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Effective management of conservation areas is critical to ensure the adequate protection of the natural resources. The landscape unit concept can be used as a tool in conservation management as a spatial planning unit. Landscape units are areas with a specific set of biotic and abiotic characteristics that can be classified, mapped and described. These units then form the basis on which a conservation area can be planned and managed.

A vegetation map was compiled for Tankwa Karoo National Park (TKNP), when it was originally proclaimed at 27,064 ha. The park has subsequently expanded to more than 145,000 ha and is still growing. A need has been identified by park management as well as scientists working in the park for an effective framework for managing the park, and for conducting scientific research. The latest vegetation map of South Africa is at too coarse a scale for park planning. The purpose of the current study was to classify, map and describe the current extent of the TKNP to fulfill this need.

Two primary zones were identified for the park: the Tanqua Plains Zone and the Roggeveld Mountain Zone. These two zones were further subdivided into landscape units using land type units and a combination of field work and satellite imagery. Futhermore, the landscape units were related to habitats and/or vegetation types as identified during previous studies in the area. Environmental parameters for each landscape unit were summarised in order to provide additional information for consideration in management and research decisions. Thirteen landscape units were identified in the current TKNP and are mapped and described.

Delineation of the TICNP into landscape units will aid in the effective conservation management of this large national park as well as facilitate scientifc research and monitoring. (C) 2015 SAAB. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.