There was a tangible spirit of cooperation at the official reopening of the Silvermine River Walk on Saturday 15 October, some 19 months after the massive fires that swept through the Peninsula in March last year.
The Silvermine River Walk was restored thanks to a partnership of the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), SANParks Honorary Rangers, Old Mutual Two Oceans Marathon, Friends of Silvermine Nature Area (FOSNA) and The Mountain Club of South Africa (Cape Town Section), each of whom contributed labour or funds.
Gavin Bell, TMNP Area Manager: South, cut the ribbon, and Jaclyn Smith, senior section ranger, TMNP Central, acknowledged the valuable contribution that could be made through constructive relationships between TMNP and other stakeholders.
There’s little evidence now of the damage to infrastructure caused by the fire. And the fynbos has done what it is adapted to do: it has recovered and thrived, and the young veld at Silvermine is looking better than ever. At the end of winter, the vegetation is lush and bountiful, and botanists are delighted at the reappearance of species that haven’t been seen in years, as well as many showy regulars.
The Silvermine River Walk was officially reopened on 15 October 2016.
March 2015: things looked bleak in the immediate aftermath of the fire.
