People's Post Claremont | Rondebosch - 16 February 2021

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CLAREMONT | RONDEBOSCH

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RONDEBOSCH COMMON

Fire to spark diversity NETTALIE VILJOEN NETTALIE.VILJOEN@MEDIA24.COM

R

ondebosch Common may be looking a little worse for wear right now after the fires that recently tore through there, but just give it some time. Visitors to the almost 40 hectares of open land may be pleasantly surprised a few months from now when the rare species that grow there start to flower. On Sunday 7 February, a fire burnt five hectares of fynbos on Rondebosch Common. Jermaine Carelse, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s fire service, says the time of the incident was 15:22. “The fire originated closer to Klipfontein Road and ran towards the intersection of Sawkins and Klipfontein roads,” Carelse says. This followed an even bigger fire which ignited around noon on Thursday 21 January. Extinguished later that day at around 17:00, the fire on this occasion left 9.3 hectares of vegetation burnt. The ignition point was near the intersection of Campground Road and Park Road. Strong winds fanned the fire, says Carelse, causing is to rapidly spread northwards. As to their possible cause, Carelse says the fires could have been ignited in various ways – a cigarette, a passer-by dropping a light, or broken glass that acts as a magnify-

ing glass, igniting the dry vegetation. Some in the community also speculate that the fires might have been started by a spiteful individual. Sharon Cottle, the councillor for ward 58, says she is concerned that there were two such big fires within such a short time frame. “And surrounding communities share the same concerns. Please be vigilant for any strange or suspicious behaviour and report it as soon as possible. We must protect the Rondebosch Common,” Cottle says. Alex Lansdowne, the project manager for the Rondebosch Common Restoration Project, also asked those visiting the site to err on the side of caution. “Whilst fires can be expected at this time of year, we caution all residents to refrain from fire-starting activities such as smoking on the common or whilst driving past. We request all residents to stick to the designated paths and to avoid walking through the burnt areas,” Lansdowne says. For the past five years, Lansdowne has been working with the City’s parks and recreation department and the Friends of the Rondebosch Common (FRC) to preserve the well-known landmark which is home to critically endangered Cape Flats Sand Fynbos, the odd patch of Renosterveld and a seasonal wetland. At least nine plant species found at the common are on the Red Data List. This list forms part of the South African National

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cle of fynbos flora. Proteas only release their seeds after a fire has burnt the parent plant, soil seedbanks only germinate once exposed to the chemicals of the smoke and many species will only flower in the seasons following a fire,” he says. Between now and winter, the FRC will assist the recovery of the vegetation in the burn areas. Brett Adams, who was newly appointed as the chair of FRC on 21 January, says with half of the critically endangered habitat on Rondebosch Common burnt, they will have to increase their alien clearing budget fivefold. “Any financial or voluntary donation towards our conservation fund will make a difference towards conserving threatened species on the common,” he says. He also encourages residents to join the FRC in a weekly clean-up of the area. “People who often walk there don’t realise how lucky we all are. Recently, I began a small voluntary litter clean-up group that meets every Thursday at 9:00 under the pines opposite the garage on the corner. Bags are provided and volunteers need only give an hour of their time. Anyone is welcome to join – just come along,” Adams says. V For queries or suggestions, email friendsofrondeboschcommon@gmail.com. The global conservation status can be found on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species: http://www.iucnredlist.org.

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Biodiversity Institute’s (SANBI) threatened species programme. In one of the continent’s largest collaborative conservation projects to date, South Africa has become the first megadiverse country to fully assess the status of its entire flora. The Red List of South African Plants Online provides up to date information on the national conservation status of South Africa’s indigenous plants. Many may not know this, but Rondebosch Common is not state, municipal or regional council land. Rather it is a donation of what once was private land to the people of Cape Town. The City is the official custodian of this national monument. The FRC is the primary community partner in the management of the conservation area. For the past three decades, the FRC has spearheaded conservation, rehabilitation and environmental education projects at the common. The recent fires represent a milestone for one of these projects. In 2017, the FRC, together with their partners at Kirstenbosch and the City introduced the critically endangered Peacock Iris (Moraea aristata) to Rondebosch Common. “The fire is the first recorded burn for Moraea aristata and we are excited to see how this species responds to the burn,” Lansdowne says. He explains that regular fire, every 10 to 15 years, is important to maintain the floral diversity found in the common. “Fire plays a significant role in the life cy-

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