Militaries need natural areas for offensive and defensive combat-readiness programmes. Here soldiers, war machinery and munitions are employed to prepare forces to execute warfighting tactics. Integration of environmental considerations into military activities is a growing global challenge. This study is based on a qualitative approach underpinned by an extensive literature review. The potential for the contribution of the military to a sensitive and diminishing wetland on the West Coast of South Africa (SA) is addressed. Donkergat Military Training Area (DMTA) in the Western Cape province, SA, provides diverse, seaborne training and warfighting facilities for the South African Special Forces (SASF), a specialist branch of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). This facility borders the Atlantic Ocean and Langebaan Lagoon, a Ramsar site (no. 398). One of only 15 island ecosystems on the southern African coastline, lies within the boundaries of the area. Saldanha Bay was identified as an economic development node by the national government. The 4 Special Forces Regiment (4 SFR) is thus obliged to contribute to the conservation of these environmental assets. Industrial development includes Operation Phakisa by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) that envisages expanded aquaculture practices in Saldanha Bay. Developers of fish and bivalve farms are allowed up-scaling aquaculture operations. These result in the loss of ecological attributes of the Langebaan Lagoon Wetland system. In the study, we recommend that parts of DMTA should be incorporated in the Ramsar definition for the Langebaan Lagoon Wetland system. Ecosystem indicators monitoring bird life, water and sediment quality, fish and rocky intertidal macrofauna in the DMTA waters should be intensified. The DMTA as a benchmark ecosystem in the Saldanha Bay area will facilitate environmentally sound planning amidst recent developments. Integrating sections of the Langebaan Lagoon that is part of the DMTA into the existing internationally recognised wetland area, the military can contribute significantly to wetland conservation. Management of these areas should be formulated in a Military Integrated Environmental Management (MIEM) plan by incorporating international guidelines.

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走向未来：Donkergat军事训练区和Langebaan Ramsar基地

军方需要自然区域进行进攻和防御的战备计划。在这里，士兵，战争机器和弹药被用来训练部队执行战斗战术。将环境因素纳入军事活动是日益严峻的全球挑战。这项研究基于定性方法，该方法以广泛的文献综述为基础。解决了军队对南非西海岸（SA）敏感且不断减少的湿地作出贡献的潜力。南非西开普省的Donkergat军事训练区（DMTA）为南非国防军（SANDF）的专业分支机构南非特种部队（SASF）提供了多种海上训练和作战设施。该设施毗邻大西洋和兰格班礁湖，拉姆萨尔遗址（第398号）。南部非洲海岸线上仅有的15个岛屿生态系统之一，位于该地区的边界内。萨尔达尼亚湾被国家政府确定为经济发展节点。因此，第4特种部队团（4 SFR）有义务为保护这些环境资产做出贡献。工业发展包括农业，林业和渔业部（DAFF）的“帕基萨行动”，该计划设想在萨尔达尼亚湾扩大水产养殖方法。允许养鱼和双壳类养殖场的开发商扩大水产养殖业务。这些导致了兰格班礁泻湖湿地系统的生态特性的丧失。在研究中，我们建议将DMTA的部分内容纳入Langebaan泻湖湿地系统的Ramsar定义中。DMTA水域中应加强监测鸟类生命，水和沉积物质量，鱼类和潮间带岩石大型动物的生态系统指标。DMTA作为Saldanha湾地区的基准生态系统，将促进近期发展中的无害环境规划。将作为DMTA一部分的兰格班礁湖的各个部分整合到现有的国际公认的湿地地区中，军队可以为湿地保护做出重大贡献。这些领域的管理应在军事综合环境管理（MIEM）计划中通过纳入国际准则来制定。DMTA作为Saldanha湾地区的基准生态系统，将促进近期发展中的无害环境规划。将作为DMTA一部分的兰格班礁湖的各个部分整合到现有的国际公认的湿地地区中，军队可以为湿地保护做出重大贡献。这些领域的管理应在军事综合环境管理（MIEM）计划中通过纳入国际准则来制定。DMTA作为Saldanha湾地区的基准生态系统，将促进近期发展中的无害环境规划。将作为DMTA一部分的兰格班礁湖的各个部分整合到现有的国际公认的湿地地区中，军队可以为湿地保护做出重大贡献。这些领域的管理应在军事综合环境管理（MIEM）计划中通过纳入国际准则来制定。