verliese, asook 'n vlak van fragmentasie beïnvloed. Behalwe dat die vinnige toename van sekere landboupraktyke in die Sandveld gelei het tot die verlies van biodiversiteit. Sekondêre faktore soos die oormatige water-ontrekking, indringerspesies van fauna en flora en die afloop van skadelike onkruiddoder en pes-weerende middels in rivierstelsels is ook verantwoordelik vir verlies van biodiversiteit. Om effektiewe beplanning moontlik te maak, is die skepping van 'n akkurate kaart met 'n geskikte resolusie wat die ruimtelike inligting effektief voorstel, nodig. Die hoof doel van hierdie studie was om 'n semi-geoutomatiseerde fynskaal landbedekkingsklassifikasie in 'n groot plaaslike gebied wat die omgewingskwessies rakende die Sandveld te bestudeer en demonstreer, deur gebruik te maak van objek-gerigte beeldanalise. Die effektiwiteit van 'n model wat ontwikkel is om die studiegebied te klassifiseer, was ontleed en geïnterpreteer. Om hierdie vereistes te bevredig, is voorverwerkte SPOT 5 satellietbeelde gebruik om sekere klasse te versyfer, asook om raam-, grens- en genormaliseerde plantegroei differensiasie indekslae vir beeldgerigte klassifikasie in eCognition te skep. Die akkuraatheid van die resultate was bepaal deur die Kappa-koëffisiënt wat 'n akkuraatheidsvlak van 70% gelewer het. Die omgewingsimpakte was bepaal deur opperlakteberekeninge vir elke klas te maak. Die resultate dui aan dat natuurlike gebiede steeds die grootste persentasie van die Sandveld beslaan, maar dat dit hoogs gefragmenteerd is, veral langs die kuslyn en dat baie gebiede, wat wel steeds in 'n natuurlike toestand is, oorbewei word deur vee. Die tydelike spilpuntbesproeide landbougebiede, tydelike nie-besproeide strooklandbou en permanente landbouklasse, beslaan die meeste van die oorblywende landbedekking van die Sandveld. Hierdie klasse het ook die grootste impak op die studiegebied se biodiversiteit. Om die biodiversiteit van die Sandveld te behou, moet 'n balans tussen die afdwing van wetgewing en die aanmoedig van meer omgewingsgebalanseerde praktyke in die Sandveld gevind word. Rentmeesterskap programme en opvoeding sal die effektiwiteit van enige bewaringspogings aansienlik verbeter.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine the scale of marine poaching in the Table Mountain National Park by analysing the amounts of South African abalone, West Coast rock lobster, and shellfish, finfish and bait species confiscated from fishers operating in the park’s marine protected area between 2000 and 2009. The research objectives were fourfold, namely to strengthen conceptual frameworks on illegal harvesting in protected areas; identify the quantities of the various species seized by park officials over the decadal period; cartographically plot the areas in which confiscations took place; and distinguish the different resource users and stakeholders operating in the park and examine the roles they play in resource exploitation. Data was collected from offence logbooks maintained by SANParks rangers and managers, and from records kept by Marine and Coastal Management and the South African Police Services. GIS outputs indicated seizure events over the spatial area of the park. Further data relating to the levels of poaching was sourced from illegal fishers operating in the park who discussed their operations candidly. The research findings indicate that poaching of both abalone and rock lobsters has increased significantly over time. Other marine species show lesser amounts of resources poached over the ten-year period. Spatial outcomes suggest that confiscations of abalone occur predominantly on the east coast of the park, while higher seizure events occur on the west coast for lobsters. Shellfish, finfish and bait species were confiscated in equal amounts from illegal fishers on both the east and west coasts. Future research recommended includes garnering further confiscations data from the police services and undertaking contemporary baseline assessments to discover the effects poaching has had on the resource base since the previous stock assessment in 2001. The challenge laid out for the custodians of the Table