This project was conducted with the view of extending the Durban Municipal Open
Space System into surrounding municipalities. It was aimed at adopting a holistic
approach to nature conservation by providing for the needs of the current human
population whilst ensuring the long term survival of representative natural biota of the
area.
A preliminary study was conducted to: provide a basis for a more detailed vegetation
survey; to assess the current public open space areas and to determine the land use
history of the area. The vegetation was categorised into 14 community types and
mapped to provide the basis for more detailed sampling. A survey of public open spaces
revealed that most of the public parks were not providing for the needs of the local
residents and that nature reserves and sports fields were more popular than conventional
public parks. The land use history study revealed that the study area has been utilised
for: cultivation; grazing; market gardening and more recently residential and industrial
development purposes.
A vegetation survey using phytosociological methods revealed that the vegetation in
Queensburgh was dominated by alien invasive plant species although pockets of
indigenous vegetation did occur. Drawing from the principles of reticular biogeography
an open space system was designed using the information gained from the vegetation
survey and preliminary study. The design included: 4 core areas where conservation was
a priority; 3 corridors linking the core areas and a number of buffer areas. A general
management plan was subsequently developed for the system. Management suggestions
were concerned with: ecological; economical and sociological aspects.
The open space system offers Queensburgh the opportunity to contribute to the national
reconstruction and development program (RDP) by upgrading the current standard of
living of the local residents without compromising the natural resources available to
future generations. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, 1994.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/5031 |
| Date | January 1994 |
| Creators | Seppings, Kerry Ann. |
| Contributors | Cooke, John A. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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