Call for plan to tackle Baakens Valley issues

The Wilderness Foundation has called for an integrated plan to help tackle the problems in the Baakens Valley.

Matthew Norval, the foundation’s chief operating officer, said the plan was needed because otherwise the Baakens’s multiple and deeply-rooted problems would never be overcome, and further unsustainable developments and activities could result.

Norval was responding to the Weekend Post’s Baakens expedition series which was aimed at highlighting the problems, assets and opportunities in the valley.

He referred also to the initiative launched by the multi-sectoral “Get Real on the Baakens” group which is exploring various developments in the valley, ranging from walking trails to zip-lining.

Norval said while some or all of these developments might work sustainably, they needed to be assessed from the right basis.

“The valley needs to be managed with conservation principles in mind before it can be used for the development and recreation opportunities that it no doubt provides.

“It is critically important that these issues don’t get confused or else the biodiversity assists will be lost in the quest to meet the secondary goals.

“If our approach is driven by development, we could end up with an unsustainable hodge-podge of activities.”

While the alien clearing efforts of members of the public were clearly well-meaning, this ad hoc approach would never clear the vast, dense masses of invasive vegetation swamping the valley, he said.

“We need a broad planning banner with political buy-in, a long-term vision and shortand medium-term goals and then to start at the top of the catchment and work down.”

Norval said the plan should feature key management actions, including freeing up expertise by establishing partnerships, mapping boundaries and clarifying ownership of different tracts of the valley.

“Nodes of excellence” such as Settler’s Park and Dodd’s Farm should be identified and implemented with particular attention given, for example, to path maintenance and the installation of extra benches.

Conservation capacity should be built among Baakens staff and stakeholders, a practical security strategy should be developed and the plan should “link to citizenship building and governance, and find ways of maintaining political buy-in for the future”, he said.

Asked for comment, Nelson Mandela Bay municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said the municipality agreed broadly with the foundation’s argument.

“Yes, the plan is required and the metro has initiated a draft.

“However, current challenges include a lack of capacity in terms of skills, financial resources and vacancies which the city is currently prioritising.”

Security and social challenges included muggings and vagrant-related pollution, but the hope was that the metro police would be improving this situation.

Mniki said the municipality would welcome any support offered by specialised NGOs “provided they recognise the metro’s political climate and constraints”.

The municipality recognised the need for sustainable development and would insist on all necessary assessments for any upcoming development or activity proposals, he said.

Spatial planner Graham Taylor, a member of the “Get Real on the Baakens group”, said he agreed with Norval’s emphasis on eco-suitability.

“Whatever we do in the valley must fit together like an environmentally sustainable puzzle.

“But we already have a plethora of plans to work with, including bio-regional and integrated development plans. It’s time now for implementation,” he said.