| Strategic Directions |
Investment Priorities |
| 1. Expand protected area corridors through public-private-communal partnerships in the priority areas of Bushmanland-Inselbergs, Central Namaqualand Coast, Namaqualand Uplands, Knersvlakte, Hantam-Roggeveld, Central Little Karoo, and Sperrgebiet |
1.1 Establish catalyst teams responsible for mobilizing local stakeholder participation; securing necessary political support; consolidating baseline information on biodiversity for long-term monitoring; developing management plans that formalize roles of each partner; and creating strategies for long-term financial sustainability |
| 2. Engage key industrial sectors in meeting conservation objectives identified by SKEP |
2.1 Promote best practices in the ostrich industry through pilot projects, policy recommendations and marketing options |
| 2.2 Support mining forums of corporate and small-scale mining enterprises to discuss and develop mechanisms for addressing biodiversity concerns |
| 2.3 Direct corporate investment into conservation projects that contribute to conservation targets and regional development objectives |
| 2.4 Assist landowners in the development of ecotourism and natural resource-based enterprises that protect biodiversity |
| 3. Retain and restore critical biodiversity in areas under greatest land-use pressure |
3.1 Conduct a rapid assessment to map grazing impacts in all geographic priority areas |
| 3.2 Develop fine-scale conservation and monitoring plans for priority areas under greatest land use pressure where the impact of biodiversity conservation will be the most significant |
| 3.3 Refine the conservation targets and establish a monitoring system for the targets and outcomes |
| 3.4 Investigate mechanisms, such as direct payment and others, that will enable the creation of small conservation areas in priority areas under high land use pressures |
| 3.5 Synthesize research on best grazing practices and implement outreach programs based on findings |
| 4. Mainstream conservation priorities into land-use planning and policymaking |
4.1 Interpret conservation plans and design suitable products for municipal planners and other land-use decisionmaking agencies |
| 4.2 Increase the capacity of agencies to use these products to integrate biodiversity concerns into their operations and policies |
| 5. Increase awareness of the Succulent Karoo hotspot |
5.1 Increase awareness of the Succulent hotspot and its unique biodiversity among local, subregional and national constituencies through a binational awareness campaign |
| 5.2 Support efforts to publicize the biological importance of the Succulent Karoo hotspot |
| 5.3 Support projects that educate stakeholders about threatened and unique species in the hotspot |
| 6. Create the capacity to catalyze the SKEP program |
6.1 Support a small network of locally based champions that will represent biodiversity concerns at a subregional level and assist with the identification, monitoring and mentoring of small-scale conservation projects |
| 6.2 Establish a small grants program aimed at promoting small-scale development of biodiversity-based livelihood projects |
| 6.3 Establish a coordination unit to lead implementation of the SKEP program, including providing technical assistance to launch components of the strategy, rapidly reviewing potential CEPF projects and leveraging additional resources to ensure long-term financial sustainability |