Cape Town: The new nature reserve spoils visitors with spectacular views with critically endangered veld. The City of Cape Town has added another nature reserve to the protected areas, especially to Schapenberg.
It is a place located on the western side of the Schapenberg Hills in Somerset West. The place offers visitors spectacular views of the False Bay coastline and the Kogelberg, Hottentots Holland and Peninsula Mountains.
Deputy Mayor and Member of the Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment – Alderman Eddie Andrews launched the Schapenberg Nature Reserve as part of the Heritage Month celebrations intended to showcase the unique natural heritage.
The new reserve can be visited on the western side of the Schapenberg Hills on land, acquired by the city now. It consists of approx. 14 hectares of Critically Endangered Swartland Shale Renosterveld, which adjoins a private conservation area. It is also a host to many threatened plant species and a great diversity of plants and wildlife, which will include the Blue-beard Lionface (Nemesia Barbata) and Fiery-necked Nightjar (Caprimulgus Pectoralis).
Schapenberg Nature Reserve is relatively small and it neighbours the 40ha private Boskloof Conservation area. There is also a huge anticipation to link the site to Vergelegen’s Nature Reserve and the Hottentots Hollands Mountains via Morgenster Estate, which also has very important remaining natural areas.
Eddie Andrews said that he has visited Schapenberg and was blown away by the spectacular views from the hill. To see these spectacular plants and highly threatened and poorly protected Swartland Shale Renosterveld that will now fall under the protection and management, made him
He said, that this made him extra proud. When they took over the Schapenberg land about two months ago, they immediately started with alien clearing to mitigate the huge fire risk these posed; and they will continue this work.
Therefore, when they say they care about the conservation of biodiversity and Cape Town’s resilience, they mean it. With Schapenberg, they will not only conserve important intact natural habitat, but will also help to future-proof the city against the impacts of climate change.
Deputy Mayor Andrews said that there is the joy and educational opportunities that Capetonians will get from visiting Schapenberg. People living in Somerset West now have a beautiful nature reserve on their place. And he encouraged residents further afield to make an outing of it, and come visit Schapenberg.
He said that he was also excited to see learners getting benefits from educational programmes and involvement at the reserve, and of course training and job opportunities will be provided for the adjacent communities in future.”
Furthermore, the Environmental Management Department of the City of Cape Town is busy in developing the ideal activities that are sustainable and compatible with Schapenberg’s natural environment. This will inform the conservation development framework going forward, as well as environmental education and awareness activities such as Spring guided walks, night walks, outdoor classrooms, and so forth.
Interest groups and the local community are encouraged to get involved by means of botanical surveys and bioblitz activities, and hacking and trail maintenance groups to cultivate a sense of ownership and much-needed capacity at the site.