Nature on the Doorstep of Johannesburg
The 275-hectare private park is the second-largest private park in
Gauteng and includes portions of the Modderfontein Spruit, a number of dams,
grassland and hills. Modderfontein
Reserve seeks not only to protect indigenous fauna and flora in the area, but
also to provide an attractive open space within the urban fabric where visitors
can come and enjoy its natural beauty without traveling too far from home.
A Tread Lightly Principle Applies To the
Reserve
-Travel and recreate with minimum impact;
-Respect the environment and the rights of others;
-Educate yourself, plan and prepare before you go;
-Allow for future use of the outdoors, leave it better than you found it; and
-Discover the rewards of responsible recreation.
The reserve has been formally zoned as private open space. This allows for the reserve to be accessible to the public in a controlled fashion.
Under
the guidance of the EWT´s urban conservation manager, great progress has been
made on several fronts, including the systematic removal of alien vegetation.
This is an ongoing process (it is now a legal requirement to remove certain
invasive alien species), as is the planting of indigenous trees around the
reserve.
History
Modderfontein village was established in 1894 to meet the needs
of the growing gold mining industry. With the advent of underground mining,
there was a need to manufacture and sell dynamite.
This
resulted in the Modderfontein Dynamite Factory being built as it was far enough
away from the mining hub to allay people´s fears around the manufacture of
explosives. AECI originally identified the
need for a reserve and tasked Heartland with formalising the area in context of
sustainability and existing and proposed developments in the area.
Conservation
is of major concern to all community members ensuring that a balance is
maintained between development and nature.
The Modderfontein Conservation society played an important role and was actively involved in commissioning studies and assisting
with access to the area prior to the formalisation of the reserve.
Zendai Development South Africa (ZDSA)
ZDSA the
local subsidiary of Hong Kong listed Shanghai Zendai, held a series of public
information sessions during July 2015 on the master plan for the proposed
development of Modderfontein New City.
The master plan
will guide the development of the town and sets the principles on which the
development is premised. The plan also allocates and identifies areas for
protection (nature reserve, historic buildings), development precincts, and
provides an indication of the proposed density of development and the types of
land uses that are planned.
Partnerships - Endangered
Wildlife Trust
Urban Conservation Programme manager, Boaz Tsebe, gave a talk to the
Modderfontein community on 20 August 2015 about the exciting progress that has
been made over the past year in the Modderfontein Reserve. The EWT, in partnership with Zendai and the Modderfontein Conservation
Society, manages the reserve and, what was only a few years ago a severely
degraded and polluted area, has been rehabilitated and now provides the public
with a real natural refuge right in the middle of Johannesburg! He left all
with the message “Come along and enjoy ‘nature on your doorstep’!”
Heartland
entered into a collaborative agreement with the Endangered Wildlife Trust to ensure the establishment of the reserve would be managed in an environmentally sustainable manner. Part of their role is to oversee day to
day operations, wetland management, and grassland management and provide a
sound business-plan to ensure the continued sustainability of the reserve. Much
of this work is undertaken with assistance from the Modderfontein Conservation
Society – who have been in existence for over 21years and are able to offer
assistance and advice in terms of the reserve.
Landmarks in the Reserve
The Reserve surrounds 4 dams (Fish Eagle Dam,
John Voelker Dam, Grebe dam and Blue Crane Dam).
It
also accommodates a number of heritage buildings including the dam keeper´s
house known as Dobbs’ Cottage (constructed in 1934 for Estate Manager Lt Col
Dobbs). During the SA War Lous Klei (the Hamburg carpenter)
with the assistance of other Modderfontein carpenters and bricklayers were
assigned to construct the house, barn and shooting lodge (staging post for
carriages and horses were demolished in the 1930s). These buildings, of which
the barn forms the visual focus, are located close to the western fringe of the
Blue Crane Dam.
Alien Vegetation – Threat
Alien
vegetation can cause a decline in biodiversity; Cause changes in faunal
composition of an area; Outcompete indigenous species, often to the point of
extinction; Increase the threat of fire through larger fuel loads and flammable
species e.g. Eucalyptus spp.; Depletion of water resources; Reduction in land
value; Reduction in tourism and conservation value; Alteration of the natural
soil composition; Aquatic weeds can cause an oxygen deficiency; Encourage other
pests such as Mosquitoes and snails; Block sunlight access for other plants,
affecting the food chain as a whole.
Alien Vegetation – Control
Methods
of alien plant control include the mechanical removal of the plants; Physical
removal; Burning (controlled); Chemical control via the use of specific
herbicides on various parts of plants and utilizing various methods such as
spraying or painting; Biological control: The use of the plants´ own natural
enemies to combat them.
Indigenous trees and shrubs are being planted to replace alien
vegetation in the reserve. To date, 292 indigenous trees (about 15 – 20
different species) have been planted on the Reserve, with more to come.
It
is important to plant indigenous trees so that, slowly, the alien species that
provide habitats to so many species can be replaced without losing any of the
species diversity, whilst returning the ecosystem to a state of natural
equilibrium.
Fauna
The Reserve is home to a number of animals including steenbok,
reedbuck, duiker, black-backed jackals, Cape clawless otter, hedgehogs, and
four varieties of mongoose.
The Cape
Clawless and the near threatened Spotted Neck Otter have been sighted swimming
along the water course.
Birds and Birding
One of the Reserve´s
highlights is its abundance of bird species.
Over
250 species have been recorded on the Reserve – some of which are not normally
found in urban areas. These include fish eagles, long-crested eagles, jackal
buzzards and crimson-breasted shrikes, amongst others. Small
areas of threatened Grassland habitat within the reserve provide refuge for
species such as the Orange-throated Longclaw and Capped Wheatear.
Walking
The
Reserve has been a popular place to walk for members of the Modderfontein
community for many years. The Modderfontein Conservation Society has over the
past few years organised regular guided walks.
Cycling
Bike
Trails are constantly being developed and marked. Currently there are four
different routes available, all with varying degrees and levels of difficulty
and distance, the shortest route being 10km and the longest approximately 40km.
The
usual rules with regard to cycling are mandatory, mainly being that "no
helmet, no ride" applies.
Rules & Regulations
The function of the Modderfontein Nature Reserve is to protect, conserve
and control the ecological integrity and sustainability of the area while
simultaneously providing a setting for human recreational use and benefit.
To ensure
a safe visit to the reserve, rules and regulations are in place. Transgression
of these rules and regulations could result in prosecution and or penalties.
Please click here to download the "PDF"
copy of the following rules and regulations of the Modderfontein Reserve.
Contact Details
View larger map Modderfontein
Reserve, Arden Road (off Ardeer Road), Modderfontein
Tel: +27 79 519 1589
info@modderfonteinreserve.co.za ; Follow on twitter: @modderreserve ; Facebook: Modderfontein
Reserve
Conservation Entrance Fee:
R30 per adult, R15 per child, R50 per cyclist. Annual membership provides
unlimited access to the reserve, during operational hours, and one can make
further inquiries for membership.
