Frontpiece

Photos: Tessa Oliver

Where is the Cape Flats Nature Reserve?

 The Reserve is situated between 33 o S latitude and 19 o longitude.

E  Part of the University of the Western Cape campus, Bellville South, Cape Town.  Bordered by Modderdam Road to the north, and the Cape Flats railway line and Unibell station to the south.

History of the Cape Flats Nature Reserve

 Conceived in the early 1960's by a group of University academics.  Planning continued to 1977 with the official proclamation of the Cape Flats Nature Reserve.

 In 1978 the Reserve was proclaimed a National Monument.

 The Cape Flats Nature Reserve is a private reserve and does not fall under the administration of Cape Nature.  The Curator liaises with Cape Nature to control illegal activities such as poaching harvesting of wild flowers.

Notice is hereby given in terms of section 12 (4) of the Nature Conservation Ordinance, 1974 (ordinance 19 of 1974), that the Administrator has approved the establishment of a nature reserve in the municipal area of Bellville by the University of the Western Cape, on land of which it is the owner and which will be known as Cape Flats Nature Reserve.

History of the Cape Flats Nature Reserve

The Reserve was originally 20 ha of Strandveld and Sand Plain Fynbos. New Life Science Building The area up to 1977 was heavily infested by dense stands of alien vegetation, especially

Acacia saligna

(Port Jackson) A management eradicated programme is in place. Outbreaks of these alien plants still exists in areas adjacent to the Reserve e.g. along the railway line and the entrance road. Parts of the Reserve such as sheltered areas between dunes and alien infested areas had informal settlements up to 1976.



CFNR extended in 1987

A southern Triangle area contributed 12 ha of Reserve extension in compensation for loss of habitat in constructing the new entrance to UWC.  This area was also infested by alien invasive species such as

Acacia saligna

and

Eucalyptus calophylla

.  The entire area has been cleared of the alien invasive plants (except for planted

Eucalyptus calophylla

).  Dune Thicket Species include

Rhus crenata

,

Rhus glauca

,

Rhus laevigata

and

Rhus lucida

,

Olea exasperata

,

Euclea racemosa

and

Nylandtia spinosa

. The Triangle was formerly inhabited by informal settlements and additionally was heavily infested with

Acacia saligna

. Originally this habitat was similar to other dune vegetation in the reserve.



Leonotis leonurus

found in the Triangle but not in the main Reserve area.

 CFNR endemic both areas.

Euphorbia marlothii

occurs in

Part of CFNR was also removed

 Dog-leg section was removed from the original Reserve after the construction of the new entrance road.  This area has mostly been developed with the New Life Science Building.

 This vegetation was acidic sandy flatlands between the dunes and a different vegetation type.

 Former species found include Blombos (

Metalasia muricata

), Dekriet (

Thamnochortus spicigerus

) and Taaibos (

Rhus laevigata

). This site was very rich in geophytes.  The protea

Leucospermum hypophyllocarpodendron

and the orchid

Herschelia lugens

occurred nowhere else (not been seen for a few years).

Animals occurring in the CFNR

 Amphibian include the sand rain frog (

Breviceps rosei

).

 Reptiles include Mole Snakes (

Psuedapsis cara)

, Cape Cobras (

Naja nivea),

Dwarf Chameleon (

Bradypodion pumilus

), and the Angulate Tortoise (

Chersina angulata

).

 Bird species include Blacksmith Plover (

Vanellus armatus),

Blackshouldered Kite (

Elanus caerulus)

, Lesser Double-collared Sunbird (

Nectarina chalybea)

and Cape Turtle Dove (

Streptopelia capicola).

 Mammal species such as Cape Dune Molerat (

Bathyergus suillis

), Cape Gerbil (

Tatera afra),

Small Grey Mongoose (

Galerella pulverulenta

) and Cape grysbok (

Raphicerus melanotis

).

Cape Flats: Part of World’s smallest Floral Kingdom Cape Flats: Part of World’s smallest Floral Kingdom

 Cape Flats and Lowlands are part of the Cape Floral Kingdom and is smaller and more threatened than any of the other Kingdoms.

 Cape Floral Region – one of 34 Global Biodiversity Hotspots and first non tropical one to be recognised

Cape Flats NR: Centre of the Cape Lowlands Cape Flats NR: Centre of the Cape Lowlands Sand Fynbos

 Cape Flats: human impacted, little remaining natural vegetation

Dune Strandveld

 Map shows Ecotone between two vegetation  The Cape Flats Nature Reserve, eighth most important site: due to size & floristics

Cape Flats Dune Strandveld Cape Flats Dune Strandveld

 Broad-leafed shrubs  Calcareous sand substrate  50% transformed in Cape Town  Much disturbed (sand mining)  False Bay/Blaauwberg  Meets the 10% IUCN conservation target

Related to Sub-tropical Thicket of the east coast

Cape Flats Sand Fynbos Cape Flats Sand Fynbos

 Protea, fine-leafed and restio plants  High species richness  Deep, leached acid sands  > 75% transformed in Cape Town  Highly disturbed (invasives, mining)   One percent conserved

One percent conserved Cape Flats world highest species extinction rates!

Natural Vegetation: Area/Condition Natural Vegetation: Area/Condition 42 ha Natural vegetation

6 ha 23 ha

Dune Strandveld – Heavily Disturbed/Restoring Dune Strandveld – Heavily Disturbed/Restoring More Bare Ground Annual Plants

Dune Strandveld –Slightly Disturbed/Original Site Dune Strandveld –Slightly Disturbed/Original Site Reserve Extension Some restoration Original Reserve Least disturbed

Sand Fynbos: Light and moderate disturbance Sand Fynbos: Light and moderate disturbance Area excavated for building fill Fairly disturbance Invasives & Ploughing

8 km radius and only two other reasonable habitats 8 km radius and only two other reasonable habitats

Cape Town

X ? Closest sites with Sandplain Fynbos all threatened Closest 2 sites lost or under threat and are Dune Thicket ?

8 km X

Botanical Society: Assessment of core sites 1997 Botanical Society: Assessment of core sites 1997

 Cape Flats NR: rated 8 th most important  Had the 8 th of species most number

Other Consideration…

 Most isolated and last viable site in the central Cape Flats area  Only one of two sites to have a transition between veg. types

Events since Botanical Society site ratings Events since Botanical Society site ratings

 #1 Milnerton RC been developed – small part reserved.

Only ?

Rondebosch Com. & Rondevlei safe

 #3 Macassar – sand mining/human pressure.

 #4 Kenilworth RC under threat of still more housing development.

 #7 N1-N7 brushcut by Eskom due to fire risks.

 #8 Cape Flats NR: development.

Postscript