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Site description (2001 baseline):
Site location and context
This site lies within South Africa’s mistbelt region and consists of two areas of fragmented, gently undulating sour grassveld, which are separated from one another by a plantation. The first grassland area, Graskop 564 KT, lies immediately west of Graskop Town and is infiltrated by narrow drainage-lines lying between 1,463 and 1,807 m. The grassland in this area is severely fragmented; there are only three blocks of continuous grassland, and each is surrounded by plantation. The first block of primary grassland occurs at Townlands West; to the south, a narrow grassland tongue known as Malidyke stretches for 3 km from the western portion of Townlands West. The third grassland block, the hilly Stanley Bush Kop, lies farther west, south of Pilgrim’s Rest. The grasslands at Graskop 564 KT are separated from those at Lisbon Ridge by the farm Driekop 546, which is entirely afforested with pines
Pinus. Lisbon Ridge lies c.8 km due north of Graskop Town. Patches of fynbos elements, such as
Erica and
Protea, also occur. The forests, which are restricted to the more mesic valleys, are dominated by
Rapanea,
Xymalos,
Podocarpus,
Pterocelastrus and
Syzygium. Other natural habitat-types include rocky outcrops and sheer cliffs, which form part of the Mpumalanga escarpment. Up to 20% of the grassland in this area has been encroached upon by large, dense stands of tall non-native trees, including
Acacia,
Eucalyptus and
Pinus. Non-native trees continue to spread uncontrolled.
See Box for key species. These two fragmented grassland areas hold the second largest population of breeding
Hirundo atrocaerulea in South Africa.
Neotis denhami,
Bucorvus cafer,
Vanellus melanopterus and other grassland specials such as
Saxicola bifasciata also occur. Although the fragmented grassland comprises less than 2,500 ha (25%) of the site’s area, the birds probably move between the grassland patches and it is appropriate to treat the system as a single unit. The proteoid woodland holds
Promerops gurneyi.
Non-bird biodiversity: None known to BirdLife International.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
The Graskop 564 KT plot is state-owned (by the Department of Land Affairs), but it is managed by Mpumalanga Parks Board. It is hoped that the land will receive Nature Reserve status in the near future. A management plan proposed by Mpumalanga Parks Board is in place to meet the needs of non-native vegetation removal, clearing the grassland, creating firebreaks and implementing grassland rejuvenation, to maximize the breeding success of
Hirundo atrocaerulea. Lisbon Ridge, however, is state-owned land that has been leased to the South African Forestry Company (SAFCOL). This is prime land for forestry, but it has not yet been planted as the mining rights to the land are held by other parties. Both sectors of land are currently used for water management and nature conservation.The area faces several significant conservation issues. The proposed mining of mineral deposits within the reserve complex is serious; it may result in the extinction of
Hirundo atrocaerulea at this site. Irresponsible behaviour by tourists may elevate the frequency of burns and disturbance of breeding birds. Weed invasion of the grassland is also occurring, reducing the foraging area of
Hirundo atrocaerulea. Artificial manipulation of ant-bear (
Orycteropus) holes to make them more suitable for breeding
Hirundo atrocaerulea has been shown to elevate breeding success and should be pursued as a research priority.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Graskop Grasslands (South Africa). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/graskop-grasslands-iba-south-africa on 27/12/2024.
