Western Cape Biodiversity Spatial Plan Handbook

The Western Cape Biodiversity Spatial Plan (WCBSP) is a spatial tool that comprises the Biodiversity Spatial Plan Map (BSP Map) of biodiversity priority areas, accompanied by contextual information and land use guidelines that make the most recent and best quality biodiversity information available for land use and development planning, environmental assessment and regulation, and natural resource management. The BSP Map covers both the terrestrial and freshwater realms, as well as major coastal and estuarine habitats. This Handbook presents the BSP Map and explains its development, describes important biodiversity features of the Western Cape, and presents a set of land use guidelines that should be used to effectively aid in conserving the biodiversity of the Western Cape. The BSP Map is the product of a systematic biodiversity planning approach that delineates Critical Biodiversity Areas and Ecological Support Areas, which require safeguarding to ensure the continued existence and functioning of species and ecosystems, including the delivery of ecosystem services.