In 1989, the opportunity was identified to create a botanical map series which could be used by authorities to make informed decisions and which would highlight the potential impact significance of proposed coastal developments on affected plant community types. In the past, vegetation impact assessments were conducted on a site specific basis and usually included community descriptions and species lists, which contributed little towards objective decision making. Impact significance at a broader, more meaningful spatial scale, for example bio-geographical regions, was rarely established. Based on the needs and the recognised problems, the CSIR developed a protocol for coastal vegetation mapping. Keywords: Conservation, South Africa, Coastal vegetation mapping.