ID: 1293

Princess Vlei Restoration Project

The Princess Vlei Restoration Project takes place in the Greater Princess Vlei Conservation Area, a wetland in Cape Town, South Africa. The area is located in a low income area, disadvantaged by apartheid spatial planning. Racially discriminatory policies led to the area being neglected by authorities, resulting in the degradation of its ecological integrity. A proposal by the City of Cape Town to build a shopping mall on site was defeated by community protest action, which included planting fynbos. The Princess Vlei Forum now works with the COCT to manage the site. The Forum has initiated a five-year restoration project to rehabilitate and restore three vegetation types: Cape Lowlands Freshwater Wetlands (endangered), Cape Flats Dune Strandveld (endangered) and Cape Flats Sand Fynbos (critically endangered). This will enable the conservation of fauna and flora existing on site, reintroduce threatened species that are locally extinct, inspire a new generation of conservationists through practical environmental education, and foster long term community custodianship. The goal of phase one is to restore 12 hectares. In the first year they have mapped the site, created a restoration plan and doubled the area under active restoration through planting events involving local community members.

Planned actions

Protection of land/water

Management of land/water

Species management