LAND TRANSFORMATION IN SOUTH AFRICAN SAVANNA REGIONS

Abstract
The major form of land-use in savanna regions, which occupy about one third of the surface area of South Africa, is pastoralism. Deterioration of the herbaceous layer and an increase in bush density are regarded as the major transformation processes in commercial ranching areas. In subsistence economies, denudation of vegetation due to grazing and wood use are problems. The socio-economic factors underlying these transformations are described.