Page 23 - Landscape-Issue148

REHABILITATION FEATURE

protection and invasive species control.
Water resource management requires
compliance with the National Water Act,
regulating activities affecting water bodies.
Fire management permits are being
secured to allow controlled burns that align
with ecological fire regimes. Conducting
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)
ensures that interventions are legally sound
and aligned with conservation goals at both
local and national levels.

Community engagement and
stakeholder collaboration
Rehabilitation is not just about ecosystems;
it’s about people too. A project’s success
often hinges on community involvement,
and Groenkloof Reserve is no exception.
Engaging with local stakeholders ensures
that conservation efforts are both inclusive
and sustainable.
The team is collaborating with the
Darling Wildflower Society, integrating
the reserve into the broader ecological
Drosera cistiflora tourism landscape. Partnerships with
CapeNature and the Swartland Municipality
are ensuring alignment with regional
conservation strategies. The project is also
creating employment opportunities for local
residents, involving them in seed collection,
invasive species removal, food gardens and
nursery management. This approach fosters
local stewardship and provides economic
benefits, making conservation a shared
effort rather than an external initiative.
Fire and its role in rehabilitation
Fire is both a destructive force and a
vital ecological process, particularly in
renosterveld habitats like the Groenkloof
Reserve. In February 2024, a wildfire swept
through the reserve, burning approximately
95% of the landscape in less than two
hours. While the fire was devastating, it
also created an opportunity to integrate
fire as a controlled management tool in the
rehabilitation plan.
The fire management strategy includes
Arctotis hirsuta

Crossyne guttata

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