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Afrikaanse Inligting
Romansriver and Hartebeesriver Provincial Nature Reserves deproclaimed
Leucadendron
flexuosum Worcester Sunshine Conebush decimated!
The Romansriver PNR is one of the few remaining lowland Renosterveld sites still remaining in the Wolseley Valley. Among its many rare plant species is a superb stand of Leucadendron corymbosum Swartveld Corymbose Conebush. Amid contrary reports, the Chief Directorate of Nature and Environmental Conservation (CDNEC) heard that the owner wanted to plough up the land. They therefore sent a team of herpetologists to visit the site, who reported that there were very few tortoises in the reserve. As a consequence the CDNEC deproclaimed the reserve. No cognizance was given to the rich flora - the geophytic (bulb) flora has been praised as particularly rich and outstanding.
Fortunately the owner (LJ Mostert) intends retaining the area as natural veld, to be maintained as several camps each with a set burning regime. Although the fire intervals proposed are rather short (perhaps too short for the Swartveld Conebush as the burning regime aims at promoting the bulbs), Mr Mostert is quite concerned about the environment, so that the future of the vegetation is probably quite safe.
The Hartebeesriver PNR is situated on the boundary between Renosterveld and Karoo vegetation. The land was given to the CDNEC by the Department of Transport. There are reports that the reserve supported Leucadendron flexuosum, but to date the largest population occurred on the neighbouring patch of vegetation. The land owner wished to exchange this piece of land with another piece (useless for conservation) in order to build a farm dam, but red-tape prevented any action. The farmer subsequently sold the farm and the new owner ploughed up the land for crops. Thus the largest population of Ld flex known has disappeared. It was apparently the only viable population of this species available for conservation. Two other stands exist: at Onderplaaas (to the west of the reserve), and just across the old N1 from the reserve on land probably owned by Rainbow Chickens. The Hartebeesriver PNR has not yet been deproclaimed, but the new National Route 1 now traverses the reserve.
The CDNEC appears little concerned for the endangered plants in the region. Their interest appears to be solely centred on the Geometric Tortoise, to the extent of their sanctioning the extinction of plant species when reserves do not contain endangered animals!
Julia Woods, Univ. Cape Town
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