Strategy


Corridor building by volunteer power is a core aim of our work, which is supported by international best practice where it is recognised that public participation is key for the long-term survivability of corridors. Because we are building a corridor to support the movement of insects and birds through the urban landscape, the spatial layout of the gardens in relation to one another is key to its functioning.

2023 Corridor Coverage Target Area

In the above map you can see the existing gardens in Mowbray created in 2018, starting to support the connection of plant, insect and bird movement between Table Mountain and Rondebosch Common, and along the Liesbeek River supporting the connection between Table Mountain near Kirstenbosch until the point where the Liesbeek joins the Black and Salt River. We have funding to do 3 gardens along the Liesbeek to add to the 2 existing gardens there, and would like to add at least 2 to the river corridor in the Little Mowbray and Rosebank area. The sites from Mowbray to Athlone and Bonteheuwel run along the Black River.

For our 2019 corridor building efforts, we would like to double our number of new gardens from 6 to 12 as a minimum, but will strive to add another 6 new one's to that. So, we want 18 gardens at the end of 2019!

Goals

  1. Get urban citizens and residents to participate in a meaningful and truly useful way in urban conservation through growing plants, monitoring birds and insects, and caring for public Fynbos gardens
  2. Improve the plant cover, plant number, and species number of locally indigenous plants at each patch
  3. Improve the connectivity between fynbos fragments across the corridor by planting a string of gardens close enough together for cross-pollination to occur, and to allow insects to move between isolated patches
  4. Improve the abundance and species richness of sunbirds, monkey beetles, bees and flies as key flying pollinators that stand to benefit from and enhance the stepping-stones corridor infrastructure.

Garden Network

In order to achieve a stepping stone corridor, Communitree works on the identification, construction, maintenance, and support of fynbos gardens is public space. Public space is often overlooked and neglected. However, if public space is looked after and cared for, it can provide great environmental value as well as be an asset to the local community. Read more here about our Garden Network.

Projects

Name Status Timeframe
Cobra Lily Bonanza Seeking funding 2019-2021
Insect Highway Project Project is being developed 2019-2022
Pioneers Project Ongoing 2018-2022
Sunbird Stepping-stone Project Ongoing 2018 onwards
The Cape Flats Sand Fynbos Project Project is being developed 2019-2020
The Sour Fig Challenge Project is being developed 2019-2020

Corridors

Name Status Timeframe
Black River Tributaries Corridor Seeking funding 2019 onwards
Fynbos Corridor Collaboration Ongoing 2018-2021
Liesbeek River Corridor Ongoing 2018 onwards
Rondebosch Common - Table Mountain Corridor Ongoing 2017-2021

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Our sponsors

We thank our 2019 sponsors for their support in our work. If your company or organisation wants to help support Communitree, click here to get in touch.