Mountain National Park marine protected area is to provide and protect cultural and environmental resources, without compromising biodiversity management, community associations and conservation strategies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om die skaal van marienebronstroping in die Tafelberg Nasionale Park te bepaal deur middel van die ontleding van die hoeveelhede Suid-Afrikaanse perlemoen, Weskus-kreef en skulpvis, vinvis en aasspesies wat vanaf oortreders (2000 tot 2009), gekonfiskeer is. Die doel van die navorsing was viervoudig naamlik, die versterking van die navorser se konseptuele-basis rondom die stroping van hulpbronne in beskermde gebiede; die bepaling van die hoeveelhede en tipe spesies wat deur parkbeamptes in beslag geneem is; die plekke waar konfiskasies plaasgevind het; en om die verskillende hulpbron gebruikers en belanghebbendes te onderskei en hulle rolle in die mariene-hulpbron benutting te ondersoek. Primêre konfiskasie-data is verkry vanaf SANparke se logboeke wat deur beamptes instandgehou is en sekondêre data is verskaf deur Mariene en Kusbestuur en die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens. Beslagleggingsgebeure is dmv GIS tegnologie op kaarte vasgelê. Verdere inligting oor die vlakke van stroping is bekom deur openhartige gesprekvoering met vissers wat onwettig in die park bedrywig is. Die navorsing het bevind dat die stropery van perlemoen en kreef met die verloop van tyd aansienlik toegeneem het. Ander mariene spesies het kleiner hoeveelhede stropery van die hulpbron oor die studietydperk aangetoon. Ruimtelike voorstellings toon dat perlemoen-stropery hoofsaaklik aan die ooskus van die park voorkom, terwyl groter beslagleggings/konfiskerings van kreef aan die weskus van die park plaasgevind het. Skulpvis, vinvis en aasspesies is gekonfiskeer by vissers wat onwettig bedrywig is in ewe groot hoeveelhede op beide die ooskus en die weskus. Toekomstige navorsing moet meer inligting oor beslagleggings van die polisie bekom en die kontemporêre basislynassesserings moet meer gereeld onderneem word om veral die effek van stropery op die hulpbron bloot te lê. Die laaste basislyn-assessering het in 2001 plaasgevind. Die uitdaging voor die bewaarders van die park se marienebeskermde gebiede is om kulturele en omgewingshulpbronne toeganklik vir alle gebruikers te maak maar dit ter selfder tyd ook te beskerm, sonder om biodiversiteit, gemeenskapassosiasies en bewaring strategieë te kompromitteer.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / In South Africa, as a result of limited resources and capacity, the governance and management of estuaries occur on an ad hoc basis, with decisions about an estuary’s freshwater-flow requirements, water quality, living-resources management, mouth management and protection status being made on a largely uncoordinated and non-strategic basis. This study is aimed at developing an understanding of the opportunities and constraints affecting estuarine management at a regional scale. The objectives of this study were to: 􀂃 Review relevant policy and legislation governing estuarine management in South Africa; 􀂃 Discuss the current status of regional estuarine management in South Africa; 􀂃 Review international literature for potentially applicable management guidelines; 􀂃 Construct a management protocol for estuarine management in South Africa; 􀂃 Apply this protocol in a South African setting; and 􀂃 Recommend improved measures for regional estuarine management. The main outcome of the study was the development of the proposed National Estuarine Management Protocol, which is currently in the process of being incorporated into the National Environmental Management: Coastal Zone Bill. The CAPE Estuaries Programme was developed to test the proposed Protocol in a regional setting. The study concluded that there was an urgent need for a more holistic regional approach to estuarine management but that the proposed framework and protocol would be successful only if, in addition, they were supported by an understanding of the biophysical estuarine processes and management constraints operating at the local level.

