On Friday, 4 November 2022, the City of Cape Town’s Biodiversity Management Branch held its annual awards ceremony at Blaauwberg Nature Reserve to honour the efforts made over the past year by staff to promote nature conservation across the metro.
The awards categories included the best flora and fauna finds of the year. Hayley Wittridge and Jacques van der Merwe received recognition for discovering the critically endangered Cape Tulip Moraea ogamana fynbos bulb at Helderberg Nature Reserve following the ecological burn that was conducted.
In the fauna category, Cliff Dorse won for his recording of a population of the critically endangered Unique Ranger (Kedestes lenis lenis) butterfly. This is a significant find for global conservation and confirms the species’ occurrence well outside its originally recorded habitat.
A special award went to the People and Conservation team for their outreach efforts over the past year, with around 25 000 people attending various education programmes, events, exhibitions and awareness activities both on and off the City’s nature reserves.
Other honorees included:
- Best Team: Witzands Nature Reserve
- Outstanding Staff Member: Lewine Walters (Wolfgat Nature Reserve)
- Most Improved Reserve: Tygerberg Nature Reserve
- Reserve of the Year: Vesuvius Way and Zandwolf Nature Reserve
‘I’d like to thank the staff in the Biodiversity Management Branch for their commitment to protecting our natural environment, and for the passion and effort they display in educating the public about key environmental issues. These awards are a token of the City’s appreciation for your excellent work.
‘Biodiversity and climate change are two sides of the same coin, and it is more important than ever for us all to act responsibly to reduce our carbon footprint. The City is committed to protecting, restoring and managing its natural areas to ensure their long-term sustainability.
‘Our natural environment is our best defence against natural disasters, and a healthy ecosystem means a safer environment. The municipality recognises that its green infrastructure is important to Cape Town’s resilience to climate change, and for reducing the impact of shock events such as floods and heatwaves,’ said Alderman Eddie Andrews, the Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment.
For further information on the City’s conservation efforts or to find a nature reserve near you, visit the City’s nature reserves listing page and our nature conservation strategies and plans page.