Page 15 - State of Biodiversity 2019-2020

INCORPORATING BIODIVERSITY INTO LAND USE SCHEMES
Introduction of a Nature Reserve Land Use Zone
In August 2018, EPCPD, through a collaborative process with the Parks, Leisure and Cemeteries Department and Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife proclaimed nine nature reserves. This brought the total number of proclaimed nature reserves in eThekwini to 18 and will add approximately 810ha to the national network of protected areas declared in terms of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA), Act 107 of 1998 as amended.
In order to provide a sustainable development approach to the proclaimed areas, the EPCPD has taken the initiative to incorporate these areas into the land use schemes by introducing a Nature Reserve Land Use Zone.The inclusion of this zone benefits the sustainable management of these areas by the integration of the proclamation requirements of the reserves under the NEM: PAA (Act 57 of 2003) with the land management provisions through the land use schemes of the EMA. The zone integrates the intentions of the Environmental Management Plan into the land use schemes to promote more efficient management of environmentally-sensitive land. It permits land uses that are to the benefit and promotion of the local biodiversity of the land.
The primary land uses of the nature reserve zone will be land uses included in the Management Plan that are deemed compatible with the intention of the nature reserve, both as a protected area and as a spatial land use.They will enhance the environmental, economic and social purpose of the nature reserve. All Primary Land Uses are subject to alignment with the zonation of the Management Plan and to the approval of the Municipality. Land uses that require special consent will be those land uses that complement the purpose of the nature reserve.
The introduction of the nature reserve zone within the land use scheme is aligned with the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA, Act 16 of 2013 – SPLUMA), which has given rise to the need for all municipalities to develop integrated ‘wall-to-wall’ Land Use Schemes (LUS). In developing a LUS, a municipality is required to take cognisance of any environmental management instrument applicable to its area of jurisdiction that has been adopted by a competent environmental management authority and must comply with environmental legislation. A LUS is also required to determine and manage the use and development of land within the municipal area in order to inter alia promote minimal impact on public health, the environment and natural resources.
Currently, none of the proclaimed nature reserves have been rezoned to reflect the new nature reserve land use zones as the environmental management plan is required before such zonation can occur.The Municipality is in the process of developing these plans for all the reserves and, following the official approval from the competent authority, the EPCPD will proceed with the rezoning.
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