Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality
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However, although the high Decreaser frequency is encouraging, the high frequency of<br />
common carrot-seed grass indicates patch selective over-utilisation. The grazing capacity is<br />
estimated at 5.12 ha per Graze Animal Unit. If all open areas on <strong>Marloth</strong> <strong>Park</strong> are accepted as<br />
suitable habitat for wildlife, 4 GAU (Table 3) can be sustained. If the landscaped garden<br />
habitats are excluded this plant community can still sustain 4 GAU (Table 4). However, if<br />
only the parkland and road reserves are considered as suitable habitat for animal species, only<br />
2 GAU (Table 5) can be sustained without further degradation of the environment.<br />
<strong>Plan</strong>t community 2: The Trichoneura grandiglumis – Combretum apiculatum Short<br />
bushland<br />
This plant community is approximately 575 ha in size, and dominated by broad-leaved<br />
panicum Panicum deustum from the Decreaser category. The sub-dominant grass from the<br />
same category is Guinea grass Panicum maximum. Other grasses include Lehmann’s love<br />
grass Eragrostis lehmanniana var. lehmanniana from the Increaser IIa and IIb (2) category,<br />
and Annual three-awn Aristida adscensionis from the Increaser IIc (3) category. The veld<br />
condition score of 671 (Table 3) indicate that the veld is in good condition. However, patch-<br />
selective grazing does occur. The grazing capacity is estimated at 5.02 ha per Graze Animal<br />
Unit. If all open areas on <strong>Marloth</strong> <strong>Park</strong> are accepted as suitable habitat for wildlife, 109 GAU<br />
(Table 3) can be sustained. If the landscaped garden habitats are excluded this plant<br />
community can still sustain 88 GAU (Table 4). However, if only the parkland and road<br />
reserves are considered as suitable habitat for animal species, only 47 GAU (Table 5) can be<br />
sustained without further degradation of the environment.<br />
<strong>Plan</strong>t community 3: The Themeda triandra – Acacia nigrescens Low bushland<br />
This plant community is approximately 393 ha in size, and dominated by broad-leaved<br />
panicum Panicum deustum from the Decreaser category. The sub-dominant grass from the<br />
same category is Guinea grass Panicum maximum. Other grasses include blue buffalo grass<br />
Cenchrus ciliaris also from the Decreaser category, and Annual three-awn Aristida<br />
adscensionis and common carrot-seed grass Tragus berteronianus from the Increaser IIc (3)<br />
category. The veld condition score of 723 (Table 3) indicate that the veld is in good condition.<br />
However, patch-selective grazing does occur. The grazing capacity is estimated at 4.77 ha per<br />
Graze Animal Unit. If all open areas on <strong>Marloth</strong> <strong>Park</strong> are accepted as suitable habitat for<br />
wildlife, 82 GAU (Table 3) can be sustained. If the landscaped garden habitats are excluded<br />
this plant community can still sustain 67 GAU (Table 4). However, if only the parkland and<br />
road reserves are considered as suitable habitat for animal species, only 35 GAU (Table 5)<br />
can be sustained without further degradation of the environment.<br />
© Ecological Associates/ <strong>Marloth</strong> <strong>Park</strong> 43