Cape Floristic Region, South Africa
#00257
PartialRegion
Case study of
#00279 Use prescribed burning in suitable fire-adapted ecosystems
Implementer
South African conservation agencies and land managers
Location
Cape Floristic Region, South Africa-33.9000, 20.4000
Description
Fynbos conservation practice shifted from broad fire exclusion toward active ecological fire management, including prescribed burning at locally appropriate intervals. Constrained burn windows, invasive plant encroachment, and proximity to settlements limit consistent implementation.
Lessons learned
- Fire-adapted shrublands require ecologically appropriate burn intervals rather than universal fire exclusion — applying exclusion degrades fynbos biodiversity.
- Prescribed burning must be paired with invasive-plant follow-up treatment and explicit protocols for settlement protection, or gains from burning are undermined.
Sources
2Documented Jul 30, 2026