Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality

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METHOD For a representative sample at least 200 readings are taken in every homogenous unit. Within these units 10 sites are randomly chosen, where 20 points at 3 m interval are measured with the disc pasture meter. The disc pasture meter consists of a hollow aluminium rod that slides on the central shaft. At the lower end of the hollow shaft there is an aluminium disc of standardised diameter attached. The central shaft carries a scale in cm ranging from 0 to 60. To take readings, the central rod of the disc pasture meter is placed perpendicular to the ground surface. The hollow rod with the disc is released from the topmost position, a standard height of 60 cm above ground, and allowed to settle on the sward. On swards that are sensitive to compression, the disc is allowed to settle gently on the grass for a maximum of 15 seconds, until a constant height is reached. The settling height measurements are recorded and the mean disc height calculated in centimetres. The value is then substituted in the following equation: y = -3019 + 2260 √x Where: y = biomass (kg/ha) x = mean disc height (cm) This equation describes the relation of disc height above ground to the estimated biomass production. The equation is applicable for all bushveld areas in the old Transvaal. This result is an estimation of the phytomass or fuel load (kg/ha) in each of the Plant communities. These values are considered in the burning regime. Phytomass can also be used to calculate grazing capacities, based on the daily dry leaf mass requirements of a Large Stock Unit, using the following equation: SR = (X1 * 0.35 a ) / (10 b * 365 c ) Where: SR = Stocking rate in Large Stock Units per hectare (LSU/ha) per year X1 = Phytomass in kg/ha a = Utilisation degree factor – only 35 % of the biomass is grazed, 25 % losses occur due to environmental factors and 40 % are left over b = 10 kg of feed is required to maintain a LSU per day c = Number of days per year © Ecological Associates/ Marloth Park 55
The resulting Large Stock Units are then reduced by 30 percent to compensate for the different feeding behaviour of game in comparison to cattle. However, the phytomass method is generally only used to obtain an approximation of graze potential, as grass species palatability is not considered. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Disc pasture readings are predominantly used to determine biomass production of the herbaceous layer and the necessity to implement a burning regime to remove moribund material that can be detrimental to succesional seasonal growth. A minimum of 2000 kg is required to carry a burn, while a biomass of more than 4000 kg constitute a fire hazard that will be difficult to control. Plant community 1: The Chloris virgata – Acacia grandicornuta Low thicket This plant community has a dry herbaceous biomass production of approximately 1455 kg/ha, and can thus not carry a burn. Although the biomass production in some areas exceeds 1890 kg/ha, fire is not considered as a management option. Plant community 2: The Trichoneura grandiglumis – Combretum apiculatum Short bushland This plant community has a dry herbaceous biomass production of approximately 1680 kg/ha, and can also not carry a burn. Biomass production in this plant community varies from 1450 kg/ha to 2050 kg/ha. The implementation of a fire regime as an applied management principle is not currently recommended. Plant community 3: The Themeda triandra – Acacia nigrescens Low bushland This plant community has a dry herbaceous biomass production of approximately 2200 kg/ha, and can thus carry a burn. Biomass production in this plant community varies from 2000 kg/ha to 3220 kg/ha. The implementation of a fire regime as an applied management principle is not currently recommended. Plant community 4: The Spirostachys africanus – Balanites maughamii Low bushland This plant community has a dry herbaceous biomass production of approximately 2530 kg/ha, and can thus also carry a burn. Biomass production in this plant community varies from 2060 kg/ha to 3140 kg/ha. The implementation of a fire regime as an applied management principle is not currently recommended. © Ecological Associates/ Marloth Park 56
Page 1 and 2:
Ecological Associates Environmental
Page 3 and 4:
THE ASSESSMENT OF AVAILABLE BROWSE
Page 5 and 6:
LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Location
Page 7 and 8:
LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix 1: A li
Page 9 and 10:
Three different scenarios are analy
Page 11 and 12: Ecosystems disturbed by clearing op
Page 13 and 14: INTRODUCTION Although only a few ve
Page 15 and 16: Figure 1: Location of the Marloth P
Page 17 and 18: GEOMORPHOLOGY Looking down from the
Page 19 and 20: Figure 4: Geology of the Marloth Pa
Page 21 and 22: Tonalitic granite and gneiss A sect
Page 23 and 24: Figure 6: Soil depth of the Marloth
Page 25 and 26: Figure 7: Land Types of the Marloth
Page 27 and 28: Figure 8: Land use in the Marloth P
Page 29 and 30: A 610.1 B 104.0 C 7.4 D 19.9 E 39.8
Page 31 and 32: INTRODUCTION VEGETATION CLASSIFICAT
Page 33 and 34: METHOD For an initial and broad sca
Page 35 and 36: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Analysis and
Page 37 and 38: The dominant grass species are broa
Page 39 and 40: The characteristic tree species are
Page 41 and 42: VELD CONDITION ASSESSMENT AND THE C
Page 43 and 44: Degradation gradients are models th
Page 45 and 46: The nearest grass species to each s
Page 47 and 48: Calculation of grazing capacity The
Page 49 and 50: Table 2: Contribution of ecological
Page 51 and 52: Table 3: Grazing capacities for the
Page 53 and 54: THE ASSESSMENT OF AVAILABLE BROWSE
Page 55 and 56: X Y D1 Y Dimensional measurements:
Page 57 and 58: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The browsing
Page 59 and 60: Table 6: Browsing capacities for th
Page 61: INTRODUCTION ESTIMATION OF HERBACEO
Page 65 and 66: INTRODUCTION GAME MANAGEMENT ON MAR
Page 67 and 68: STOCKING RATES Current stocking The
Page 69 and 70: Table 10: The current stocking dens
Page 71 and 72: Recommendations on stocking rates C
Page 73 and 74: High selectivity grazers Blue wilde
Page 75 and 76: Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus Ogil
Page 77 and 78: Space requirements: Kudu have range
Page 79 and 80: Recommendation: The range requireme
Page 81 and 82: Food preference: Steenbok utilise A
Page 83 and 84: Table 12: The potential stocking de
Page 85 and 86: Table 14: The potential stocking de
Page 87 and 88: Table 15: The recommended stocking
Page 89 and 90: The proteins may be less available
Page 91 and 92: When urea is incorporated into a ph
Page 93 and 94: Recommended intake for game is 150
Page 95 and 96: Ticks The main parasite of concern
Page 97 and 98: Figure 12: Sketch of Cyphostemma /C
Page 99 and 100: NOXIOUS AND INVASIVE WEEDS An invas
Page 101 and 102: Management plans need to be reviewe
Page 103 and 104: Ricinus communis, Solanum sisymbrii
Page 105 and 106: Although soil treatment with chemic
Page 107 and 108: Planning errors must be expected, a
Page 109 and 110: To further reduce grazing pressure
Page 111 and 112: Lightning induced fires can also ca
Page 113 and 114:
TIME OF BURNING Least damage is cau
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A low intensity fire will be achiev
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Recommendations for Marloth Park Ma
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Surface erosion will reduce water i
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Several different types of waterhol
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Stones Ground level Reinforced conc
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For safety reasons these requiremen
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Adaptive management Applying adapti
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Figure 15: Location of the monitori
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Appendix 1 (Continue) A list of tre
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Appendix 2 (Continue) A list of gra
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Appendix 3 (Continue) A list of for
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Appendix 3 (Continue) A list of for
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Appendix 4: Alien invaders found on
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Appendix 5: Frequency occurrence of
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Appendix 6: Photographs of each veg
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Appendix 6: Photographs of each veg
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Marloth Park Management Plan. - Nkomazi Local Municipality

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