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Namibia’s environmental legislation is fragmented and outdated, and in particular mining and prospecting in parks of Namibia is poorly legislated. This problem was analysed with the Skeleton Coast Park being chosen as the study region, as it was considered to be a representative example for parks in Namibia. The Skeleton Coast Park offers both pre-mining and post-mining characteristics; therefore affording the possibility to ascertain the environmental impacts that mining and prospecting have on the environment. The aims of the study were to illustrate the gaps in legislation in regard to mining and prospecting in parks of Namibia and to provide management guidelines for mining and prospecting in these parks. Objectives of this study included gathering baseline environmental information for the Skeleton Coast Park; creating and analysing a spatial database for the occurrence and type of current prospecting and mining activities in the Skeleton Coast Park; analysing and documenting techniques currently practiced for prospecting and mining; and identifying shortcomings in legislation and policy guidelines regulating these activities. The study results highlight the extraordinary sensitivity and uniqueness of the natural environment in terms of physiography, ecological functioning and vulnerability to human interference of the life forms occurring here. Results confirm that mining and prospecting techniques can have detrimental environmental effects given the poor management practices recorded. Also, prospecting in the Skeleton Coast Park indicates no lucrative source of diamonds. Even though currently the entire coast line is given out to Exclusive Prospecting Licences, results do not indicate that any company is undertaking serious active prospecting. Regarding regulation it is evident that new, more encompassing legislation has been drafted, but that the promulgation of the legislation is hampered by the non-finalisation of the process. Several new draft bills currently in place contradict each other and need proper alignment.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / South Africa’s natural vegetation and soils, which are essential resources for agricultural practices, are becoming degraded. Natural resource disturbances can also cause extensive harm to local communities and their economies. To allow successful natural resource monitoring, there is an urgent need for integrated GIS spatial data and development of remotely sensed indicators of key ecosystems processes. Satellite remote sensing provides the most cost-effective and reliable tool for generating these spatial data. The main objective of the study is, therefore, to develop and evaluate methodologies for assessing, mapping and monitoring the condition of natural resources in southern Africa with the aid of remote sensing and GIS. The resulting integrated spatial framework represents methodologies for, firstly, identifying and accessing vegetation and soil parameters on a gradient from pristine to degraded condition; secondly, identifying, assessing, processing and modelling GIS and remotesensing spatial data to derived degradation maps, which identify rangeland condition and woody cover classes and, thirdly, comparing two satellite remote-sensing sensors (LANDSAT ETM and MODIS) and making statements of degradation. This approach could make an integrated spatial framework comprehensive in its considerations of provincial degradation mapping and robust enough to be used for monitoring on a national scale. By acquiring spatial and non-spatial data in a quantitative logically robust but accurate manner, integrated spatial frameworks provides the structure for combining specialized information as well as for analysis in an effective management programme. This could guide rangeland managers in assessing, mapping and monitoring of natural resources in a scientifically acceptable way. All of these factors emphasise the need for the development of a national rangeland monitoring strategy and monitoring system.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Due to the relative scarcity of weather stations, the climate conditions of large areas are not adequately represented by a weather station. This is especially true for regions with complex topographies or low population densities. Various interpolation techniques and software packages are available with which the climate of such areas can be calculated from surrounding weather stations’ data. This study investigates the possibility of using the software package ANUSPLIN to create accurate climate maps for the Western Cape, South Africa. ANUSPLIN makes use of thin plate smoothing splines and a digital elevation model to convert point data into grid format to represent an area’s climatic conditions. This software has been used successfully throughout the world, therefore a large body of literature is available on the topic, highlighting the limitations and successes of this interpolation method. Various factors have an effect on a region’s climate, the most influential being location (distance from the poles or equator), topography (height above sea level), distance from large water bodies, and other topographical factors such as slope and aspect. Until now latitude, longitude and the elevation of a weather station have most often been used as input variables to create climate grids, but the new version of ANUSPLIN (4.3) makes provision for additional variables. This study investigates the possibility of incorporating the effect of the surrounding oceans and topography (slope and aspect) in the interpolation process in order to create climate grids with a resolution of 90m x 90m. This is done for monthly mean daily maximum and minimum temperature and the mean monthly rainfall for the study area for each month of the year. Not many projects where additional variables have been incorporated in the interpolation process using ANUSPLIN are to be found in the literature, thus further investigation into the correct transformation and the units of these variables