Areas of forest which grow in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa mostly on south facing slopes in higher rainfall areas, and along the humid coastal areas. Different types of forest can be identified by their species composition which depends mostly on the altitude, latitude and substrate (soil and rock types) in which they grow. South facing slopes are favourable for the development of forest as they are more shaded, and therefore cooler and retain more moisture than the northern slopes. The extra moisture on the south slopes is not only favoured by forest trees, but also helps to prevent or subdue wildfires. Fires can also be blocked by cliff faces and rocks or boulders on these slopes, and by streams or rivers at the base of the slopes. The coastal regions are conducive to forest formation, because of high rainfall and humidity which are favoured by forest trees and also help to prevent or subdue fires. The rivers of the coastal areas are also broader than further inland, which may often prevent fires from spreading long distances, and fires generally burn uphill and therefore more often away from areas at low altitude.
Various forest types can be distinguished, but many of these overlap or integrate with each other for example; coastal dune forest can fade into coastal lowland forest, which can in turn fade into riverine forest.
Found in secluded valleys in the Drakensberg area. Characteristic tree species include yellowwoods ( Afrocarpus falcatus and Podocarpus latifolius ), mountain hard pear ( Olinia emarginata ) and Cape beech ( Rapanea melanophloeos ). Mountain cypress ( Widdringtonia nodiflora ) may occur on the forest margins.
Found in secluded valleys in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Characteristic trees are; yellowwoods (including Afrocarpus falcatus, Podocarpus latifolius and Podocarpus henkelii ), Natal krantz ash ( Atalaya natalensis ), red stinkwood ( Prunus africana ), sneezewood ( Ptaeroxylon obliquum ) and forest elder ( Nuxia floribunda ). The forest tree fern ( Cyathea capensis ) is also found in these forests.
This type is found on slopes and in secluded valleys between the coast and the Mistbelt. Trees include: white stinkwood ( Celtis africana ), forest bushwillow ( Combretum krausii ) and umzimbeet ( Millettia grandis ). The Natal cycad ( Encephalartos natalensis ) may occur on the forest edges, usually among rocks.
Once found almost continuously along the KwaZulu-Natal coast. Trees found here include; flat-crown ( Albizia adianthifolia ), coastal goldenleaf ( Bridelia micrantha ), red beech ( Protorhus longifolia ), forest mahogany ( Trichilia dregeana ), forest fever-berry ( Croton sylvaticus ) and wild date palm ( Phoenix reclinata ).
Found on ancient inland sand dunes in Maputaland in the north of KwaZulu-Natal. Unique trees include Lebombo wattle ( Newtonia hildebrandtii ), red-heart tree ( Hymenocardia ulmoides ), lavender-leaved croton ( Croton pseudopulchellus ) and stink bushwillow ( Pteleopsis myrtifolia ).
Once found almost continuously along the coastal dunes of KwaZulu-Natal. Characteristic trees are: coastal red milkwood ( Mimusops afra ), coast silver oak ( Brachylaena discolor ), dune soap-berry ( Deinbollia oblongifolia ) and Natal wild banana ( Strelitzia nicolai ). The large-leaved dragon tree ( Dracaena aletriformis ) is also found here.
This forest type occurs along natural waterways, even in dry areas that would not normally support forest. Trees found here include; Ficus sycomorus , Ficus polita , quinine tree ( Rauvolfia afra ) and fever tree ( Acacia xanthophloea ). These forests are vulnerable to flooding and many were destroyed by Cyclone Domoina.
Found around the edges of lowland lakes and streams. Various fig trees are found here including Ficus sur and Ficus trichopoda , as well as the wild swamp poplar ( Macaranga capensis ). The water fig ( Ficus verruculosa ) and Kosi palm ( Raphia australis ) are characteristic species in Maputaland.
Occurs in favourable tidal estuaries along the coast. Species include the black mangrove ( Bruguiera gymnorhiza ), red mangrove ( Rhizophora mucronata ) and white mangrove ( Avicennia marina ). The powder-puff tree ( Barringtonia racemosa ) and the wild cotton tree ( Hibiscus tiliaceus ) are sometimes classed as mangrove trees, but grow mostly along estuaries that are less tidal. They may form a transition zone between mangrove forest and swamp forest.
Several animals are adapted to living in these forests. Many are locally adapted subspecies of animals found further north in Tropical Africa, such as the blue duiker and Samango monkey, but some are local endemic species like the dwarf chameleons ( Bradypodion spp.), Natal forest tree frog and bush squeaker frog.
