Conservation of Tree Species Richness in a Traditional Agroforestry Landscape in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, South Africa

Tree species richness is a critical element concerning trees on farms, on communal land and in protected areas to support biodiversity and socio-economic livelihoods in traditional agroforestry landscapes. Tree species richness is directly linked to the use of provisioning ecosystem services and to management practices in traditional agroforestry landscapes. The study aimed to investigate the link between socio-ecological and conservation strategies regarding tree species richness in traditional agroforestry landscapes. The study was conducted in the Damani, Thenzheni, Tshiombo and Tshipako villages located in Thulamela Municipality of the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, South Africa. The data were collected using a mixed method approach combining forestry inventory and focus group discussion. The study recorded a total number of 126 tree species: 83 communal-land-hosted species, 68 species of trees on farms and 81 species in the protected areas. The indigenous species Englerophytum magalismontanum (Sond.) T.D.Penn. was the most cited (62%) by interviewees, with a primary use for wild fruits, followed by Pteleopsis myrtifolia (M.A. Lawson) Engl. & Diels. (57%) for fuelwood, Combretum molle R.Br. ex G.Don (36%) for traditional medicine and Albizia adianthifolia (Schumach.) W.F.Wight (12%) for fodder. Species richness was found to be commonly driven by provisioning ecosystem services with trees on farms and on communal land. Distance was found to be major driving factor of species richness in protected areas. This study found that the local people have no conservation strategy and practices targeting the enhancement of tree species richness in the traditional agroforestry landscape. This study advocates for the establishment of a conservation strategic framework for restoring tree species richness by targeting traditional agroforestry landscapes.