Collaborating for conservation: the first five years of implementation of the Biodiversity Management Plan for Pickersgill’s Reed Frog, Hyperolius pickersgilli
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38201/abc.v55.7Keywords:
threatened amphibian, species recovery, SWOT analysis, conservation planning, inclusive participationAbstract
Pickersgill’s reed frog Hyperolius pickersgilli was the first frog species for which a Biodiversity Management Plan for Species (BMP-S) had been gazetted and implemented in South Africa. It was red listed as Critically Endangered in 2010. Surveys between 2008 and 2010 found that many historic sites were transformed or so degraded that the species was considered locally extinct there. A BMP-S for H. pickersgilli was identified as a priority to coordinate threat mitigation in 2011, and an initial stakeholder workshop was held in 2013. The BMP was gazetted in 2017, to guide activities that lead to a reduction in the threat status of H. pickersgilli. Improved knowledge of the species’ distribution resulted in a non-genuine change to Endangered status in 2016. Actions coordinated through the BMP were implemented by 24 stakeholder organizations from mid-2017 to the end of 2022. We report here on the progress achieved during that period. Of the 16 activities outlined in the BMP, 17% were complete, 65% were on-track; 6% had minor issues, and 12% were still planned, demonstrating the effectiveness of the collaborative nature of the plan. The area of habitat that was legally protected during this five-year period was 127 ha, with a further 506 ha on track for legal proclamation. The revision of this iterative plan will take into consideration new knowledge gained, lessons learnt, and arising threats. This case study contributes to the growing body of evidence that participatory planning supports species recovery and achievement of global targets to reverse species declines.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Adrian Armstrong, Ian du Plessis, Piet Malepa, Antoinette Kotze, Felicity Elliott, Sharon Louw, Cherise Acker-Cooper, Jeanne Tarrant
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