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Cape Town's forests and plantations<span> <h2 class="sectHeading">​​​​​​​​​​Indigenous versus alien trees​​​​​​​</h2></span> <p>​​It is important that we know the difference between Cape indigenous forest and alien plantations. Forests are diverse ecosystems with a complex vegetation structure supporting our indigenous flora and fauna, while plantations are ‘monocultures’ which are made up of alien plants such as pine and gum trees that were planted in order to produce timber.</p> <span> <div class="notification with-heading dark-copy light-blue bg-light-grey"><div class="graphic with-border"> <i class="info fastfact"></i> </div><div class="desc"><h4>Fast fact</h4><p> <b>Indigenous:</b> means a plant or animal comes from our environment and belongs here.<br><b>Alien:</b> means a plant or animal is foreign to our region and if it can establish and spread in natural areas. Such species are harmful to local species.</p></div></div></span><span> <h2 class="sectHeading">​​​​​​​​Our indigenous forests</h2></span> <p>Our indigenous forests are afrotemperate forests. An afrotemperate forest is made up of a complex community of canopy, subcanopy and understorey trees as well as vines and herbaceous ground covers. Much like other native vegetation types such as <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Explore%20and%20enjoy/Nature-and-outdoors/Mountains-and-hiking/Focus-on-fynbos">fynbos</a>, renosterveld and strandveld; forests play an important role in keeping our plants healthy by:</p><ul><li>preventing soil erosion;</li><li>removing carbon dioxide from the air; and</li><li>providing a home to a variety of animals, birds and bugs.</li></ul><p>Unlike <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Explore%20and%20enjoy/Nature-and-outdoors/Mountains-and-hiking/Focus-on-fynbos">fynbos</a>,​ our forests are not adapted to fire. This is why you will find our trees mostly in gorges and ravines and other areas that fire can’t easily reach.​​ ​​​</p><div class="notification with-heading dark-copy light-blue bg-light-grey"><div class="graphic with-border"> <i class="info fastfact"></i> </div><div class="desc"><h4>Fast fact</h4><p> Forest is the least threatened of all the Cape’s vegetation types. However, invasive alien plants remain the biggest threat to our indigenous forests. </p></div></div><p> <b>Know your trees </b> <br> Typical trees found in the Cape include: </p><ul><li>Yellowwood (Podocarpus latifolius)</li><li>Cape beech</li><li>White stinkwood</li><li>Milkwood </li><li>Assegai</li><li>Cape holly</li><li>Red elder</li><li>Hard pear</li><li>Various ferns, herbs, bushes and vines </li></ul> <span> <h2 class="sectHeading">​​​​​​​​Plantations</h2></span> <p>In the early 1900s, commercial pine plantations were planted on the slopes of Table Mountain. Many of these have recently been harvested and will not be replanted. Instead, threatened indigenous fynbos vegetation will be restored to these areas. </p> <span> <div class="notification with-heading dark-copy light-blue bg-light-grey"><div class="graphic with-border"> <i class="info fastfact"></i> </div><div class="desc"><h4>Fast fact</h4><p> Plantations were only planted in fynbos areas. Forest species have since invaded owing to fire suppression. </p></div></div></span> <p>Invasive alien species like the Australian Acacia, Hakea and Eucalyptus trees as well as pines from the northern hemisphere compete with local trees and plants for water and sunlight and also change the way our ecosystems work.​</p> <span> <h2 class="sectHeading">​​​​​​​​Find a forest</h2></span> <p> Some of our most popular indigenous forests include: </p><ul><li>Skeleton Gorge;</li><li>Newlands Ravine;</li><li>Echo Valley;</li><li>Spes Bona Valley; and</li><li>Orange Kloof.</li></ul><p>All of these are part of the <a href="https://www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mountain" target="_blank">Table Mountain National Park<i class="icon link-external"></i></a>.</p><h2 class="sectHeading">​​​​​​​​Where to explore</h2><p>The City manages many <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Explore%20and%20enjoy/Nature-and-outdoors/Our-precious-biodiversity/City-nature-reserves">nature reserves and natural areas</a>. Some of these – like <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family%20and%20home/See-all-city-facilities/Our-recreational-facilities/Nature%20reserves/Helderberg%20Nature%20Reserve"> Helderberg Nature Reserve</a> and <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Family%20and%20home/See-all-city-facilities/Our-recreational-facilities/Nature%20reserves/Steenbras%20Nature%20Reserve"> Steenbras Nature Reserve</a> preserve important indigenous forests. </p> <span> <div class="notification with-heading dark-copy pink bg-light-grey"><div class="graphic with-border"> <i class="info toptip">​​​</i> </div><div class="desc"><h4>Top tip</h4><p> <b></b>There are so many ways to enjoy Cape Town’s forests and green belts with planted trees. For top attractions and activities, see <a href="https://www.capetown.gov.za/Explore%20and%20enjoy/Nature-and-outdoors/Our-precious-biodiversity/Explore-our-mountains-fynbos-and-forests">Explore our mountains, fynbos and forests</a>.</p></div></div></span> <p> <strong>For provincial and national reserves in the Western Cape that offer a forest experience, browse the following websites:</strong></p><ul><li> <a href="https://www.capenature.co.za/">CapeNature<i class="icon link-external"></i></a>: manages 24 nature reserves and wilderness areas across the Western Cape. Most offer overnight accommodation and/or camping and a variety of activities.</li><li> <a href="https://www.sanparks.org/" target="_blank">South African National Parks (SANParks)<i class="icon link-external"></i>​</a>: manages five national parks within the Cape, including Table Mountain National Park.</li></ul>GP0|#e9c4558b-4d96-4825-a66f-717a7458a3fd;L0|#0e9c4558b-4d96-4825-a66f-717a7458a3fd|Cape Town’s forests and plantations;GTSet|#ef3a64a2-d764-44bc-9d69-3a63d3fadea1;GPP|#fc00a4dc-b14a-4621-b420-535212a84a7f;GPP|#553ce1f7-0fea-434b-bbc1-744edbd62039;GPP|#c529c1ac-1f8d-48ae-8079-d34f4dae9c57;GP0|#28255f12-22eb-40c0-90a3-b34cce93920c;L0|#028255f12-22eb-40c0-90a3-b34cce93920c|Cape Town's forests and plantations;GPP|#5616b319-4d6d-4233-a91b-3c66c9a39b7bLearn about Cape Town’s forests and why they are important.

 

 

 

 

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