Safe Management of the Driehoekpad Nature Reserve and adjacent Blue Gum Plantation
- Target:
- Swartland Municipality
- Region:
- South Africa
The primary purpose of this petition is to bring the negligence of invasive vegetation management of the Driekhoekpad Nature Reserve and adjacent Blue Gum Plantation along the Wildland Urban Interface to the attention of the Swartland Municipality.
Fuel loads such as the numerous gumtree stockpiles/highly flammable squatter homes/illegal dumping of building material, plastic and household rubbish, often build-up unnoticed in the Driehoekpad Nature Reserve and adjacent Blue Gum plantation.
During wildfires these are high risk areas which are vulnerable to ember attacks thereby allowing fire to penetrate into our neighbourhoods, our homes, our agricultural communities, a critical Eskom substation, a much-needed reservoir and could affect our indigenous and highly endemic fynbos species such as the critically endangered Swartland Granite Renosterveld. The deterioration of the area also impacts upon positive recreational use by the larger Malmesbury community.
With the current recurring drought and the impacts of a changing climate we the people suggest that the Swartland Municipality take us seriously and start managing the Driehoekpad Nature Reserve and adjacent Blue Gum Plantation by means of:
1) Reprioritising funds and providing a clean-up service of the Driehoekpad Nature Reserve and adjacent Blue Gum Plantation on a weekly basis;
2) Managing alien plant fuel loads sustainably and annually;
3) Enforcing municipal regulations regarding dumping and littering;
4) Evicting illegal squatters;
5) Creating a Memorandum of Understanding with CapeNature and other relevant stakeholders for prescribed burning.
We are aware that the provincial election is in May 2019. If you care for your community and want an accountable, caring and proactive local government PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION by 24 February 2019!
If our concerns are left unaddressed, we will:
A. Engage with the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, CapeNature and other relevant Departments.
B. Launch a funding campaign to erect barriers to prohibit any vehicles other than farming and emergency vehicles from entering the area.
To receive the detailed report, compiled by JMStrauss Consulting, send an email to Anita at dramjacobs@gmail.com
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Safe Management of the Driehoekpad Nature Reserve and adjacent Blue Gum Plantation petition to Swartland Municipality was written by Anita Strauss and is in the category Environment at GoPetition.