Veld burning in Giant’s Castle Game Reserve, Natal Drakensberg

Abstract

A basic aim in the management of a wildlife reserve is to maintain ecological diversity. In Giant's Castle Game Reserve the vegetation is largely composed of fire sub-climax grasslands. Under the natural fire-regime, before man influenced the system much, fires probably occurred at any time of the year, but mostly in summer. At present there are acute problems in controlling wildfires which occur mostly in late winter when there is an extreme fire hazard. Most of the Natal Drakensburg is now burnt by wildfires in late winter and deliberate fires in early spring. The ecological effect of the natural and present fire regimes are discussed, and a burning plan for Giant's Castle is outlined.

Keywords: burning regimes|Giants Castle Game Reserve|Drakensberg|management|wildlife reserves|ecological diversities|vegetation|fires|grasslands|wildfires|controlled burnings|deliberate wild fires|ecological effects