 Because of the botanical
importance of this conservation
area, botanists recommended that
the southern portion still
within the confines of the
racetrack not be opened to the
public. The northern portion is
accessible to the public where
there is a footpath – originally
people were allowed to take dogs
on a leash through this area,
but so many people abused this
privilege and allowed dogs to
run free that dogs are now no
longer allowed there. |
|
The MRNR is managed by an
Environmental Management
Committee (EMC) consisting of
representatives from the City,
the Royal Ascot Master Property
Owners Association, Gold Circle,
Cape Bird Club, Friends of
Rietvlei and interested local
residents. |
 Recently an Environmental
Management System (EMS)
commissioned by the management
committee, has been put into
operation at the MRNR.
The EMS, prepared and
facilitated by Planning in
Balance, contains a set of
procedural manuals for the
carrying out of individual
management tasks, an annual plan
of operation that schedules
these tasks, and a data base
that organises all the
information gathered by these
management activities.
This model allows for changes in
management structure while
standardizing work conducted on
the ground and retaining all
previous information gathered. |
|
Presently the MRNR is sustained
through funds acquired from
environmental noncompliance
fines issued during the
construction of Royal Ascot, as
well as
various levies from the Master
Property Owners Association. |
|
The management goals for the
MRNR in the medium to long term
are: |
|
• |
Strong awareness amongst
residents must be
developed to create an
increased understanding
of the MRNR and its value
to biodiversity
conservation. |
 |
|
• |
An appropriate burning
programme must be implemented
to ensure the continued
survival of the rare
plant communities.
See Burning the MRNR page. |
|
• |
Alien vegetation must be
brought under
control and eradicated
where possible. |
|
• |
A viable corridor
between the northern and
southern portions must be secured. |
|
• |
Official conservation
status must be awarded
to the Milnerton
Racecourse Nature
Reserve. |
|
Information above is sourced
from a poster authored by Jeremy
Keyser and Mandy Noffke of
Planning in Balance and presented at the
Fynbos Forum 2007;
additional information by Niel
van Wyk. All pictures of fauna
and flora above were taken in the
Milnerton Racecourse Nature
Reserve by
Jeremy Keyser. |
