Lower Silvermine River Wetlands

Last updated
The wetlands of the Lower Silvermine River. Lower Silvermine River Wetlands Conservation Area - Cape Town - small.JPG
The wetlands of the Lower Silvermine River.

Lower Silvermine Wetlands is a nature reserve on the Cape Peninsula, in Cape Town, South Africa.

This reserve protects a section of Hangklip Sand Fynbos as well as the indigenous Cape wetlands of the Silvermine River. It was rehabilitated due to local flooding problems, and the original indigenous species are being reintroduced, replacing the problematic alien vegetation that is being cleared.

This area is a breeding ground for a great many amphibians, including the endangered Western Leopard Toad, the Arum Lily Frog, the Cape River Frog and the Clicking Stream Frog. Other species such as the Cape Platanna seem to be locally extinct. There are several small mammal species here too, such as porcupine, otter, grysbock and mongoose. About 50 bird species have been recorded here, though some are no longer seen in the area. Alien vegetation is still a threat, as is the excessive proliferation of the indigenous Bulrush ( Typha ) which is caused by unnatural quantities of minerals and nutrients being washed into the wetland from urban storm water. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silvermine Nature Reserve</span>

Silvermine Nature Reserve forms part of the Table Mountain National Park in Cape Town, South Africa. It covers the section of the Cape Peninsula mountain range from the Kalk Bay mountains through to Constantiaberg. The area is a significant conservation area for the indigenous fynbos vegetation, which is of the montane cone-bush type at this location.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Table Mountain National Park</span> A nature conservation area on the Cape Peninsula in Cape Town, South Africa

Table Mountain National Park, previously known as the Cape Peninsula National Park, is a national park in Cape Town, South Africa, proclaimed on 29 May 1998, for the purpose of protecting the natural environment of the Table Mountain Chain, and in particular the rare fynbos vegetation. The park is managed by South African National Parks. The property is included as part of the UNESCO Cape Floral Region World Heritage Site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rondevlei Nature Reserve</span> Protected wetlands in Cape Town, South Africa

The Rondevlei Nature Reserve is located in Grassy Park, Zeekoevlei and Lavenderhill, suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. The bird sanctuary covers approximately 290 hectares of mostly permanent wetland and consists of a single large brackish lagoon. The nature reserve is among the most important wetlands for birds in South Africa despite being situated directly alongside the Zeekoevlei. A number of islands on the vlei act as vital breeding sites. Rondevlei is home to about 230 bird species, a variety of small mammals and reptiles like caracal, porcupine, Cape fox, grysbuck, steenbuck and mongoose, as well as a hippopotamus population which was re-introduced in 1981 as a means to control an alien grass species from South America, which had covered the shoreline and was threatening to engulf the vlei itself. It boasts unusual and threatened ecosystems like strandveld, sand plains fynbos, Cape lowland wetland vegetation and indigenous coastal fynbos vegetation with unique plants found nowhere else in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Floristic Region</span> Smallest of the six recognised floral kingdoms of the world

The Cape Floristic Region is a floristic region located near the southern tip of South Africa. It is the only floristic region of the Cape Floristic Kingdom, and includes only one floristic province, known as the Cape Floristic Province.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rondebosch Common</span> Conservation area in Cape Town

Rondebosch Common is an open common of about 40 hectares in Rondebosch, Cape Town in South Africa. A common is defined as "A piece of open land for public use, esp. in a village or town." It contains one of the few surviving pockets of the critically endangered “Cape Flats Sand Fynbos” vegetation type, which exists nowhere else in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rietvlei Wetland Reserve</span> Nature reserve in Table View, Western Cape, South Africa.

The Rietvlei Wetland Reserve is a 663-hectare (1,640-acre) nature reserve situated in Table View, Western Cape, South Africa. It is managed by the City of Cape Town's Environmental Resource Management Department.

The Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve is a lowland conservation area located in the City of Cape Town, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Flats Dune Strandveld</span> Endangered vegetation type endemic to the coastal areas around Cape Town

Cape Flats Dune Strandveld is an endangered vegetation type. This is a unique type of Cape Strandveld that is endemic to the coastal areas around Cape Town, including the Cape Flats.

Atlantis Sand Fynbos is a critically endangered fynbos vegetation type that occurs to the north of Cape Town, in the Western Cape, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Flats Sand Fynbos</span> Vegetation type endemic to the City of Cape Town

Cape Flats Sand Fynbos (CFSF), previously known as Sand Plain Fynbos, is a critically endangered vegetation type that occurs only within the city of Cape Town. Less than 1% of this unique lowland fynbos vegetation is conserved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos</span> Vegetation type that is endemic to Cape Town, South Africa

Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos is a critically endangered vegetation type that is endemic to Cape Town. Though closest to Fynbos, it has characteristics of both Fynbos and Renosterveld vegetation and is thus actually a unique hybrid vegetation type.

Mamre Nature Garden is a 254-hectare (630-acre) nature reserve in Cape Town, South Africa, located on the city's northern outskirts. The reserve has a high degree of biodiversity and preserving the endangered Atlantis Sand Fynbos vegetation type and the plants and animals that live in it. In addition, the reserve has an important cultural history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area</span> Nature reserve in Cape Town, South Africa

Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area is a 52-hectare (130-acre) nature reserve, situated in the centre of Kenilworth Racecourse, in Cape Town, South Africa. Due to its location, it has been left undisturbed for more than 100 years, making it now the best preserved patch of “Cape Flats Sand Fynbos” in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">De Hel Nature Area</span> Nature reserve on the lower eastern slopes of Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa

De Hel Nature Area is a 21.3-hectare (53-acre) nature reserve protecting a river valley and indigenous forest on the lower eastern slopes of Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meadowridge Common</span> Reserve in Cape Town, South Africa

Meadowridge Common is an 8-hectare (20-acre) reserve in the Meadowridge suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, which preserves a fragment of critically endangered Cape Flats Sand Fynbos vegetation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edith Stephens Wetland Park</span>

Edith Stephens Wetland Park is a nature reserve for wetlands and fynbos, located in the city of Cape Town, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Durbanville Nature Reserve</span> Piece of protected land next to the Durbanville Racecourse

Durbanville Nature Reserve is a 6-hectare (15-acre) piece of protected land, located next to the Durbanville Racecourse in the Western Cape, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kogelberg Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in the Western Cape province of South Africa

Kogelberg Nature Reserve is a nature reserve of 3,000 ha comprising the Kogelberg Mountain Range, to the east of Cape Town, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland</span> Vegetation type endemic to the Western Cape, South Africa

Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland is a critically endangered vegetation type of the Western Cape, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tokai Park</span> Small section of Table Mountain National Park in Cape Town, South Africa

Tokai Park, previously known as "Tokai Forest", is a small wing, about 600 ha, of the greater Table Mountain National Park in Cape Town, South Africa. Tokai Park is made up of two sections: upper and lower Tokai Park. Lower Tokai Park is flat, and characterized by the threatened Cape Flats Sand Fynbos. Upper Tokai Park is on the slopes of Constantiaberg Mountain, and consists of conservation area as well as the Tokai Arboretum. Upper Tokai Park is characterized by Peninsula Granite Fynbos, Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos and Afromontane Forest and noted for its diversity.

References

  1. "City of Cape Town Nature Reserves. Free Booklet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-22.