The Biodiversity Management Branch of the City of Cape Town looks after 23 natural areas throughout the City. Most of these sites are in the Lowlands close to homes and schools. They are valuable places where you can relax, enjoy nature and learn.

Have a look at the map alongside showing the natural areas that the City manages. click on selected reserves to find out more information on them.

Click here for a summary table of the natural areas managed by the City of Cape Town.

How are natural areas protected?

There are many different types of protected areas in South Africa. Laws and regulations exist that allow National, Provincial and Local Governments and agencies to protect natural areas:

• National Government proclaims National Parks (e.g. Table Mountain National Park)

• The South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) proclaims National Heritage Sites (e.g. Plattekloof Natural Heritage Site)

• Provincial Government proclaims Provincial Nature Reserves (e.g. Driftsands Nature Reserve), Local Authority Nature Reserves and Protected Natural Environments (PNEs)

• Heritage Western Cape proclaims Provincial Heritage Sites (e.g. Cape Flats Nature Reserve)

• Local Government proclaims Local Heritage Sites, with the approval of Provincial Government.

Some of the natural areas that the City looks after have not yet been formally proclaimed as nature reserves. In order to give these areas legal protection, the Biodiversity Management Branch of the City of Cape Town is getting all the areas it manages proclaimed as Local Authority Nature Reserves.

The City manages natural areas from the Mamre Nature Reserve and Blaauwberg Conservation Area in the north to Zandvlei in the south and Kogelberg Nature Reserve in the east. In this section we will find out about some of these natural areas. Find out which areas are close to your school and how you can get involved.

Click the links to find out more about natural areas looked after by the City:

• Central: Bracken Nature Reserve, Durbanville Nature Reserve, Tygerberg Nature Reserve

• East: Helderberg Nature Reserve, Harmony Flats Nature Reserve, Other natural areas

• North: Blaauwberg Conservation Area, Rietvlei Wetland Reserve

• South: False Bay Ecology Park [Rondevlei Nature Reserve, Zeekoevlei Nature Reserve, Cape Flats Waste Water Treatment Works]; Greater Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve.

• South Central: Cape Flats Nature [Edith Stephens Wetland Park, Macassar Dunes, Wolfgat Nature Reserve]