Geographic Information System

The physical attributes of the reserve were mapped between 2000 and 2003 as part of a PhD study. Malilangwe is unusually diverse for its size, with seven geological substrates giving rise to a wide variety of soil that support 38 different types of vegetation.

Maps of elevation, slope, geology, soil, vegetation, drainage networks, planned and unplanned fires, and man-made infrastructure have been created and stored in a Geographic Information System (GIS).

The GIS has been used to:

• Plan prescribed burns
• Decide where to clear encroaching bush
• Understand the factors that influence the distribution of wildlife
• Plan road networks, and
• Monitor off-road driving by vehicles