De Hel Nature Area

De Hel Nature Area is a 21.3-hectare (53-acre) nature reserve protecting a river valley and indigenous forest on the lower eastern slopes of Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa.

Ecology

The Spaanschemat River is surrounded by steep slopes that are covered in deep indigenous Southern Afrotemperate Forest. At the lower end of the reserve is an open piece of land known as “the Meadow” where fruit trees remain from earlier cultivation.

The vegetation type is Afromontane forest, with areas of Peninsula Granite Fynbos. Several hundred plant species have been identified here, including the striking Silvertree (Leucadendron argenteum) and Erica phylicaefolia. The reserve is also home to a variety of local wild animals, including endangered birds like the Knysna warbler (Bradypterus sylvaticus), and the endangered Western Leopard Toad (Amietophrynus pantherinus). Invasive alien plants are a problem; as such weeds threaten both the indigenous forest and the fynbos.^[2]

History

Ancient trails used by Khoi-khoi herders ran through this patch of land, and when the Dutch arrived they established a woodcutter's post here. Subsequently, its forests became known as a retreat for runaway slaves. For this, as well as for environmental reasons, in March 2012 the provincial heritage resources authority, Heritage Western Cape declared De Hel a provincial heritage site in the terms of Section 27 of the National Heritage Resources Act.^[3] This provides the site with the highest form of protection under South African heritage law.^[4][5]

See also

• Biodiversity of Cape Town
• List of nature reserves in Cape Town
• Southern Afrotemperate Forest
• Peninsula Granite Fynbos

References

External links

• Official website
• National Heritage Resources Act 25 of 1999

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Cape Town

City of Cape Town

Natural environment

Cape Flats Cape Peninsula Geology Helderberg Bays Bantry Bay Camps Bay False Bay Gordon's Bay Granger Bay Hout Bay Simon's Bay Smitswinkel Bay Table Bay Beaches Bloubergstrand Boulders Beach Camps Bay Clifton Glen Beach Melkbosstrand Muizenberg Sandy Bay Strand Hills Blaauwberg Skapenberg Signal Hill Tygerberg Mountains Chapman's Peak Constantiaberg Devil's Peak Helderberg Hottentots Holland Mountains Lion's Head Table Mountain Twelve Apostles Islands Duiker Island Robben Island Seal Island Headlands Cape of Good Hope Cape Point Miller's Point Rivers and wetlands Bokramspruit Buffels River Eerste River Kuils River Diep River Else River Hout Bay River Krom River Lourens River Modder River Salt River Black River Elsieskraal River Liesbeek River Sand River Schusters River Silvermine River Sir Lowry’s Pass River Sout River Steenbras River Zandvlei Zeekoevlei Climate and weather Cape Town water crisis Cape Doctor Berg wind World heritage sites Cape Floristic Region Table Mountain National Park Robben Island Biodiversity of Cape Town Nature reserves in Cape Town Helderberg Marine Protected Area Robben Island Marine Protected Area Table Mountain National Park Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area Vegetation types Atlantis Sand Fynbos Boland Granite Fynbos Cape Flats Dune Strandveld Cape Flats Sand Fynbos Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos Hangklip Sand Fynbos Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos Lourensford Alluvium Fynbos Peninsula Granite Fynbos Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos Southern Afrotemperate Forest Peninsula Shale Renosterveld Swartland Alluvium Fynbos Swartland Shale Renosterveld Parks and gardens Arderne Gardens Company's Garden De Waal Park Green Point Common Helderberg Nature Reserve Keurboom Park Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden Rondebosch Common Rondebosch Park Tokai Arboretum Tokai Park Wynberg Park Nature reserves Blaauwberg Conservation Area Bracken Nature Reserve Cecilia De Hel Nature Area Dick Dent Bird Sanctuary Die Oog Conservation Area Diep River Fynbos Corridor Durbanville Nature Reserve Edith Stephens Wetland Park Glencairn Wetland Harmony Flats Nature Reserve Helderberg Nature Reserve Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area Koeberg Nature Reserve Kogelberg Nature Reserve Lourens River Protected Natural Environment Lower Silvermine River Wetlands Macassar Dunes Conservation Area Mamre Nature Garden Meadowridge Common Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve Raapenberg Bird Sanctuary Rietvlei Wetland Reserve Rondebosch Common Rondevlei Nature Reserve Silwerboomkloof Natural Heritage Site Tygerberg Nature Reserve Uitkamp Wetlands Witzands Aquifer Conservation Area Wolfgat Nature Reserve Zoarvlei Wetlands Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve Zeekoevlei Nature Reserve

Communities

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Built environment

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