01 February 2005
tablemountain@sanparks.org
tel: 021 701 8692
fax: 021 701 8773
Dear Stakeholder,
This letter serves to inform you and your organisation that the
harvesting of certain defined areas (“compartments”) in the Cecilia Pine
Plantation is due to commence March 2006.
The rights for the harvesting of the timber were put out to public
tender by Dept. of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF) and won by Cape Timber
Resources (CTR) for a 20 year period. The actual harvesting will be undertaken
by Mountains to Oceans (MTO) - a subsidiary of CTR.
The
Tokai and Cecilia Plantations are commercial operations that were originally
planted in 1885 with the first harvesting taking place between 1920 and
1950. Plantations are harvested, compartment by compartment, on a
cyclical basis as determined by the age of the trees.
The
plantations are located on state owned land under the jurisdiction of
DWAF. However, because the plantation
falls within the Cape Peninsula Protected Natural Environment (CPPNE), DWAF has
assigned the lease to SANParks to be managed as part of the Table Mountain
National Park (TMNP). This gives SANParks jurisdiction of the area and
associated eco-tourism businesses.
TMNP
will administer the lease and the area on behalf of SANParks. TMNP is not the agency responsible for the
harvesting and does not derive profits from the harvesting. TMNP will however
manage the land as a National Park which will include the rehabilitation of the
clear-felled areas to ensure that they return to their natural state - mountain
fynbos and afromontane forest, depending on the area.
Heritage
aspects of the area such as the Arboretum will remain intact and ultimately
improved upon. We have consulted with both the Park Forum Steering
Committee and South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) in this regard.
As
the land falls within SANParks jurisdiction it is protected from sub-division
or housing development and cannot be sold to developers.
However,
it is recognised that much of the plantation is a popular recreational area and
for this reason a process of public engagement with interested and affected
parties will be undertaken for the preparation of a broader management plan for
the area. As this process will require
broad consultation and must be conducted in a thorough, comprehensive manner,
TMNP is applying for funds to appoint a dedicated, professional service agency
to drive the process.
More
details will be available on www.tmnp.co.za
from 10 February 2006. This letter is being supported by public notices in the
Constantia Bulletin, the Sentinal and the
Yours in conservation,
Paddy Gordon