Berg and Breede River Riparian Rehabilitation Programme proving a success!
As Arbor Week draws to a close, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) is proud to announce the success of using over 600 000 trees and plants in rehabilitation activities along the Berg and Breede River.
This forms part of the flagship project of the Department established in 2013 which focusses on the rehabilitation of the riparian zones of the Berg and Breede rivers.
Jason Mingo, DEA&DP’s Task Manager for the Berg River Improvement Plan, said: “Over the last six years we have been working to identify degraded buffer and riparian zones. Removing the alien vegetation and re-establishing the area with indigenous plants is a cost-effective way to improve ecological functioning and reduce disaster risk.”
Johann van Biljon, CEO for Intaba Environmental Services, said: “To date we have assisted the Department in rehabilitating 40Ha of riparian land in the Berg and Upper Breede Catchments ranging from Franschhoek to Hermon and Mitchell’s Pass to Worcester. Approximately 38 plant species were used consisting of trees, shrubs, sedges, and grasses. Creating riparian ecosystems requires plant diversity which helps to fulfil ecological infrastructural benefits.”
Mingo added, “Another key objective of this project is that through its implementation, job opportunities, capacity building and knowledge transfer were created within rural communities. This project also represents a successful cross government collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Land Care, with both departments working together to establishing healthy rivers to sustain economic productivity”
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