The Biodiversity Act (Act 10 of 2004) provides for listing threatened or protected ecosystems, in one of four categories: critically endangered (CR), endangered (EN), vulnerable (VU) or protected. The purpose of listing threatened ecosystems is primarily to reduce the rate of ecosystem and species extinction. This includes preventing further degradation and loss of structure, function and composition of threatened ecosystems.
It was agreed early on in the listing process that a phased approach should be taken, given the complexity of the process. The current (first) phase of listing deals with threatened ecosystems in the terrestrial environment. Future phases will deal with threatened ecosystems in the freshwater, estuarine and marine environments, and with protected ecosystems in all environments.
The ecosystems listed in the current phase make up 9.5% of the country, with critically endangered and endangered ecosystems together accounting for 2.7% and vulnerable ecosystems a further 6.8%.
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| North Coast Dune Forest (KZN14) Critically Endangered |
Cape Flats Sand Fynbos (FFd5) Critically Endangered |
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| Peninsula Granite Fynbos (FFg3) Critically Endangered |
Albany alluvial vegetation (AZa6) Endangered |
