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Assessment and Management of Red List and Endemic Plant Species, Namibia

Map showing predicted areas of suitable habitat for Lithops ruschiorum (Aizoaceae) in Namibia

Twenty-four species of conservation concern and/or endemic to Namibia have been identified as priority species from within and around the Rössing Uranium mine concession area. This list includes Adenia pechuelii and Lithops ruschiorum; both are endemic to Namibia and, given their desirability to succulent collectors, are a conservation priority. The proportion of the global populations of Adenia pechuelii and Lithops ruschiorum that occur within Rössing mine’s concession area is currently not known. If a high proportion of the global population of these two species occurs, Rössing would have an important responsibility to conserve these species. In addition to Adenia and Lithops there are other species of conservation concern, for example; Commiphora oblanceolata and several species of Hoodia. This project aims to carry out a national assessment of these target species. Increasing the knowledge of the distribution and conservation status of these species is a priority for their conservation and management.

Only a proportion of the species identified in the recent study by Burke (2005) are held in the form of seeds in Namibia’s National Plant Genetic Resources Centre (NPGRC) and the Millennium Seed Bank (MSB), UK. To facilitate future restoration work (post mine closure), and to provide a long term insurance strategy for these threatened and endemic plants, this project aims to bank seed from these species. Opportunities for cultivating seed and plant translocation can then be considered in the future.

This project will enable Rössing to make a valuable contribution to the conservation and management of threatened and endemic Namibian plant species, both inside and outside the Rössing concession area. Management of these species within Rössing’s boundaries falls within the limits of responsibility of the company. Support to the wider conservation objectives of this project can help Rössing and Rio Tinto meet the company’s commitment to achieving a net positive impact on biodiversity.

The project aims to improve awareness of the conservation status and national population distribution of target species and relevant importance of populations found at Rössing; raise the capacity of Ministry of Environment and Tourism and mine staff to undertake Red List field assessments, seed collections and monitoring; bank seed of target species (endemic and red list species found at Rössing) at the MSB, UK and NPGRC, Namibia. Species Management Plans for target species will be produced with the aim of capturing the results from both the red list assessment and seed conservation activities and make specific in situ and ex situ management recommendations.

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