Sustainability Indicators for Swaziland

indicators | social | economic | natural resources | institutional

NATURAL RESOURCE ASPECTS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SWAZILAND

BIODIVERSITY

Fauna

Although Swaziland was once well-endowed with a large variety of animal wildlife, including the elephant and the lion (which are part of the national emblem), primarily as a result of habitat destruction, and also because of hunting, most of the country's largest mammal species have become extinct in the wild. There is still a wide diversity of bird life. The latest bird atlas (Parker, 1994) lists 489 species, but they are also being diminished largely through habitat destruction, hunting, and poisoning by toxic chemicals.

Approximately only 4% of Swaziland's total land area is protected. This is well below the internationally recommended 10%. The main existing fauna reserves are:

Malolotja
Mlawula
Hawane
Mantenga Nature Reserves (under the Swaziland National Trust Commission)
Hlane Game Sanctuary (Royal game reserve)
Mlilwane
Mkaya
Simunye
Mbuluzi Nature Reserves (private reserves)
Phophonyane and Mhlosinga Nature Reserves (private, but as yet unproclaimed, reserves)

Flora

Swaziland has a wide diversity of flora. About 2,600 species of social, economic and cultural importance have been collected and recorded. It also has numerous endemic plant species which only occur in Swaziland. The main vegetation types are savannah, grasslands, forest, and bush.

Natural processes, e.g. erosion, and human activities, i.e. agriculture, forest plantations, and human settlements, are causing a decrease in the diversity and distribution of Swaziland's natural flora. Large-scale irrigated agriculture, particularly monoculture agriculture such as sugar cane, pineapple and citrus production has resulted in clearing of large tracts of land and destruction of the natural vegetation. This in turn, results in loss of the animals and insects which depend on it.

A major threat to indigenous species is the encroachment of alien woody species. The principal ones are: the guava (Psidium guajava) widely found in the highveld and upper middleveld areas; lantana (Lantana camara) widely spread in the middleveld, particularly along major water courses; Mauritius thorn (Caesalpinia decapetala) which is reducing grazing potential in the Northern RDA; and wattle (Acacia mearnsii, A. decurrens, A. dealbata) the most widespread alien found widely throughout the highveld.

A list of flora reserves and protection-worthy areas has been proposed by the National Herbarium.

Issues

Biodiversity

Negative effects of rapid population growth and changing consumption patterns on biodiversity.
Habitat destruction and fragmentation, with consequent species depletion due to increasing pressure on the environment and unsustainable use of resources.
Insufficient plant genetic resource conservation.
Polluted water of rivers and lakes resulting in impoverishment of fish populations.
Loss of indigenous knowledge and traditional values on one hand, and unsustainable traditional practices (use of plants and animals) on the other.
Insufficient knowledge and appreciation of indigenous ecosystems, flora and fauna, and the need for biodiversity conservation.
Occurrence of unique Swaziland ecosystems and plant species, e.g. cycads, which need protection.

Parks and reserves

Insufficient government interest and support in protection of ecosystems and developing parks and nature reserves.
No government investment policy for eco-tourism.
Management of parks and reserves leaves much room for improvement.
Lack of coordination and cooperation between national and privately owned reserves.
Parks and reserves too small in size to strongly compete in eco-tourism development.
Park facilities and diversity not the of the same standard as South African parks.
Trans-boundary park and reserve development opportunities.
Poaching.
Lack of adequately trained, equipped and motivated staff.

General

Lack of community participation in resource management and biodiversity conservation.
Private sector insufficiently involved in biodiversity conservation.
Role of NGO's needs to be defined.
Outdated, conflicting and fragmented legislation.
SNTC not providing extension service.
Shortage of trained personnel in genetic conservation and sustainable nature reserve management.
Lack of research priority for ecosystems and genetic resources.
Lack of recognition for conservation action taken.

This page was last updated on 03 February 2004