Sensitive Wetlands (1:50 000)

This data layer was created by Kevin Shaw. Kevin delineated wetland boundaries on 1:50,000 topographical maps. Wetlands are defined by DEA and T Wetlands Conservation Programme (August 1998 draft) as lands supporting predominantly hydrophytes, or where the substrate is predominantly undrained hydric soil, or where the substrate is non-soil and is saturated with water or covered by shallow water at time during the growing season. However, hydric soils cannot be distinguished without a detailed field visit (as suggested by the Wetland Fix Programme). Consequently, boundaries were defined with the help of aerial photographs and personal knowledge to include wetland habitats (open water, reedbeds, salt marshes, mud flats, floodplains) and dams (which are known to have a established floral and faunal component i.e. have some biological functioning and are not sterile). Boundaries where subsequently digitised inhouse (by Riki de Villiers) from the 1:50,000 topographical maps. During November 1999 Riki de Villiers added names and types to the wetlands based on 1:50,000 topographical maps. Please note that these names and types have still to be vetted by Kevin Shaw. Consequently these data should be viewed as in prep until these data have been vetted.