had to be done before they could be successfully incorporated. It was found that distance to oceans influences a region’s maximum and minimum temperatures, and to a lesser extent rainfall, while aspect and slope has an influence on a region’s rainfall. In order to assess the accuracy of the interpolation process, two methods were employed, namely statistical values produced during the spline function calculations by ANUSPLIN, and the removal of a selected number of stations in order to compare the interpolated values with the actual measured values. The analysis showed that more accurate maps were obtained when additional variables were incorporated into the interpolation process. Once the best transformations and units were identified for the additional variables, climate maps were produced in order to compare them with existing climate grids available for the study area. In general the temperatures were higher than those of the existing grids. For the rainfall grids ANUSPLIN’s produced higher rainfall values throughout the study region compared to the existing grids, except for the Southwestern Cape where the rainfall values were lower on north-facing slopes and high-lying area

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Tourism development is a complex process which many researchers have attempted to understand from various social science perspectives. This study adopts a geography approach to analyse tourism development in the Inhambane Coastal Zone (ICZ) by using the Miossec (1976) and the Butler (1980) models as basic frameworks for analyses. Although both models were found to be useful, they require more accurate data than what was generally available for the ICZ. Before the country’s independence in 1975, Mozambique was considered one of many premier tourism destinations in Southern Africa and the tourism sector had played an important role in the economy of the country. The 16 years period of internal conflict (1976- 1992) resulted in a rapid decline in the performance of the sector. Since the end of the armed conflict in 1992 and the democratic transition, a slow recovery of the tourism sector in Mozambique has set in. Tourism facilities for accommodation and leisure activities have increased considerably over the last ten years, despite the absence of any integrated tourism planning. In this study questionnaire surveys of tourist establishment representatives and local residents as well as focus group discussions and interviews were conducted to acquire primary data to analyse the evolution of the ICZ as a tourist destination during the period 1992 to 2008. In addition, secondary sources such as reports, tourism plans, tourism statistics and maps of the study area were used. It was found that tourism is developing slowly in the ICZ and the opening up (or rediscovering) of the zone as a destination remains limited due to the slow development of infrastructure in general. The tourism nodes are in different stages of their destination life cycle and the local residents living in the seven communities react differently toward tourism development. The ICZ has not progressed further than phase two in Miossec’s model. The Miossec model was found a suitable tool for analysing tourism development in the ICZ but it remains a challenge to identify both the evolutionary stage of the ICZ as a destination and the stage of each tourism node. The study also found that local residents in the ICZ expressed positive views about tourism development but they are still not satisfied with the current benefits they acquire from the current development status of tourism in the zone. / AFRIKAANS SUMMARY: Baie navorsers het reeds gepoog om die komplekse proses van toerisme-ontwikkeling vanuit verskeie sosiaal-wetenskaplike benaderings te verstaan. Hierdie studie volg ʼn geografiese benadering ten einde toerisme-ontwikkeling in die Inhambane Kussone (ICZ) met behulp van die Miossec (1976) en Butler (1980) modelle as basiese raamwerke te analiseer. Alhoewel beide modelle as bruikbaar bevind is, benodig hierdie modelle meer akkurate data as wat algemeen vir die ICZ beskikbaar is. Voor die land se onafhanklikheid in 1975, was Mosambiek gereken as een van vele vername toerisme bestemmings in Suidelike Afrika en die toerisme sektor het ʼn belangrike rol in die ekonomie van die land gespeel. Die 16 jare lange interne konflik (1976-1992) het tot ʼn snelle agteruitgang van die sektor se prestasie gelei. Sedert die einde van die gewapende konflik in 1992 en die oorgang na ʼn demokrasie, het die toerisme sektor in Mosambiek ʼn stadige herstel beleef. Toerisme fasiliteite vir akkommodasie en ontspanningsaktiwiteite het, ten spyte van die afwesigheid van geïntegreerde toerisme beplanning, aansienlik toegeneem. In hierdie studie is daar deur middel van ‘n vraelysopname aan verteenwoordigers van toerisme verwante besighede en plaaslike inwoners, asook fokus-groep besprekings primêre data in gesamel ten einde die evolusie van die ICZ as toeriste bestemming gedurende die tydperk vanaf 1992 tot 2008 te analiseer. Daarbenewens is sekondêre bronne soos verslae, toerisme planne, toerisme statistieke en kaarte van die studiegebied gebruik Daar is bevind dat toerisme in die ICZ stadig ontwikel en dat die herontdekking van die sone as bestemming beperk bly as gevolg van die stadige ontwikkeling van die infrastruktuur in die algemeen. Die toerisme nodusse is in verskillende stadia van hulle individuele bestemmingsiklusse, en die plaaslike inwoners in die sewe gemeenskappe reageer verskillend teenoor toerisme ontwikkeling. Die ICZ het nie verder as fase twee van die Miossec model gevorder het nie. Daar is ook vasgestel dat die Miosec model ʼn gepaste instrument is vir die analise van toerisme ontwikkeling in die ICZ, maar dit bly ʼn uitdaging om die evolusionêre stadium van die ICZ as ‘n bestemming in geheel asook die stadium van elke toerisme-nodus te kan identifiseer. Die studie het ook bevind dat plaaslike inwoners van die ICZ positiewe menings oor toerisme ontwikkeling het, maar nog steeds nie tevrede is met die huidige voordele wat hulle uit die huidige ontwikkelingstatus van toerisme in die sone ontvang nie.