Deputy Mayor invites residents to online meeting tonight: City’s Biodiversity Spatial Plan currently open for public comment

20 February 2025

The City of Cape Town’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews, is inviting residents to an online meeting this evening, 20 February from 17:00 to 18:30 where officials from the City’s Biodiversity Management branch will explain the importance of the critical draft policy. The closing date for comments is 13 March 2025. The plan provides detail on the profile of Cape Town’s biodiversity, the BioNet map, and the associated land use guidelines for these areas.

Residents can access the online meeting via the following Microsoft Teams link:

• Join the meeting now
- Meeting ID: 312 288 499 901
- Passcode: en9VK7yt

Cape Town was the first municipality in South Africa to develop and implement a spatial biodiversity plan, which is fitting since this beautiful city claims the title of the most biodiverse city in the world. The City, in partnership with various conservation organisations, can confirm that currently, conserved land in Cape Town covers 55 703 ha, which is 22,72% of the municipal area. The City manages a total of 20 045 hectares in its 22 nature reserves and 16 Biodiversity Agreement Conservation Areas in this conservation estate, the majority of which are open to the public.

The City of Cape Town now invites residents to provide input on the updated policy, which will continue to guide sustainable forward planning in this ever-growing city.

‘I ask that all interested residents please join us on the call on Thursday, 20 February 2025, where we will explain the importance of this Biodiversity Spatial Plan, which covers the entire city. The plan has been updated over the years to include the revised red list of threatened ecosystems within Cape Town, it has been adapted to the sobering climate change realities we face; furthermore, strategic water source areas and groundwater protection zones were added to this critical plan to promote water security. The draft policy currently incorporates the latest best practice national principles and methods for spatial biodiversity planning,’ said the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.

There are a range of sectors whose policies and decisions affect Cape Town’s biodiversity. The City urges the public to take note of the updated Biodiversity Spatial Plan and provide their valuable input as it will inform and guide spatial planning, environmental assessments and natural resource management across the city.

‘Our intention is to reduce conflict between the environmental and other sectors with the provision of up-to-date information on biodiversity priorities that will guide forward planning, protected area expansion and sustainable development in Cape Town – the most biodiverse city in the world,’ said Alderman Andrews.

‘Legislation, scientific data, best practice, and expert input form the foundation of the BioNet map as it illustrates the least land-hungry option possible to meet national biodiversity targets and the best option to keep Cape Town sustainable’, said Alderman Andrews.

Comments can be submitted as follows, before 13 March 2025:
• Submit your comments online at: Comment on the draft Cape Town Biodiversity Spatial Plan, 2025
• Email to public.participation@capetown.gov.za
• Call 0800 212 176 for the Public Participation Unit to assist if you are unable to read or write

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office