Birds:
Narina trogon ( Apaloderma narina ), purple-crested turaco ( Tauraco porphyreolophus ), forest weaver ( Ploceus bicolor ), crowned eagle ( Stephanoaetus coronatus ), spotted ground-thrush ( Zoothera guttata ), orange thrush ( Zoothera gurneyi ) and Delegorgue's pigeon ( Columba delegorguei ).
Mammals:
Blue duiker, red duiker, bushbuck, nyala, bushpig, leopard and Samango monkey.
Reptiles:
A wide range of herbaceous plants are found in the forests, either as ground cover or in the trees as epiphytes. Various lianas and climbers are also common plants in these forests.
Herbaceous ground plants:
Bush lily ( Clivia miniata ), blood lily ( Scadoxus puniceus ), mother-in-law's-tongue ( Sanseveria hyacinthoides ), white paintbrush ( Haemanthus albiflos ), forest commelina ( Coleotrype natalensis ), small chlorophytum ( Chlorophytum modestum ), buckweed ( Isoglossa woodii ), many species of Plectranthus including Plectranthus ambiguus , Plectranthus ecklonii , and Plectranthus fruticosus . Non-flowering plants include; the ground cycad ( Encephalartos villosus ), stangeria cycad ( Stangeria eriopus ) and various mosses and ferns. Some grasses also grow in open forest and glades such as basket grass ( Oplismenus hirtellus ), broad-leaved panicum ( Panicum deustum ) and broad-leaved bristle grass ( Setaria megaphylla ).
Epiphytes:
Matches mistletoe ( Tapinanthus kraussianus ), hairy-lipped polystachya ( Polystachya pubescens ), leopard orchid ( Ansellia africana ), other orchids such as; Mystacidium capense , Mystacidium venosum , Polystachya ottoniana , Angraecum conchiferum , Cyrtorchis arcuata and Diaphananthe afra . Mosses and ferns may also grow as epiphytes.
Climbers:
Black-eyed susan ( Thunbergia alata ), wild cucumber ( Coccinia palmata ), climbing bamboo ( Flagellaria guineensis ) and flame lily ( Gloriosa superba ).
Coastal scarp and mistbelt forests were the main source of timber in South Africa before the advent of exotic timber plantations. [1] Giant yellowwoods and stinkwoods were the most sought-after trees. [1] Most of the larger forests are now protected, but some small scale timber extraction by local communities still takes place. Attempts to grow indigenous trees as timber plantations have so far proven economically unviable compared to exotics, but more research is needed. [2] A promising species is the fast-growing Trema orientalis which is appropriate for paper and pulp production; producing paper with good tensile strength and folding endurance. [3] Another species for closer study is Celtis africana , which is fast-growing and can be used for furniture and panelling. Both of these species could be used as cover for slower-growing forest hardwoods which could be interplanted for more long-term production of more valuable timber.
Forests have been a source of medicinal plants for hundreds of years. It is estimated that more than 2100 tonnes of medicinal plants are extracted from forest areas in KwaZulu-Natal each year, which is projected to be unsustainable. [4]
Eco-tourism is the most viable and sustainable option for the forests of Kwazulu-Natal, and several government, private and non-government projects to ensure this are underway or in the planning stages. [5] [6]
Podocarpus latifolius is a large evergreen tree up to 35 m high and 3 m trunk diameter, in the conifer family Podocarpaceae; it is the type species of the genus Podocarpus.
Kosi Bay is a series of four interlinked lakes in the Maputaland area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
The Maputaland-Pondoland bushland and thickets is one of the ecoregions of South Africa. It consists of the montane shrubland biome.
The Kwazulu-Cape coastal forest mosaic is a subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of South Africa. It covers an area of 17,800 square kilometers (6,900 sq mi) in South Africa's Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.
The Maputaland coastal forest mosaic is a subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion on the Indian Ocean coast of Southern Africa. It covers an area of 29,961 square kilometres (11,568 sq mi) in southern Mozambique, Eswatini, and the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. Mozambique's capital Maputo lies within the ecoregion.
Podocarpus henkelii is a South African species of conifer in the family Podocarpaceae. It is grown ornamentally in gardens for its strikingly neat, attractive form and its elegant, drooping foliage.
