Helping to minimise impacts on the Namibian flora
Online guide for plant relocation
© Antje Burke
The information published here is to be used for non-commercial purposes only. We only ask for acknowledgement in reports or other forms of publications. Please cite information taken from this document as "Burke, A. & Mannheimer, C. (2002). Helping to minimise impacts on the Namibian flora – Online guide for plant relocation. Southern Namib Restoration Ecology Project, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Namibia (www.enviro-science.info/04research/snare/snare.htm).
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| How to use this guide … This simple guide provides several levels of detail, with main points to be considered upfront, and many more detailed explanations available, if you click on "hyperlinked" (blue/purple) words. We have written this for environmental planners and practitioners, not necessarily with a botanical background, and for engineers and contractors who we would like to see implementing the suggested activities. Our wish is that this will help to minimise, preserve and maintain "healthy" vegetation and subsequent biodiversity in all parts of the country. |
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Plants provide essential goods and services such as food for us, our livestock and wildlife, oxygen, moisture and shade. They help to regulate local climate conditions, capture carbon, stabilise soil, suppress dust and are essential elements of all landscapes, giving these a particular character.
For an arid country, Namibia is exceptionally rich in plant species. In particular the south-west corner of the country, the southern Namib, has received global attention because of its unique and varied flora and fauna. This little patch of winter rainfall influence area in Namibia has been identified as part of one of only 25 biodiversity hotspots in the world.
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For this reason a lot of attention has recently been paid to the southern Namib, particularly with regard to inventories – taking stock of what we have - and how to minimise impacts associated with prospecting, mining and other developments in this area on those natural assets. |
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Mitigating impacts on flora - some simple rules
Avoiding impacts is first choice and always has first priority.
Only if there are well justified reasons why it is not possible to avoid impacts on sensitive plant species, should mitigation (i.e. moderating impacts by management intervention) be considered.
During project planning:
During construction:
Plant "rescue" (i.e. selectively removing plant species of conservation or horticultural importance) has often been used as a means to clear areas ahead of large development projects. Whether this could be applied in Namibia’s arid environment had initially been questioned by rather sceptical observers.
So we tried it – with very simple means (no irrigation, minimal labour force), with several species, different types of growth forms (succulents, shrubs, etc.) and we applied different methods. It worked for some plants, - indeed very well for most of the succulents - but appears tricky for others. Below we outline some of our findings, translated into practical guidelines, where we have adequate information.
| There are many reasons why plant rescue and relocation of plants should be attempted. For logistical reasons at present we only propose this for plant species of conservation importance. The rationale is that relocating rare plants from areas where they would otherwise be destroyed to a similar habitat nearby will help to maintain viable populations of these species in the same area. Thus saved, they can contribute to producing seed and subsequently new plants that would eventually recolonise the disturbed areas. |
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When to mitigate…
To decide whether mitigation is necessary, determine whether or not the affected species are of conservation importance.
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no - apply the simple guidelines provided above. If yes, please answer the
following questions. The "hyperlink" will then
take you to the next step. 1. Are the affected plants protected species? 2. Are they succulents? 3. Are the affected plants endemic species? |
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If your plants have been determined to be of relocation potential, the first step is to inform the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (permit section: Tel: 061-263131) and National Botanical Research Institute, as a permit will be required.
There are different ways to relocate/rescue plants, each with a different purpose. However, for the purposes of this guide,
To determine the right method, answer the following questions.
1. What type of project requires the clearing of vegetation?
The method of relocation often depends on the nature of the project.
2. Which habitats are affected?
This is important to know, since relocation/rescue in rocky habitats is very difficult, while plants growing on sandy plains are much easier to handle.
3. Are there many more in the surrounding?
YES NO – This is likely a MAJOR IMPACT and mitigation is critical.
4. Which staff resources are available?
If the project has full-time staff with environmental background and responsibilities, relocation efforts can more easily be undertaken without reliance on outside expertise. If no environmental staff or people with informal experience in horticultural activities are present, outside expertise needs to be contacted for advise.
Some general rules apply to all plants.
| Which types of plants are affected? |  |
Remember in the context of this guide RELOCATION has been defined as transplanting of plants from areas where there are going to be destroyed to similar habitat in the surrounding. PLANT RESCUE means lifting plants from areas where they are going to be destroyed and moving them elsewhere for further study or sale.
