Blaauwberg Nature Reserve, Melkbosstrand

Cape Town is unique due to its high concentration of local flora and fauna species. The Blaauwberg Nature Reserve protects and conserves, one of the City’s- natural Areas with biodiversity and Heritage. The Blaauwberg Nature Reserve (BBNR) is a unique area of approximately 2 000 ha comprising a rich mosaic of natural, cultural and historical elements. It is within the growth corridor of the City and is therefore placed under extreme pressure from the direct threats of urban development. The Blaauwberg Nature Reserve has a spectacular view down fynbos slopes from Blaauwberg Hill, across the city, to seven kilometres of rocky, sandy coastline, the ocean and beyond. Blaauwberg Hill, is one of the few viewpoints in the World from where you can see two proclaimed World Heritage Sites, namely Table Mountain and Robben Island. The Reserve also offers the; 'Montispectus' a self-catering unit, which you can hire out for a pleasant weekend getaway with family and friends. The BBNR has been a concept since the 1980s. In 1996, conservation Area status was conferred on public-owned portions of land, as well as a section of private land comprising the site of the Battle of Blaauwberg, in terms of the National Monuments Act (Act 28 of 1969). A proposed boundary for the Reserve was also gazetted. In 2000, the Blaauwberg Conservation Area development and management plan and its recommendations were approved by the then Cape Metropolitan Council and Blaauwberg Municipality. One of the key programmes in the plan was the Land Consolidation Programme, which has resulted in three of the five private landholdings having been incorporated into BBNR in 2002, 2005 and 2010 respectively. The programme is ongoing. Of special note is the 462 km² that was donated to the Reserve by Garden Cities. In 2006, the Western Cape Member of the Executive Council for Environmental Affairs and Development Planning granted approval for the establishment of the Blaauwberg Conservation Area local nature reserve in P.N. 345/2006 dated 27 Oct 2006. The provincially-owned portions of the reserve were proclaimed as Blaauwberg Provincial Nature Reserve by means of P.N. 06/2007 dated 2 Mar 2007. The City of Cape Town manages both its own and the provincially-owned land as a single entity called Blaauwberg Nature Reserve. The official office of the BBNR is at Eerstesteen, on Otto du Plessis Rd between Bloubergstrand and Melkbosstrand.