Biomes are regions that share similar ecological and climatic characteristics. The grasslands biome, covering roughly a third of the country and occurring mainly across 6 provinces, is the largest of South Africa's 9 biomes. It can be separated into 2 climatically-controlled types: temperate inland grasslands, which includes mountain and Highveld grasslands; and sub-tropical grasslands along the coastal belt of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

The term ‘grassland’ creates the impression that the biome consists only of grass species. In fact, it is a complex ecosystem, including rivers and wetlands, where only one in six plant species are grasses, with the bulk being bulbous plants such as arum lilies, orchids, red-hot pokers, aloes, watsonias, gladioli and ground orchids. This, in turn, is the habitat for a myriad bird, mammal, insect and reptile species – many endemic.

A brief snapshot of the biome

Grasslands are home to a great variety of natural life that is essential for human development and wellbeing.  The biome provides space to breathe and food for body and soul. And it sustains South Africa’s major economic, agricultural, industrial and urban centres:

• 6,4 million cattle and 13 million sheep graze the biome.
• It is the bread basket of South Africa.
• It provides the coal that feeds South Africa’s power stations.
• The Gauteng economy, located within the biome, generates 33.9% of national GDP.
• The total annual output value of plantation forestry is more than R5,4-billion.

Grasslands also provide essential ecosystem services:

• Water production, wetland functioning and flood attenuation.
• Good quality soil and forage for livestock.
• Culture, heritage and recreational amenities.
• Support for livelihoods such as grasses for housing and weaving and medicinal plants.
• The annual value of these services is estimated at more than R9,7-billion.

The South African grasslands biome is a very old, complex and slowly-evolved system where indigenous species diversity is second only to the well-known Cape Floristic Region. It contains:

• 42 river ecosystems,
• 3 370 plant species,
• 15 of South Africa’s 34 endemic mammal species,
• 10 of South Africa’s 14 globally threatened bird species,
• 5 Ramsar wetlands, and
• Three World Heritage Sites: the Cradle of Humankind, Ukuhlamba/Drakensberg and the Vredefort Dome.