Protecting birds by conserving their habitats
The Landscape Conservation Programme (LCP) is dedicated to conserving South Africa’s indigenous, endemic and threatened bird species. By protecting the habitats they depend on through scientific research, effective management and active stakeholder engagement, the LCP delivers BirdLife International’s global priorities: saving species, safeguarding sites and habitats, keeping common birds common, and promoting ecological sustainability.
Its vision is to secure resilient bird populations by preserving threatened landscapes and the vital ecosystem services they provide. Through evidence-based projects, the LCP drives the recovery of terrestrial birds, strengthens protection of critical sites, and inspires people to value and cherish nature.
Major threats include habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species, pollution and declining water quality.
Through Biodiversity Stewardship, the LCP has helped secure formal protection for over 150,000 hectares of privately owned land, including Nature Reserves and Protected Environments. These span the grasslands of Mpumalanga, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal, as well as key estuaries in the Western Cape.
We continue to support these sites and landowners with ongoing post-proclamation assistance and dedicated extension services. Using flagship species such as the White-winged Flufftail and Botha’s Lark, we also highlight the vital role of private, communal and government land in bird conservation.
