NKONKA REHABILITATION PROJECT
WHAT WE DO
THE PROJECT SITE
The Nkonka Rehabilitation Project encompasses all properties bordering the lower Nkonka stream, from Braeside Road upstream to the boundary of Forest Creek and extending from Braeside up to Eastview Rd. The total area is about eighteen hectares (44 acres). The Nkonka Stream rises in the grounds of 101 Acutts complex, near the junction of Inanda and Acutts Drive and enters the Kranzkloof Nature Reserve a little way below Briddle Road, near the intersection with Braeside Road.
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The stream is fringed with riverine forest, except within the Forest Creek Complex where a dam was built in 1991, flooding the area and destroying a significant stretch of forest. The slopes of the valley are relatively steep and the lower reaches of the eastern portion of the valley are a designated D’MOSS area. The slopes are covered in KZN sandstone sourveld; an endangered grassland endemic to the Kranzkloof area and the Vernon Crookes Game Reserve.
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There is scope to extend the project to both the upper valley and to the valley that joins the Nkonka from Lone Creek to the north, should residents in those areas wish to get involved.
OUR MISSION
The purpose of the project is to restore and preserve the indigenous flora and fauna in the valley, which has been subject to serious invasion by alien plants. The reasons for and benefits of doing this include:
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Extending wildlife corridors beyond the borders of the Kranzkloof Nature Reserve in order to increase species numbers and encourage diversity. Residents additionally have direct access to enjoy what is essentially a private nature reserve.
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Eradicating alien vegetation whose seeds are carried into the Kranzkloof Nature Reserve by the Nkonka stream; the reserve incurs significant expenses controlling invader growth at our stream’s entry point.
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Several of the alien plant species we are removing are Category 1 invaders; it is illegal to have such plants on your property. Controlling these challenging plants becomes more viable when operating within a group, rather than as an individual property owner.
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Alien vegetation provides dense cover which creates opportunity for criminal activity. A cleared area is easier to monitor and reduces the crime risk in our neighbourhood.
THE TEAM
The Nkonka Rehabilitation Project is managed by an informal association of property owners. Project activities are coordinated primarily by Mike Coppinger, with each property owner taking responsibility for implementing action on their own land. The team, which welcomes community volunteers, meets for weekend work parties to tackle tasks that warrant coordinated effort. We employ a person to work one day per week in the valley, for the primary purpose of clearing invader plants. The Kloof Conservancy endorses the project and has provided invaluable supplies of herbicide.