Relocation success and methods differ between groups of plants. Some simple botanical classification is required to differentiate between these groups.
| Tufted mesembs. Ideally
suited for relocation on site or plant rescue. These can
be potted immediately, but also tolerate being out of the
soil for a few days. Survival rates in Windhoek as well
as on site have been good. Examples: Dracophilus, Cheiridopsis, Ebracteola species. BACK or NEXT |
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| Shrubby mesembs. Mixed results: some tolerate relocation on
site, but are not suited for plant rescue, thus removal
to elsewhere. Seed collections of mature capsules and
storage of entire plants with capsules containing seeds
should be attempted. Relocation of these plants should be
tried. Even if they do not survive their seeds will, and
seedlings are likely to emerge after suitable rain
events. Examples: Eberlanzia, Ruschia, Amphibolia species. BACK or NEXT |
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| Weedy mesembs. Not
at all suited for relocation or plant rescue. Collection
of capsules of less common species is recommended. Examples: Mesembryanthemum, Phyllobolus species. BACK or NEXT |
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| Stapelioids. Reasonable success with plant rescue. Small plants need to be potted immediately, larger ones tolerate being out of the soil for some days, and often do better if they are left to dry a while. Although several Stapelioids have been relocated in various locations, no information about success of on site relocation is available yet. Plant rescue (i.e. removal to Windhoek), however, showed high success rates at the NBRI. |
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| Hoodia. No information. Plant relocation has been attempted in various locations, but no feed-back on success or methods has been made available yet. |
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| Crassulas. Mixed
results: a difficult group to deal with. Some creeping
Crassulas are naturally adapted to grow from parts of
plants, thus suited for vegetative propagation, but they
require specific habitat conditions. Relocation on site
is difficult as most grow in rocky habitats. Relocation
of larger Crassulas (i.e. Tylecodon and Cotyledon)
has not been successful, smaller individuals may survive.
These groups need further on site relocation study
urgently. Examples: Crassula, Tylecodon species. |
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| Euphorbias. Very
good success with relocation and plant rescue of dwarf
stem-succulent Euphorbias (e.g. E. melanohydrata).
Relocation on site should definitely be applied where
this group of plants is affected. Relocation of tall,
shrubby Euphorbias (e.g. E. dregeana) is less
successful, but can work with small individuals. Examples: Euphorbia melanohydrata, E. gummifera. |
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| Geraniums. Believed
to grow well from cuttings, but no information on
relocation available. Examples: Pelargonium species. |
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| Succulent daisies. Mixed
results: on site relocation is recommended, but these
plants are not suited for plant rescue, i.e. relocation
to elsewhere. Seed collections are also important and
recommended. Examples: Othonna, Senecio species. |
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| Bulbs.
No information on
relocation of southern Namib species. Bulb removal,
storage and replanting has, however been successfully
applied in other rehabilitation endeavours. This groups
requires further study. We expect that they will probably
do well in sandy habitats. Examples: Bulbine, Lachenalia, Ornithogalum species. |
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| Herbs or grasses. These
largely short-lived plants are ideally suited for seed
collections. Examples: Foveolina, Senecio, Ursinia, Stipagrostis species. |
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Who contributed so far?
Namdeb, NamPower, NamWater and the Skorpion Zinc Project all contributed to initial undertakings, while "Southern Namib Restoration Ecology Project" of the Namibian National Biodiversity Programme (Ministry of Environment and Tourism) and the National Botanical Research Institute (Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural Development) and are the driving forces.
Many plants were relocated to Windhoek for various trials undertaken by the National Botanical Research Institute in collaboration with nurseries, others were relocated on site. Unfortunately formal feed-back has so far been minimal and our suggestions are largely based on our own observations and some knowledge of the plants involved.
What next?
To be able to refine our guidelines, we desperately need feed-back from everybody who has undertaken some of the initial trials and worked with plants that were "rescued" from powerlines, pipelines and mining projects. We can then update our guide and include new information each time more detail on successes and failures for different species, methods and different areas becomes available.
We have limited information on some groups of sensitive species, e.g. Crassulas, Pelargoniums and bulbs. Trials for these plants should be set up as part of future relocation exercises.
Please contact us or send your information to:
Antje Burke, Southern Namib Restoration Ecology Project
Fax: +264-61-227906, e-mail: antje.burke@enviro-science.info
More detail for those who want to know more or why…
Project alternatives include the locality of the main development (e.g. different positions for a planned power station) as well as alternative positions for infrastructure required for the project. By doing this, an environmental assessment would already identify "no-go" areas during the project planning. Areas with concentrations of many range restricted and/or protected species of concern should thus not be developed at all. BACK
Botanically and environmentally sensitive areas include, for example, river banks, wetlands, rocky outcrops – these vary and there may be more in different parts of the country. BACK
Clearing of vegetation results in the removal of essential ground cover. In addition to losing the plant and animal species involved, this leads to erosion and loss of the important topsoil. The loss of fertile topsoil could prevent the regrowth of vegetation and so result in permanently bare patches of land. The more vegetation that is available in the close vicinity of disturbed areas, the better are the chances that plants will re-colonise the disturbed patches. BACK
| Description | |
| Succulent | Plants that store water in their plant tissue - depending on where the water is stored, we call these leaf succulents or stem succulents. |
| Stem succulent | Generally large plant storing water in its stem (e.g. "halfmens", Pachypodium namaquanum). |
| Leaf succulent | Plants that store water in their leaves (e.g. "spekboom", i.e. Portulacaria afra or many vygies, i.e. members of the family Mesembryanthemaceae – commonly referred to as mesembs) |
| Dwarf succulent | Small succulent, usually less than 20 cm high (e.g. many vygies). These store water in their leaves and/or stems, but lack an upright stem. |
| Shrub | Woody, long-lived plant with many stems. |
| Tree | Plant with single stem, usually > 2 m high. |
| Geophyte | Plant with bulb or rootstock (e.g. lilies). |
| Herb | Non-woody, short-lived plant, i.e. annuals (e.g. many daisies). |
| Grass | All plants belonging to the family Poaceae (e.g. bushman grass). |
Plant species of conservation importance are generally defined as species receiving protection through Nature Conservation, Forestry and international legislation (e.g. CITES, IUCN categories) and species with a restricted distribution range, i.e. endemic to a particular country, region or sometimes small area. The more restricted the distribution of a particular plant, the greater its conservation importance. BACK to introduction; BACK to key.