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Land degradation in Lesotho is undermining the finite resource on which people depend for survival. Use of satellite imagery has been recommended for monitoring land degradation because remotely sensed data enable monitoring of large areas at more frequent intervals than intensive ground based research. Various techniques have been developed for land cover change detection. In the present study, vegetation changes were identified by image differencing, which involved finding the difference between the earlier date NDVI image and the later date image. NDVI images are among products that are generated from the NOAA AVHRR sensor to provide information about the quantity of biomass on the earth’s surface. The resulting NDVI change data showed land areas that had experienced vegetation loss, which were identified as potentially degraded. The change data were combined with other data sets to determine how potentially degraded areas were influenced by different environmental variables and population pressure. These data sets included land cover, ecological zones, elevation, soil and human and livestock populations. By integrating NDVI data with ancillary data, land degradation was attributed to both demographic pressure and biophysical factors. Widespread degradation was detected on the arable parts of the Lowlands where cultivation was intensive and human settlements were extensive. Signs of grassland depletion and forest decline were also evident and were attributed to population expansion, overgrazing and indiscriminate cutting of trees and shrubs for firewood. Extensive biomass decline was also associated more with soils in the lowlands derived from sedimentary rocks than soils of basalt origin that occur mostly in the highlands. Significant degradation was evident on gentle slopes where land uses such as cultivation and expansion of settlements were identified as the main causes of the degradation. There was evidence of greater vegetation depletion on north and east-facing slopes than on other slopes. The depletion was attributed to the fragility of ecosystems resulting from intense solar radiation. The study demonstrated that NOAA AVHRR NDVI images could be used effectively for detecting land cover changes in Lesotho. However, future research could focus on obtaining and using high resolution data for detailed analysis of factors driving land degradation.

Thesis (MA (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Salinisation is a major environmental hazard that reduces agricultural yields and degrades arable land. Two main categories of salinisation are: primary and secondary soil salinisation. While primary soil salinisation is caused by natural processes, secondary soil salinisation is caused by human factors. Incorrect irrigation practices are the major contributor to secondary soil salinisation. Because of low costs and less time that is associated with the use of remote sensing techniques, remote sensing data is used in this study to identify and map salinised irrigated land between Upington and Keimoes, Northern Cape Province, in South Africa. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of digital aerial imagery in identifying salinised cultivated land. Two methods were used to realize this aim. The first method involved visually identifying salinised areas on NIR, and NDVI images and then digitizing them onscreen. In the second method, digital RGB mosaicked, stacked, and NDVI images were subjected to unsupervised image classification to identify salinised land. Soil samples randomly selected and analyzed for salinity were used to validate the results obtained from the analysis of aerial photographs. Both techniques had difficulties in identifying salinised land because of their inability to differentiate salt induced stress from other forms of stress. Visual image analysis was relatively successful in identifying salinised land than unsupervised image classification. Visual image analysis correctly identified about 55% of salinised land while only about 25% was identified by unsupervised classification. The two techniques predict that an average of about 10% of irrigated land is affected by salinisation in the study area. This study found that although visual analysis was time consuming and cannot differentiate salt induced stress from other forms; it is fairly possible to identify areas of crop stress using digital aerial imagery. Unsupervised classification was not successful in identifying areas of crop stress.

Thesis (MSc (Geography and Environmental Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Since mechanised borehole drilling began in South Africa in the late 1800s, over 1 100 000 boreholes have been drilled. As the country’s growing population and the perceived impacts of climate change increase pressure on water surface supplies, attention is turning to groundwater to meet the shortfall in water supply. This will mean even more drilling will take place. Until the introduction of the Standard Descriptors for Boreholes, published in 2003, South Africa has not had a set of guidelines for borehole information capture. This document provides a detailed description of the basic information requirements needed to describe and characterise the process of drilling, constructing, developing, managing and monitoring a borehole. However, this document stands alone as a specification with little or no implementation or interpretation to date. Following the development and publishing of the ArcHydro data model for water resource management by the CRWR based at the University of Texas at Austin, there has been a great deal of interest in object-oriented data modelling for natural resource data management. This thesis describes the utilisation of an object oriented data modelling approach using UML CASE tools to design a data model for South African Boreholes, based on the Standard Descriptors for Boreholes. The data model was converted to a geodatabase schema and implemented in ArcGIS.