Rehabilitation starts at Sibaya Forest reserve
The next major phase of area rehabilitation through active invasive plant control is 'continuing at good pace and standard',
MAINTAIN, Rehabilitate, Conserve and Protect – this is the mandate of the Sibaya Coastal Precinct Conservation Trust, which actively commenced with rehabilitation and alien species clearing at Sibaya Coastal Precinct in June this year.
With over 60 per cent of the total 1 042 hectares to be retained as coastal dune forest, wetland and open spaces including areas under sugar cane to be rehabilitated, the Sibaya Coastal Precinct Conservation Trust has taken a robust approach to ensuring that they honour and actively drive their mandate to return these expansive natural assets to their original state and ensure that they are protected for the entire region to actively enjoy – in perpetuity.
“This forest is a regional asset and will be carefully managed along with the beaches, wetlands and other rehabilitated open spaces by the Trust which has officially been registered,” explained Tongaat Hulett developments executive, Dayalan Chetty.
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Aside from an initial previous alien invasive clearing and replanting initiative along the western border of eMdloti alongside Bellamont Road, the next major phase of area rehabilitation through active invasive plant control is ‘continuing at good pace and standard’, says horticulturist Geoff Nichols who heads up the horticultural portfolio of the Sibaya Coastal Precinct development.
Earlier this month Tongaat Hulett appointed a local, woman headed company to undertake the clearing of the invasive plant life.
The company, Hlengiwe Luthuli Environmental Management (HLEM), will not only extensively tackle the alien invaders by cutting and digging out the plants, felling alien trees and treating the stumps, they will also be collecting indigenous plant seeds and propagules to replant in areas that have been cleared of invasive plants.
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