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RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION FEATURE

The Paul van Zyl dam. Photo courtesy of Henry Holder.

HARTBEESTSPRUIT

RESTORATION PROJECT AT UP

In 2020, the University of Pretoria (UP) received a gold award for the above project
which was entered into the SALI Awards of Excellence by Servest Landscaping. It
focussed on environmental rehabilitation and restoration.

he Hartbeestspruit flows from south commenced in 2017 with a bulk restoration mechanical clearing of kikuyu along the
to north along the western boundary phase consisting of large-scale earthworks riparian embankment leading from Jan-
Tof UP’s Hillcrest Campus and is that involved the restoration of the lateral se-Gat through to the N4 was undertaken.
characterised as a typical urban river system. flow of the river. This was undertaken for The next phase focussed on the systematic
Servest Landscaping was appointed to two reasons: firstly, in order to increase rehabilitation of the riparian embankment
undertake the upgrade and rehabilitation capacity during urban flooding events and through revegetation of indigenous plant
of the Hartbeestspruit river system, which is secondly, to promote biodiversity through species using a combination of seeding
prone to annual flooding. The programme habitat creation. In addition, large scale and planting methods.

The dam wall was repaired during the rehabilitation process and the island was A section of the Hartebeestspruit between Jan-se-Gat and the dam before Paul
specifically designed to slow down the water during flood events, when the dam van Zyl dam. This area had a concrete lining prior to the rehabilitation project. The
acts as an attenuation pond. Excess water will flood the area between the dam embankments were rehabilitated and re-vegetated with indigenous urban stream
and the sport centre and slowly permeate towards the Paul van Zyl dam. vegetation where kikuyu was removed.
n

Landscape SA • Issue 112 2022 19