The Friends of Constantia Valley Greenbelts is working with

• Author: janice matthews janice.matthews@acm.co.za
• Published date: 06 October 2022
• Publication title: Constantiaberg Bulletin

Mr Walker emphasised that any funds spent on the greenbelts was about conserving the area and not simply for the benefit of Constantia

The Doordrift Wetland Circle initiative, which is being undertaken to create a recreational space, is spearheaded by botanical ecologist Dr Caitlin von Witt, and supported by Barbarossa residents, FynbosLIFE, the City of Cape Town, FoCVG and 2nd Bergvliet Scouts.

According to Dr Von Witt, the wetland circle will incorporate a recreational visitor garden and outdoor classroom, where visitors can learn about growing local wild wetland plants and supporting freshwater wildlife in their own gardens. This initiative, she said, was similar to the very successful Grootboskloof Fynbos Circle planted in 2018.

In his chairman’s address at the FoCVG AGM held at at Simon’s Restaurant at Groot Constantia on Thursday September 22, Mr Walker said he had battled with the City over its tender process which was lengthy and often resulted in the greenbelts being left untended for long periods of time.

The biggest concern, he said, was mowing, which was further hampered by the Recreation and Parks Department’s decision to only start mowing at parks and public open spaces at the end of November.

While the department says its “no mowing” approach allows for spring flowers and a variety of indigenous plants to bloom, said Mr Walker, “It is not making a nice little garden. When you don't mow, things encroach.

“f you don't mow for six to seven months in an area where poplar trees grow, the poplar trees become thicker. And when the mowers come in they simply mow around it. Once you have a grove of poplar trees growing there, no one is going to take it out. There is no City department that is going to take that out.”

Mr Walker also pointed out that alien clearing wasn’t handled effectively because there is no overseeing body to ensure it gets done and because the various City departments involved in the maintenance of the greenbelts worked in silos.

“The City’s Invasive Species Unit only has the mandate and management to plan an alien clearing budget for proclaimed biodiversity areas and City nature reserves within the city, excluding national parks.

“On the request of other departments, ISU can be contracted to do the removal of alien species, provided those departments have the funding to pay the unit.”

Patricia van der Ross, Mayco member for community services and health, confirmed that alien clearing was done in collaboration with the City’s ISU...