Municipal Biodiversity Summaries and Plan Index
View biodiversity statistics for your municipality and see what spatial biodiversity planning information is available.
More information about this project

Species Distribution Mapping Tool
Load your X,Y point locality information onto a pre-rendered map

Land Use Decision Support Tool
Find, select and analyse an area against a set of pre-defined layers that coincide spatially with that location
Use this tool >>>

Tutorial new online maps (Silverlight viewer) BGIS Web Mapping Tutorial (Adobe pdf )

Tutorial old online maps (still available in the LUDS tool)
BGIS Web Mapping Tutorial (8.1MB)
BGIS Web Mapping Tutorial (Adobe pdf 2.23MB)

Introduction to GIS (website)
Introduction to GIS (Adobe pdf 1.18MB)

Introduction to GPS technology

Find definitions for commonly used terms in the conservation sector

useful links
Cape Action for People and the Environment
Dept. of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
Endangered Wildlife Trust - EIA Toolkit
Global Biodiversity Information Facility
National Spatial Information Framework
Plants of southern Africa
South African Biodiversity Information Facility
South African National Biodiversity Institute

Municipal reports for download
Knysna Conservation Assessmen
Plettenberg Bay Conservation Assessment

important legislation & policy
Marine Living Resources Act (1998)
National Environmental Management:
› Act (1998)
› Biodiversity Act (2004)
› Protected Areas Act (2003)
Promotion of Access to Information Act (2000)
Spatial Data Infrastructure Act (2003)

white papers
Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa's Biological Diversity
Spatial Planning and Land Use Management

guidelines & manuals
BSSACU - Recommended ToR for the Consideration of Biodiversity in Environmental Assessment & Decision-Making
CBBIA Guidance Document on Biodiversity, Impact Assessment & Decision-Making in Southern Africa
CBD - Voluntary Guidance on Biodiversity, including Impact Assessment
Fynbos Forum Ecosystem Guidelines for Environmental Assessment in the Western Cape
Guidelines for Environmental Management Plans
Guidelines for involving specialist in EIA processes
IAIA - Biodiversity in Impact Assessment