Rooiels is situated on the edge of the Kogelbergerg Biosphere Reserve. The residents are passionate about nature and would like to ensure that here nature is nurtured -- in order for us to continue to be a "refuge" for the flora and fauna in this Biosphere, Rooiels would like to be designated as part of the Buffer zone to the KBR. In this way the importance of enhancing and promoting the natural flora and fauna in Rooiels will be recognised and it will provide legitimacy for more appropriate local regulations and development. In addition to retaining natural flora and fauna, Rooiels will promote research and will establish a Repository of information on the history and environment relevant to Rooiels and to the KBR more broadly
Download the files with the documentation. Or read the Report-back to Stakeholders here on this page.
Go to Information on the KBR For general information on Biosphere Reserves, on Buffer zones and on Marine Reserves
Go to Information on the KBR For general information on Biosphere Reserves, on Buffer zones and on Marine Reserves
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Buffer Zone: Report-Back to Stakeholders November 2019
At the 2018 Stakeholders Meeting RERA was tasked by those present to pursue the potential for Rooiels to be incorporated into the Buffer zone of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. In response to the difficulties with the relevance of some regulations and processes to Rooiels, the KBRC Board Chairperson suggested that it would be appropriate for Rooiels to apply to be incorporated into the Buffer zone. In that way Rooiels would have the rationale to manage the village and environment in a way that enhances its role as a refuge to the flora and fauna in the KBR.
RERA appointed the environmental sub-group to look into this. Hilgard and Veronica have both spoken to members of the KBRC Board and to Cape Nature. The working group has prepared a Draft motivation to be sent to the KBRC Board. The stakeholder meeting in November will discuss the issue and decide whether to endorse RERA to formally apply for Rooiels to be re-designated as part of the Buffer zone. Other steps taken include a preliminary outreach to universities to assess the potential for Rooiels to become a centre for research and so contribute to the UN Man in the Biosphere (MAB) programme and the SA Biosphere Reserves strategy. In addition to providing a base for scientists carrying out research into the Core, Rooiels itself would become a living laboratory.
What does it mean?
A Biosphere Reserve has 3 zones:
What is involved?
We need to continue to retain significant areas of indigenous fynbos in order to act as a “refuge” for the Core acting as a seedbank and providing habitat for wildlife (insects, birds and animals). We would encourage people to garden naturally. But people would still be free to plant whatever they prefer in their own gardens (even roses and violets) provided that it is not an alien invasive[1].
We would commit to keeping all the public areas as natural as possible. It is fine to have some gardened areas at the village business centre but as far as possible we need to maintain public areas natural. Residents will be encouraged to garden in ways that support our natural heritage.
We would need to continue to encourage people to live in harmony with the wild animals and to ensure that Rooiels is a place where we find ways to adapt our behaviour to reduce conflict and to make it possible for wildlife and people to co-exist.
We would act as a defence against fire in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve – both in prevention and in fighting any fires. Where fire prevention and biodiversity are in conflict, we will call on botanical and fire experts to ensure that a reasonable compromise is arrived at in keeping with our role as a buffer and a Heritage Protection Overlay Zone.
We will also apply for the coast around Rooiels to be part of a marine buffer zone – not a marine reserve (or core) but a buffer. Here limited recreational and artisanal fishing, crayfishing, collection of molluscs, bait etc will be allowed, but not large trawlers and not commercial harvesting along the shoreline. A buffer zone will help to sustain the marine life and help to restore sea-life populations
What we plan to do
Some of these things have already been done – others are still a “twinkle” in our eyes:
Rooiels would be choosing to be declared part of the Buffer zone to ensure that it will continue to be able to implement its Vision of caring for nature. If we remain part of the transition zone then we are accepting that we may not be granted exceptions to regulations applied to all urban settlements in the Overstrand which could eventually result in changing the nature of Rooiels and reducing its environmental, aesthetic and property value.
