- Like most areas in the world, Greater Johannesburg is now seeing the effects of
development on its natural areas. Development on the urban fringes, especially with regard
to informal settlements without access to services or infrastructure, is placing
additional pressure on the natural environment.
- Johannesburg has many different species of fauna and flora, but documentation of this is
difficult. There are also several different exotic species that disturb the homogeneous
environment, but can not be removed for various reasons.
- Greater efforts are being made to conserve the built environment, than the natural
environment.
- Business nodes place increased pressure on conservation areas as more space is needed
for new businesses. Most business nodes are located in a corridor from the Johannesburg
CBD northwards, with most activity taking place in the CBD. Very few nodes exist in the
south and pressures here are attributable more to residential development than business
development.
According to the WMLC (1997) there are numerous reasons for
the conservation of natural open spaces in urban areas, like Greater Johannesburg:
- The Council for the Environment (1987) in their
"Guidelines for the Planning and Management of Natural Open Space in Urban
Areas" all planning in urban areas must:
- protect animal and plant communities;
- be based upon ecological research;
- afford protection to topographical features of ecological and recreational importance;
- protect water systems and water quality by the provision of adequate natural areas;
- provide interconnection of natural open space through corridor spaces; and
- protect inhabitants from natural disasters.
- Ecological Principles include the preservation of biotic
diversity and genetic pools, the introduction of indigenous plant material and invader
plant control.
- Aesthetical value
- Meteorological value
- Recreational, educational and tourism value
- Legislative purposes and
- As part of the South African Natural Heritage Programme
which offers protection to areas and features that require conservation management (WMLC,
1997).
REFERENCES
Council for the Environment 1987: Guidelines for the
Planning and Development of Natural Open Space in Urban Areas.
WMLC 1997: Draft Development Policy for the main ridges
within the WMLC area. WMLC: Roodepoort |
