Ecological burns scheduled for City nature reserves in 2022
14 December 2021
The City of Cape Town's Biodiversity Management Branch staff will conduct the annual ecological burns at various nature reserves in February and March 2022. The actual dates are dependent on weather conditions. Ecological burns are vital to the preservation of natural vegetation, among other things.
Residents should please note the approved potential ecological burns for this season. These are included in the table below:
Area
| Size of Area | Preferred time to burn |
| Blaauwberg Nature Reserve | 50.84 ha | February 2022 |
| Botterblom Nature Reserve | 2.9 ha | February - March 2022 |
| Table Bay Nature Reserve, Parklands Fynbos Corridor | 5.3 ha | February - March 2022 |
| Haasendal Conservation Area | 6 ha | February - April 2022 |
| Helderberg Nature Reserve | 20 ha | March - April 2022 |
| Meadowridge Common Conservation Area | 1.5 ha | February - March 2022 |
| Steenbras Nature Reserve | 100 ha | February 2022 |
| False Bay Nature Reserve, Rondevlei section | 1.14 ha | March - April 2022 |
| Zandvlei Nature Reserve | 5-10 ha | March - April 2022 |
| Uitkamp Nature Reserve | 15 ha | March 2022 |
| Aurora Park Conservation Area | 0.9 ha | February - March 2022 |
| Aries Fontein Conservation Area | 25-30 ha | February - March 2022 |
'Carefully managed burns are necessary to obtain maximum species diversity. There are numerous benefits to burns. For example, by removing the canopy created by the mature vegetation, sunlight is allowed to reach the ground, which helps with seed germination. Fire also provided the critical germination cues of smoke and heat on which many of our unique plant species require to germinate. While fires occurring too frequently can lead to a decline in slow growing species and reduced seed production, too infrequent fires, for example fires that occur with an interval of more than 20 years, can lead to bush encroachment and the local extinction of species. Another advantage of burning old vegetation is that it reduces fuel loads, which in turn reduces the risk of wild fires,' said the City's Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
Competent, trained staff from the Environmental Management Department (EMD) will work with the Fire and Rescue Service as well as Working on Fire and Volunteer Wildfire Services. EMD staff will ensure that the procedure is conducted efficiently and safely.
Published by:
Media Office, City of Cape Town
