A focus on LHWPII: creating sustainable stakeholder value through conservation and restoration of ecosystems
THE longevity of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) reservoirs relies on the water resources and services provided by healthy ecosystems that are supported by sustainable land use practices.
In recognising the interdependence of water supply, ecosystems health and good land practises in achieving its mandate, the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) placed the goal of conservation and ecosystem restoration at the heart of its new 10-year strategic plan to herald a new era of development that is socially and environmentally sustainable.
This and other strategic goals are aligned with the Lesotho’s strategic priorities, recorded in the National Strategic Development Plan II 2023/24 -2027/28 (NSDP II), which emphasises a holistic multisectoral planning towards achieving the international environmental agenda on sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The strategy underscores an integrated approach to preserving and enhancing the country’s natural landscapes and rural livelihoods, while also pursuing the national developmental goals.
Conservation and restoration of ecosystems goal is set to be achieved through development and adoption of multiple workable guiding documents around the LHWP core environmental issues of integrated catchment management (ICM), wetlands conservation and restoration, biodiversity management as well as climate change adaptation.
Expected outcomes include improved ecosystem health and services, improved water quantity and quality, reduced sedimentation loads and biodiversity.
Improving the ecosystem health
Rangelands rehabilitation
Due to ubiquitous overgrazing, rangelands in Lesotho are experiencing a significant degradation. This is observed through a decrease in both below and above-ground biomass production, soil carbon storage, soil quality, and water infiltration and holding capacity.
These cause a decrease in plant species diversity, vegetation cover, and overall plant productivity, which limits the rangelands’ capacity to support livestock production.
The LHDA through its integrated catchment management initiatives is implementing biophysical land restoration activities such as removal of brush and invasive species, reseeding of bare areas, construction of trash and stone lines, and reclamation of gullies.
Rangelands are also managed through establishment of reserved grazing areas within the Phase II sub-catchments such as Motšeremeli, Likhameng, Makhomalong, Tšilantšo, Libibing, Tsoenene, and Matlakeng.
Wetland Conservation and Rehabilitation
Wetlands play a critical role in the ecosystem services related to water filtration, storage and supply and contribute significantly to the LHWP water quality and quantity.
The degraded status of the LHWP wetlands is therefore a potential threat to these services. The LHDA therefore implements programmes focused on restoring the wetlands’ ecological and hydrological functions.
Key to the recent efforts undertaken by the LHDA is the 2022/23 detailed Phase II wetlands baseline survey studies and development of the wetlands conservation and action plan.
The study identified priority wetlands that are important for water delivery in the Polihali Dam catchment, and recommended conservation and rehabilitation measures needed for each.
In total, 950 wetlands were identified in the 13 sub-catchments associated with the five main Polihali Dam inflow rivers: Khubelu, Mokhotlong, Moremoholo, Sehonghong and Senqu and their tributaries Bafali, Bafatsana and Lekhalabatesi.
Through these studies, the LHDA discovered that the largest, and hence the most important wetlands for the Polihali Dam are in the Sehonghong sub-catchment, thus making it a priority for conservation and rehabilitation.
Wetlands protection
In addition to the existing interventions, the LHDA and the Department of Environment are engaging key stakeholders, including Members of Parliament, the Portfolio Committee on Natural Resources, District Administrators, Area Chiefs, and specific resource user groups such as herders, farmers, grazing and conservation associations, and traditional healers, towards expansion of the national protected areas system.
Plans are advancing to declare the Lesotho highlands areas that contain a high concentration of flora and faunal species, places of cultural significance, and critical wetland systems as protected areas, adding to the existing Sehlabathebe and Tšehlanyane National Parks and the Bokong Nature Reserve. The priority conservation areas were identified and mapped under both the Maloti Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area (MDTFCA) studies on spatial assessment of biodiversity priorities in the Lesotho highlands, and the LHWP priority wetlands studies in both Phase I and II.
Climate change adaptation
Climate smart agriculture
Under the increasingly inhospitable climate change, the Ministry of Agriculture is promoting transition from the traditional farming practises to climate smart agriculture to address the challenges of food security.
The LHDA has established collaboration with the ministry to promote adoption of sustainable natural resource management and climate smart practices for farmers and households.
The initiatives include homestead gardens, protected agriculture, conservation agriculture, diversification, improved short-term cultivars, fodder production, short-cycle animal production, and improved animal breeds.
These initiatives are channelled through agricultural resource centres, and the Phase II project areas such as Mapholaneng, Phahameng, Thabang, and Lehlohla are already benefitting from increased production, and improved resilience against climate change impacts, and supporting the high market demand for agricultural commodities amidst the Polihali dam construction.
Biodiversity management
Due to the scale of its impacts on the ecosystems and individual biodiversity, the LHDA has integrated biodiversity conservation considerations into its strategic planning.
Through its Biodiversity Management Action Plan (BMAP), the focus has been put on programmes directed towards the declining populations of threatened species to enhance their growth and distribution.
Some of the target species of conservation concern in the LHWP are the Maloti minnow fish, the Bearded Vulture and Southern Bald Ibis birds.
The Polihali Dam area has the biggest population of Bearded Vultures and Southern Bald Ibis, some of whose nests or colonies will potentially be affected by the construction activities or the eventual Polihali reservoir inundation.
As part of mitigation of these impacts on the birds, the LHDA has undertaken comprehensive baseline surveys of the birds’ populations and distribution, and annually monitors their nesting sites to determine their breeding success and population status.
The LHDA also collaborates with local and regional organizations in birds’ conservation to implement species recovery programmes such as captive breeding and establishment of feeding sites for Bearded Vultures, and satellite tracking for Southern Bald Ibis.
Through collaboration with its birds’ conservation partner, Bird Life South Africa, the LHDA is now actively participating in the Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP), where a milestone of two bird atlas bashes in in 2023 and 2024 in Mokhotlong was achieved.
As SABAP is a voluntary citizen scientists initiative, birds monitoring happens at a very low cost, and through bird atlasing, up-to-date LHWP birds’ species data becomes available to developers, consultants, researchers, and learners.
The communities within which the LHWP dams exist are integral to implementation of the environmental and social goal of the LHWP 10-year strategic plan, and stakeholder engagement is prioritized along each step of the way.
Ecotourism
The engineering marvel of the LHWP dams, coupled with the majestic mountains, winding river networks and the lush grasslands have created a picturesque view that makes the Lesotho highlands a prime location for tourism. Boating, hiking, cultural experience and a tour of the LHDA visitor centres are only a few of the adventures to enjoy in the mountains.
The new strategy aims to preserve and enhance natural habitats that support ecotourism and provide opportunities for visitors to experience the Lesotho’s unique biodiversity and scenic beauty.
Through implementation of its new 10-year strategy, the LHDA reaffirms its commitment to promote socio-economic development, enhance ecosystem services and ensure the long-term health and resilience of the country’s ecosystems.
