Cape Town - The South African National Parks (SANParks) has marked a significant milestone for conservation after creating a crucial ecological corridor between Noordhoek and Kommetjie known as the Missing Link.
This achievement celebrated at a handover event on October 22, enhances biodiversity and strengthens the park's ecological integrity by linking its Central and Southern sections for generations to come.
SANParks spokesperson JP Louw said when the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) was established in 1998, a key challenge was creating a functioning ecological linkage between Chapman's Peak (Noordhoek) and Slangkop (Kommetjie) across the so-called ‘Noordhoek-Fish Hoek gap' to connect the Central and Southern sections of the Park in perpetuity.
“The only available option was to incorporate the Noordhoek Kommetjie wetlands into the new Park and create an ecological corridor from the lowland wetlands to Slangkop mountain,” he explained.
The challenge was because Noordhoek wetlands were privately owned.
The process involving the landowners, the Van der Horst family who have owned the property since 1902, SANParks, City of Cape Town, WWF-SA, Table Mountain Fund and other stakeholders was initiated to achieve the creation and protection of the ecological corridor via the Noordhoek Wetlands.
Jointly, the landowners, Kommetjie Estates and Red Cliff Property donated 4.7 and 20.8 hectares of high value conservation land to SANParks.
Louw said a detailed expert study was conducted together with stakeholders, with the wetland properties totalling 439 hectares which were acquired by SANParks and declared as part of the Table Mountain National Park in 2004 and core areas of the Cape Floral Region World Heritage Site in 2015.
He explained restoration of the wetlands commenced in 2004, with ongoing rounds of alien vegetation clearing and introducing new management programs for recreational users such as hikers, dog walkers and horse riders using the wetlands and the adjacent four kilometre Noordhoek beach.
But what was still outstanding was the incorporation of the remaining portion of the Kommetjie ecological corridor – the so-called ‘missing link'.
Louw explained SANParks, the landowners and stakeholders said following the announcement at the handover event, the project aimed to consolidate the wetlands section of the Park.
The link was completed when the landowners donated the final 25.5 hectares to SANParks.
“The landowners, Kommetjie Estates and Red Cliff Property, have respectively donated 4.7 and 20.8 hectares of high value conservation land to SANParks, which not only completes the ecological link but also enlarges the original planned area of the corridor by 6.7 hectares,” he said.
“Restoration of the ‘missing link' corridor portion has commenced with clearing of alien vegetation and the invasive, fire prone gum trees.
“Restoration will be ongoing to allow the endangered Hangklip Sand Fynbos and the Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos to return to the area.
“A ‘handover event' was held at Imhoff Farm, Kommetjie to mark the successful incorporation of these critical ecological corridor areas into the Table Mountain National Park, linking the Central and Southern sections of the Park in perpetuity.
The project which consisted of the Kommetjie Corridor and Wetlands Land Acquisition Project with the support of the Table Mountain Fund (TMF), WWF, World Wide Fund for Nature and the City of Cape Town, raised R24 million as well as R2.5 million from TMF and obtained 440ha of the wetlands in 2004.
Kommetjie Residents and Ratepayers Association's, Patrick Dowling said he could never have anticipated being able to witness this historic moment which was long awaiting.
“More than two decades after the proposal had first been mooted, it was a pleasure for me, on behalf of community and civic associations, to receive acknowledgement for their participation and work they do in helping bring about positive environmental and social change,” he said.
“This was the conclusion to a very long, often, arduous and robust negotiation process between the main parties.
“It was also gratifying to know that minor road five which crossed Imhoff farm was now realigned next to the corridor providing easier pedestrian access to Noordhoek beach.”