Pressures on water arise because plantation forests and many crops require large amounts of water compared to natural vegetation, and are therefore located in the areas with higher rainfall in South Africa. Pressures on habitats and biological diversity arise because cultivation and afforestation often involve replacement of natural or near-natural habitats rather than of already transformed habitats.
Fragmentation of habitats is a serious problem because it can also lead to species extinctions.
Populations of plants and animals need large areas of land in order to find sufficient food and mates, during changes in seasonal and annual climate. This reduces the population size, and hence local extinctions are more common. Application of fertilisers is important to achieve optimum yields . However, it is equally important not to over-fertilize. Over-fertilisation also increases the concentration of nitrates in underground and surface waters, and of phosphates in surface waters.