| Location of southern Namib (shaded areas are centres of plant diversity in southern Africa). BACK |  |
Key to the right steps
Protected, non-succulents
Contact the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, permit section (061-263131) and apply for permission to destroy those plants that cannot be avoided by the development. Enquire whether mitigating measures are desired.
At a minimum, follow these simple guidelines:
Endemic species
Contact the National Botanical Research Institute (061-2022196) and enquire whether or not mitigating measures are desired (time permitting the NBRI can, but is not obliged to assist you).
At a minimum, follow these simple guidelines:
Yes 3 – Apply for permission to destroy the affected trees (The Director, Directorate of Forestry, Windhoek, Fax: 061-222830). BACK
No 7 – Something wrong here – try again. BACK
Linear infrastructure. Clearing vegetation for linear infrastructure, such as roads, pipelines or power lines usually cuts through a variety of habitats and results in comparatively small amounts of plants being directly impacted. It is unlikely that this would result in the destruction of a whole population, or even less an entire species. NEXT
Other infrastructure. The area affected by non-linear developments depends on the footprint of the project (i.e. area to be cleared). It can range from a few to several hundred hectares, such as for large mining projects, and can be confined to one habitat or cover several habitats. If large areas, and principally one habitat are to be cleared, the destruction of an entire population of a particular species cannot be ruled out. NEXT
Rocky outcrop. Relocation on rocky outcrops is a difficult task and should only be undertaken for selected species. Depending on plant densities this may also result in too much disturbance of intact habitat to which plants are to be relocated. However, rocky habitats in the southern Namib are those with the highest numbers of sensitive plant species. Appropriate action has thus to be assessed on a case-to-case basis. NEXT or BACK
Sand plain. Sand plains are the ideal relocation habitats. It is a substrate that is easy to dig, many species that tolerate relocation occur in the sandy plains of the southern Namib, and soil can easily be stabilised. NEXT or BACK
Gravel plain. Gravel plain habitats are moderately suited for relocation efforts. The types of plants and their numbers will determine whether this should be attempted. Similar to rocky habitats, disturbance of existing, intact habitat has to be taken into account. NEXT or BACK
Dry river. Dry rivers are usually sandy, experience regular natural disturbance and occasionally harbour plants suitable for relocation. NEXT or BACK
Inform NBRI and discuss setting up trials with species that have not been tested before. BACK
Inform National Botanical Research Institute. NEXT
A brief description of the main types of plants.
| Tufted mesembs | leaf-succulent Mesembryanthemaceae (vygie) with no main stem or woody branches |
| Shrubby mesembs | leaf succulent Mesembryanthemaceae (vygie) with shrubby appearance |
| Weedy mesembs | annual, short-lived Mesembryanthemaceae (vygie), often with large, fleshy leaves and capsules that disintegrate easily |
| Stapelioids | small, spineless stem-succulents, often with cactus-like appearance |
| Hoodia | medium-sized, spiny stem-succulent |
| Crassulas | small leafy succulents, often creeping or forming small tufts |
| Euphorbias | small, sometimes spiny stem-succulents with irritating milky sap (there are many more Euphorbias, but many are not suitable for relocation) |
| Geraniums | Stem-succulent, low shrubs of the Geranium family |
| Succulent daisies | shrubby leaf- or stem-succulents, similar to shrubby mesembs, but not producing woody capsules and have daisy flowers and often seeds with feather-like structures |
| Bulbs | lily-like plants with underground storage organs (geophytes), only present for short periods during the year |
| Herbs | annual (i.e. short-lived) plants that grow new from seed each year |
| Grasses | members of the family Poaceae |
General advice applicable to all plants
Soil. The soil into which plants are potted appears to be not too critical. If feasible, the same soil as in their natural habitat is ideal. But we found different compost-sand mixtures also worked well. To ensure adequate drainage, a minimum of 2/3 sand is recommended.
Seed collection. Reseeding with indigenous plants is believed to be an appropriate measure for rehabilitation efforts in the southern Namib. Although we have little information on particular species and their germination requirements, many appear to readily colonise disturbed areas. Particularly if no other mitigation measures are considered or feasible, seed collections for all plants to be destroyed should be considered prior to large-scale clearing of vegetation. The Plant Genetic Resources Institute at the NBRI (Tel: 061-2022010/2013) should be consulted and contacted for further information, as permits are required for most species.
Some simple guidelines for seed collection:
