Scale-based freshwater conservation planning: towards protecting freshwater biodiversity in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

River systems have strong linear linkages and require innovative solutions to capture these linkages from aquatic conservation planners. The authors applied an approach to freshwater conservation planning to freshwater ecosystems of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), using generic conservation planning software. They used a two-step, hierarchical process to capture catchment- and local-scale dynamics, where priority primary catchments were first identified and then used at a second level for selecting priority subcatchments, which served as planning units at a finer scale. The author also set quantitative targets for defined freshwater biodiversity features.