These ecosystem-specific guidelines have been prepared to assist all stakeholders in the Western Cape who are involved in land-use planning and environmental assessments to take biodiversity concerns into consideration.

The guidelines aim to answer key questions about biodiversity that should be asked by a planner, environmental assessment practitioner and/or landowner embarking on a plan, project or activity, whether urban, industrial, agricultural or recreational. These guidelines should also add value to the deliberations of decision-makers on the environmental implications of development or land-use changes.

These guidelines represent a first attempt at reducing the complexity and value of Western Cape ecosystems to a set of basic but reliable pointers that will guide responsible and appropriately informed planning and decision-making about biodiversity in the province.

The guidelines deal separately with each of the following groups of Western Cape ecosystems;

Coastal ecosystems

Lowland fynbos ecosystems

Midland and mountain fynbos ecosystems

Renosterveld ecosystems

Succulent karoo ecosystems

Mainland Thicket ecosystems

Freshwater ecosystems

Spatial components of ecological processes