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injection of funds into table mountain national park

A massive injection of an additional R11m is to be spent over the next 3 years on improving visitor enjoyment of Table Mountain National Park (TMNP).This was revealed at a bilateral meeting between SANParks officials and the City of Cape Town late last year.

At the meeting SANParks Executive Manager for Parks, Paul Daphne, said that Table Mountain National Park was one of the most visited national parks in South Africa, with nearly 4 million visitors a year.

In recognition of this, national government has granted R8m in funding to the Park in terms of Phase 2 of the Department of Environmental Affairs’ Social Responsibility Programme.

The R8m from government is for the “rehabilitation of Afromontane forest and associated infrastructure upgrade” and specifies that the projects must be labour-intensive.

According to Daphne, R2.1 million of the funds have been allocated to Afromontane forest and fynbos rehabilitation, R0.8 million to footpath upgrading and construction, R0.4 million to park signage, R2.4million to upgrade picnic/braai sites and R2.3 million for the upgrade of park roads and access points.

Gary de Kock, SANParks Regional General Manager for the Cape Region announced a further R3m injection to the Park for projects relating to biodiversity rehabilitation and to enhancing visitor access to Tokai and Cecilia Forests. These projects include footpath upgrading, removal of alien vegetation, shade route planting, Afromontane forest planting and improving the braai site at Tokai Forest.

This injection of Government and SANParks funds is to implement the proposals identified in the Tokai and Cecilia Forests Management Framework. The framework was prepared in consultation with the public, stakeholders and authorities. It provides a long-term vision for the future management, rehabilitation and upgrade of Tokai and Cecilia Forests. This vision includes biodiversity restoration, provision of shaded recreational areas and walking routes and the protection of key heritage resources.

The management of the plantations was assigned to SANParks in 2005 by the then Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. The commercial plantations are being phased out and the timber company, MTO Forestry, will be harvesting the plantation trees over a 20 year period to 2024.
For more information contact Andre Kearns / Lucy Phama on 021 701 8692

Date posted: 08 March 2010

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injection of funds into table mountain national park