[1] an alien invasive is a plant which is not natural to this area and which then spreads outside your garden displacing indigenous fynbos in the wild areas in Rooiels and eventually in the Core
At the 2018 Stakeholders Meeting RERA was tasked by those present to pursue the potential for Rooiels to be incorporated into the Buffer zone of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. In response to the difficulties with the relevance of some regulations and processes to Rooiels, the KBRC Board Chairperson suggested that it would be appropriate for Rooiels to apply to be incorporated into the Buffer zone. In that way Rooiels would have the rationale to manage the village and environment in a way that enhances its role as a refuge to the flora and fauna in the KBR.
RERA appointed the environmental sub-group to look into this. Hilgard and Veronica have both spoken to members of the KBRC Board and to Cape Nature. The working group has prepared a Draft motivation to be sent to the KBRC Board. The stakeholder meeting in November will discuss the issue and decide whether to endorse RERA to formally apply for Rooiels to be re-designated as part of the Buffer zone. Other steps taken include a preliminary outreach to universities to assess the potential for Rooiels to become a centre for research and so contribute to the UN Man in the Biosphere (MAB) programme and the SA Biosphere Reserves strategy. In addition to providing a base for scientists carrying out research into the Core, Rooiels itself would become a living laboratory.
What does it mean?
A Biosphere Reserve has 3 zones:
- the Core where there is no human activity (or very limited and transient, with nature conservation paramount);
- the Buffer zone where there is human activity (and occasionally settlement) but where the emphasis is on co-existence in a way that ensures protection of the biodiversity of the Core;
- the Transition zone where human activity predominates (agriculture, industry, settlements) with some effort made to reduce negative impacts on the environment and biodiversity.
What is involved?
We need to continue to retain significant areas of indigenous fynbos in order to act as a “refuge” for the Core acting as a seedbank and providing habitat for wildlife (insects, birds and animals). We would encourage people to garden naturally. But people would still be free to plant whatever they prefer in their own gardens (even roses and violets) provided that it is not an alien invasive[1].
We would commit to keeping all the public areas as natural as possible. It is fine to have some gardened areas at the village business centre but as far as possible we need to maintain public areas natural. Residents will be encouraged to garden in ways that support our natural heritage.
We would need to continue to encourage people to live in harmony with the wild animals and to ensure that Rooiels is a place where we find ways to adapt our behaviour to reduce conflict and to make it possible for wildlife and people to co-exist.
We would act as a defence against fire in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve – both in prevention and in fighting any fires. Where fire prevention and biodiversity are in conflict, we will call on botanical and fire experts to ensure that a reasonable compromise is arrived at in keeping with our role as a buffer and a Heritage Protection Overlay Zone.
We will also apply for the coast around Rooiels to be part of a marine buffer zone – not a marine reserve (or core) but a buffer. Here limited recreational and artisanal fishing, crayfishing, collection of molluscs, bait etc will be allowed, but not large trawlers and not commercial harvesting along the shoreline. A buffer zone will help to sustain the marine life and help to restore sea-life populations
What we plan to do
Some of these things have already been done – others are still a “twinkle” in our eyes:
- We will approach universities locally and abroad to carry out research based in Rooiels
- Work to get the proposed changes to the Overlay in place and consider if there are other municipal regulations which need to be adapted and apply to get these changed to enable Rooiels to strengthen its role in conserving biodiversity and in setting up experiments and trials of different green living options.
- Develop coherent ideas for research and reach out to find willing researchers
- Provide local expertise and support to researchers
- We would re-establish the EcoCentre and we would undertake to share our experiences and research widely as part of efforts to educate and raise awareness on protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services
- We will discuss the possibility to raise funds for:
- A virtual library of research in the KBR
- A community centre to house the Eco-centre, meetings and to provide desk space
- Support to some specified research and offer research grants
- Establish a Rooiels Postgraduate Scholarship Trust for Overstrand residents
- Purchase two properties in sensitive areas where houses have burned down
Rooiels would be choosing to be declared part of the Buffer zone to ensure that it will continue to be able to implement its Vision of caring for nature. If we remain part of the transition zone then we are accepting that we may not be granted exceptions to regulations applied to all urban settlements in the Overstrand which could eventually result in changing the nature of Rooiels and reducing its environmental, aesthetic and property value.
[1] an alien invasive is a plant which is not natural to this area and which then spreads outside your garden displacing indigenous fynbos in the wild areas in Rooiels and eventually in the Core
