The Succulent Karoo Ecosystem Programme (SKEP) is the result of a one-year planning process which combined a rigorous scientific process with broad land-user participation to identify and generate broad consensus around an ultimate vision and set of conservation targets for the Succulent Karoo.

This process was initiated in September 2001 and completed one year later. It was facilitated by Conservation International’s (CI) Southern Africa Hotspots Programme and formed part of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund’s (CEPF) preparation to expand its investment to the hotspot.

The team included scientific advisors and four co-ordinating organisations from the region. As a result of this process an ecosystem profile has been produced for the CEPF that identifies key areas for investment in this region.

SKEP pioneered a unique approach to conservation planning in South Africa by integrating high-level scientific expertise with socio-political, economic and institutional concerns.