Mkhambathi Nature Reserve is a protected area at Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is 7,720 hectares, with the Pondoland Marine Protected Area off its coastal edge. The reserve is located in the Pondoland Centre of Plant Endemism and the greater Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany Hotspot, and is covered in open grassland, dotted with patches of indigenous forest, swamp forests and flanked by the forested ravines of the Msikaba and Mtentu rivers.
Pigeon Valley is a Natural Heritage Park and formally declared municipal nature reserve in Durban, South Africa. It is an unusual example of an urban reserve with very high levels of biodiversity. It was established to provide protection for the Natal elm and other forest giants of the coastal climax forest. Another rare tree that occurs here is Natal forest loquat, which is endemic to the Durban area and to oNgoye Forest.
oNgoye Forest, also known as Ngoye or Ngoya Forest, is an ancient coastal scarp forest, protected by the oNgoye Forest Reserve in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province. The forest of almost 4,000 ha covers an extensive granite ridge that rises from 200 to 460 metres above sea level. It is found some 10 km inland, or 16 km by road, from the coastal town of Mtunzini, and adjoins smaller forest reserves on its periphery, namely Impeshulu in the west, Ezigwayini in the north, and Dengweni in the south.
Ngome Forest is situated to the east of Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This is a unique forest, being transitional between Mistbelt Forest and Coastal Scarp Forest. The area has been protected since 1905, and forms part of the Ntendeka Wilderness Area.
The Karkloof Forest is situated in the Karkloof Nature Reserve, 22 km north of Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
The Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Hotspot (MPA) is a biodiversity hotspot, a biogeographic region with significant levels of biodiversity, in Southern Africa. It is situated near the south-eastern coast of Africa, occupying an area between the Great Escarpment and the Indian Ocean. The area is named after Maputaland, Pondoland and Albany. It stretches from the Albany Centre of Plant Endemism in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, through the Pondoland Centre of Plant Endemism and KwaZulu-Natal Province, the eastern side of Eswatini and into southern Mozambique and Mpumalanga. The Maputaland Centre of Plant Endemism is contained in northern KwaZulu-Natal and southern Mozambique.
KwaZulu-Natal coastal lowland forest is a subtropical forest type that was once found almost continuously along the low-lying coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It still exists in protected areas, but much has been cleared for sugar-cane plantations and housing developments.
KwaZulu-Natal Dune Forest is a subtropical forest type that was once found almost continuously along the coastal dunes of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This vegetation type develops in sheltered areas behind the littoral zone, where with some protection from the salt wind it may develop with canopies as tall as 30 m. It still exists in protected areas, but much has been degraded by human activity. Coastal dune forest covers approximately 1% of the land area of KwaZulu-Natal, and is a habitat type seriously threatened from human population pressure and development, particularly titanium mining.
Mimusops afra is a species of tree in family Sapotaceae. This tree is found in coastal dune vegetation in Southern Africa from the Eastern Cape, through KwaZulu-Natal to southern Mozambique.
Southern African Sand Forest is a sand forest, or a subtropical forest plant community of the tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests biome. It grows on ancient sand dunes in northern KwaZulu-Natal and southern Mozambique. In South Africa these forests are known simply as Sand Forest, while in Mozambique they are known as Licuati Forest. The Southern African sand forest is part of the Maputaland coastal forest mosaic ecoregion.
Southern Afrotemperate Forest is a kind of tall, shady, multilayered indigenous South African forest. This is the main forest-type in the south-western part of South Africa, naturally extending from the Cape Peninsula in the west, as far as Port Elizabeth in the east. In this range, it usually occurs in small forest pockets, surrounded by fynbos vegetation.
Empisini Nature Reserve was established in 1973 and is situated in Umkomaas, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The reserve is approximately 60 ha in extent and is owned by the borough of uMkhomanzi which has been incorporated into the eThekwini municipality. Empisini is managed jointly by eThekwini and the Umkomaas centre of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa. Empisini takes its name from a perennial stream which flows through it, and means "Place of the Hyena" in isiZulu. The reserve consists of coastal forest, wetlands, grassy slopes and a dam. Infrastructure consists of hiking trails, demarcated picnic sites, overnight cabins, and a tree house.
Seaton Park Nature Reserve is conservation area in the suburb of Durban North, Durban, South Africa. The reserve is a six hectare remnant of coastal forest, with trails throughout. The park is named after a Mrs Seaton, who bequeathed the land for the park.
The Southern Mistbelt Forest is a vegetation type in South Africa.