Cape Town: The City’s Mayoral Committee observed its meeting and endorsed the Spatial Planning and Environment Directorate’s proposal to proclaim two new nature reserves in the Helderberg area. They expanded five existing reserves across Cape Town.
Reportedly, the City of Cape Town will seek Council’s support for this proposal that will add an additional 950.1 hectares to the reserves under the City’s management.
Deputy Mayor and Member of the Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment – Alderman Eddie Andrews said that the nature reserves play a critical role in the conservation of the unique biodiversity and ecosystems. Most of these reserves are located in close proximity to communities and are a haven for residents where they can spend time in nature, away from roads, buildings, traffic, and noise.
Most of the reserves have hikes or walks, bird hides, educational centres, and picnic spots for visitors. But apart from providing a place of well-being, recreation, education, and tourism, they also use the reserves for the pro-active land banking of conservation worthy areas.
According to Andrews, by securing these biodiversity offsets they can facilitate future development without compromising the biodiversity. They are grateful that the Mayoral Committee has endorsed the proposal and next, they will seek Council’s support.
Notably, the Council’s support will be requested for the proclamation of two new nature reserves, all-in-all consisting of 88.2 hectares:
- Schapenberg Nature Reserve, located on the Schapenberg Hills in Somerset West, consisting of 13.2 hectares
- Paardevlei Nature Reserve, located in Somerset West and consisting of 75 hectares
Further, Council’s support will be requested for expanding five nature reserves with an additional 861.9 hectares:
- Harmony Flats Nature Reserve, Strand, with 0.9 hectares
- Table Bay Nature Reserve, Milnerton, with 0.8 hectares
- Uitkamp Wetland Nature Reserve, Durbanville, with 3.9 hectares
- Witzands Aquifer Nature Reserve, Atlantis, with 826.2 hectares
- Wolfgat Nature Reserve, Macassar, with 30.1 hectares
Once approval has been obtained from Council, the City will submit the proposed reserve proclamations to the Western Cape MEC for Environmental Affairs and Development Planning for gazetting. This process will include a notice of intent to proclaim the reserves and a public participation process where the public will have the opportunity to submit comments over a period of 60 days.
The City of Cape Town then launched the Schapenberg Nature Reserve in September last year and started with alien clearing to mitigate the huge fire risk. The City’s Environmental Management Department is busy developing 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.