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SANParks addresses safety, biodiversity issues
CAPE TOWN - Environmentalists are concerned about tree stripping in Cape Town's Newlands Forest.
They say bark stripping has a devastating impact on the Table Mountain ecosystem.
South African National Parks officials visited the world heritage site to address the issue.
They also want to find ways to curb attacks on hikers.
The Sea, Air and Mountain Special Operations Ranger Team or SEAM team as it’s known was launched to bolster safety and security within the Table Mountain National Park.
As part of their job, the SEAM team also helps conservationists protect precious indigenous tree and plant species…some that are only found in this part of the world.
Experts say several thousand indigenous trees within the Table Mountain National Park are being targeted and stripped of their bark for medicinal or cultural reasons.
The trees are being painted to keep poachers at bay.
Environmentalists have stressed the importance of rolling out as many resources as possible to safeguard trees and other indigenous plants.
As hikers and tourists flock to the park to enjoy the beauty of this world heritage site, officials are stressing the importance of getting law enforcement to work together with civil society in their efforts to bust crime.
Some hikers say the heightened focus on combating crime on Table Mountain is starting to reap rewards.
South African National Parks says over 88 incidents of crime, ranging from robberies to car break-ins, have been recorded within Table Mountain National Park this year alone.
SANParks officials joined a group of hikers from the NPO Take Back our Mountains, to assess the safety situation.
SANParks management is promising that the initiative will not fizzle out after the December holidays.
Mountain biking, hiking and horse trails here collectively stretch to around 850 kilometres in length and ensuring the safety of those on the trails is critically important.
Officials say they’ve put a lot of measures in place to help keep the area safe for visitors.
SANParks manages 21 national parks countrywide and officials say they rely on a variety of different methods to keep these areas safe.
These authorities say regular assessments will be done, to ensure measures rolled out to combat crime continue to bear fruit.