Garden Route (100774)
South Africa, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1c, A1d, A1e, A2, B1, B2, B3a, B3b, B4, E
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Garden Route
Central coordinates: Latitude: -33.9422, Longitude: 23.5250
System: terrestrial, marine, freshwater
Elevation (m): 0 to 1323
Area of KBA (km2): 6460.26993
Protected area coverage (%): 31.60
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: No
Site details
Site description: Garden Route is a very large terrestrial site with substantial protection and OECM coverage, found in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. Most of the inland area is a relatively low mountain range with gentle to steep slopes, with a few high peaks and moderately undulating plains. It is relatively broad compared to the other coastal mountain ranges varying from 10-20 km in width. Vegetation is a medium dense, tall proteoid shrubland over a dense moderately tall, ericoid-leaved shrubland mainly proteoid, restioid and ericoid fynbos, with fynbos thicket in wetter areas. On gentle to steep south-facing slopes there are relatively broad slopes with some moderately sloping intramontane valleys in the west. Some grassy fynbos is found at lower altitudes, and scrub fynbos in riverine areas.There are also large patches of tall, multilayered afrotemperate forests dominated by yellowwoods (Afrocarpus falcatus and Podocarpus latifolius), Ocotea bullata, Olea capensis subsp. macrocarpa, Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus, Platylophus trifoliatus etc. In scree and deep-gorge habitats Cunonia capensis, Heeria argentea, Metrosideros angustifolia, Podocarpus elongatus and Rapanea melanophloeos predominate. The shrub understorey and herb layers are well developed, especially in mesic and wet habitats.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for 3 criteria described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. Based on current available information, 168 species meet one or more KBA criteria for this site. The KBA trigger species at this site include amphibians, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, fish, plants, and reptiles. The site meets criterion A1 due to the presence of significant proportions of the global populations of 66 threatened species. Effectively the entire global populations of 6 Endangered and 3 Critically Endangered species are within the site. The site regularly holds 125 individual geographically restricted species, therefore meeting criterion B1. Assemblages of co-occurring range-restricted species in the Amphibia, Apiales, Asparagales, Asterales, Caryophyllales, Ericales, Fabales, Lamiales, Malvales, Proteales, Reptilia, Rosales, and Sapindales taxonomic groups regularly present within the site meet criterion B2. Co-occurring species endemic to the Fynbos terrestrial bioregion present at the site meet criterion B3. A quantitative analysis of irreplaceability indicates that the site is 100% irreplaceable for the global persistence of 40 species, therefore meeting criterion E. The site holds significant proportions of the global extent of 7 threatened ecosystems (meeting criterion A2) and 8 geographically restricted ecosystems (meeting criterion B4).
Additional biodiversity: 132 other potential trigger species meet minimum population parameter thresholds for the site, but presence and/or minimum reproductive units required to meet KBA criteria cannot be confirmed with available data.
Manageability of the site: This site is managed primarily by a Biosphere Reserve management authority, with parts of the site managed by a protected area management authority, and regional conservation authority responsible for enforcing statutory regulations on landuse change in Critical Biodiversity Areas and threatened ecosystems.
Supersedes another site: Outeniqua mountains ZA091 [17%]; Wilderness - Sedgefield Lakes Complex ZA093 [2%]; Tsitsikama - Plettenberg Bay ZA077 [0%]
Delineation rationale: Delineation follows the boundaries of an established Biosphere Reserve, containing numerous protected areas and Critical Biodiversity Areas.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Shrubland (54%), Artificial - terrestrial (31%), Forest (11%)
Threats
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential & commercial development | Tourism & recreation areas | Ongoing | |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Scale Unknown/Unrecorded | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Gavin Masterson (Fathom Data), Warrick Stewart (Resilience Environmental Advice), Anisha Dayaram (South African National Biodiversity Institute), Maphale Monyeki (South African National Biodiversity Institute), Sediqa Khatieb (South African National Biodiversity Institute), Craig Hilton-Taylor (IUCN)