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Photos:Photos:Tessa OliverTessa Oliver

Where is the Cape Flats Nature Reserve?

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

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.

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.

New Life Science Building

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.

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

CFNR endemic Euphorbia marlothii occurs in both areas.

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.

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

Cape Flats NR: Centre of the Cape LowlandsCape Flats NR: Centre of the Cape Lowlands Cape Flats: human

impacted, little remaining natural vegetation

Map shows Ecotone between two vegetation

The Cape Flats Nature Reserve, eighth most important site: due to size & floristics

Dune Strandveld

Dune Strandveld

SandFynbosSand

Fynbos

EcotoneEcotone

Cape Flats NR: Centre of the Cape LowlandsCape Flats NR: Centre of the Cape Lowlands

Broad-leafed shrubs

Calcareous sand substrate

50% transformed in Cape Town

Much disturbed (sand-mining)

False Bay/Blaauwberg

Meets the 10% IUCN conservation target

Cape Flats Dune Strandveld Cape Flats Dune Strandveld

Related to Sub-tropical Related to Sub-tropical Thicket of the east coastThicket of the east coast

Cape Flats Dune Strandveld Cape Flats Dune Strandveld

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 Cape Flats world highest species extinction rates! species extinction rates!

Cape Flats Sand Fynbos Cape Flats Sand Fynbos

Cape Flats Sand Fynbos Cape Flats Sand Fynbos

Cap

e Fl

ats

Nat

ure

Res

erve

199

8

3 ha3 ha3 ha3 ha

7 ha7 ha 7 ha7 ha

23 ha23 ha

6 ha6 ha

Natural Vegetation: Area/ConditionNatural Vegetation: Area/Condition

Sand Fynbos

Sand Fynbos

Dune Strandveld

Dune Strandveld

42 ha Natural42 ha Naturalvegetationvegetation

Natural Vegetation: Area/ConditionNatural Vegetation: Area/Condition

Dune Strandveld – Heavily Disturbed/RestoringDune Strandveld – Heavily Disturbed/RestoringC

ape

Flat

s N

atur

e R

eser

ve 2

002

Annual PlantsAnnual Plants

More BareMore BareGroundGround

Indicators of Disturbance

Indicators of Disturbance

Dune Strandveld – Heavily Disturbed/RestoringDune Strandveld – Heavily Disturbed/Restoring

Cap

e Fl

ats

Nat

ure

Res

erve

200

2Dune Strandveld –Slightly Disturbed/Original SiteDune Strandveld –Slightly Disturbed/Original Site

Original ReserveOriginal ReserveLeast disturbedLeast disturbed

Reserve ExtensionReserve ExtensionSome restorationSome restoration

Dune Strandveld –Slightly Disturbed/Original SiteDune Strandveld –Slightly Disturbed/Original Site

Cap

e Fl

ats

Nat

ure

Res

erve

200

2

Area Area excavatedexcavated

for buildingfor building fillfill Gu

m T

rees draw

Gu

m Trees draw

of su

rface mo

isture

of su

rface moistu

re

Fairly disturbanceFairly disturbanceInvasives &Invasives &PloughingPloughing

Sand Fynbos: Light and moderate disturbanceSand Fynbos: Light and moderate disturbance

Sand Fynbos: Light and moderate disturbanceSand Fynbos: Light and moderate disturbance

8 km radius and only two other reasonable habitats8 km radius and only two other reasonable habitats

8 km8 km8 km8 km

Few

and

dis

tant

hei

ghbo

urs

XX??

Closest 2 sites lost or under Closest 2 sites lost or under threat and are Dune threat and are Dune ThicketThicket

9km9km9km9kmClosest sites Closest sites with Sandplain with Sandplain Fynbos all Fynbos all threatenedthreatened

? ? ? ? ? ?

XXCape Town

8 km radius and only two other reasonable habitats8 km radius and only two other reasonable habitats

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

Cape Flats NR: rated 8th most important

Had the 8th most number of species

Most isolated and last viable site in the central Cape Flats area

Only one of two sites to have a transition between veg. types

Other Consideration…Other Consideration…

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

Events since Botanical Society site ratingsEvents since Botanical Society site ratings #1 Milnerton RC been

developed – small part reserved.

#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.

Only Rondebosch Com. & Rondevlei safe

?

Events since Botanical Society site ratingsEvents since Botanical Society site ratings

Postscript