Wetlands are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world, which is why the inclusion of Africa’s southernmost freshwater lake into the Agulhas National Park is great news.
Through a generous donation, WWF South Africa was able to secure 90% of the Soetendalsvlei wetland, adding 2 345 hectares into the national park. This acquisition not only expands the park, which lies about 200km south of Cape Town, but also contributes towards the protection of a critical wetland ecosystem at the southern tip of Africa.
By putting this important wetland under conservation management and reducing alien plant infestation and other pressures, the hope is that Soetendalsvlei’s ecological functions will be safeguarded into the future.
Soetendalsvlei gets its name from the Zoetendaal, a Dutch ship that was wrecked off the nearby southern coast in 1673 on route from Jakarta. The survivors who made it to shore walked inland and found freshwater to keep them alive. In gratitude, they named the lake after their ship and were helped by a local Khoikhoi chief and cattle trader to make the arduous journey back to Cape Town.
A critical role
As Africa’s southernmost freshwater lake, Soetendalsvlei plays a critical role in recharging groundwater and supplying freshwater for local agriculture in the Overberg region. It drains into the Heuningnes River, which connects with the sea at De Mond Nature Reserve between Struisbaai and Arniston. Here, an estuary provides both a safe haven for migrating birds and for breeding fish.
A benefit of this expansion is that it will also provide protection for inland salt pans, many of which are under threat in the Western Cape from urban development, mining and agriculture. The area includes rare veld types such as the critically endangered Central Rûens Shale Renosterveld, and vulnerable Agulhas Sand Fynbos and Limestone Fynbos, which face similar threats.
Soetendalsvlei is designated both a critical biodiversity area and an important bird area, supporting over 60 water bird species, including several birds of concern such as the Damara tern, great white pelican and two flamingo species, along with over 21 000 migrant and resident birds that are recorded here annually.
Clearing and alien infestation
It includes pockets of milkwood forests, which once offered shelter to the first inhabitants of this area. Historically, people used the adjacent salt pans for harvesting salt for local use and later to export to Cape Town. About every 50 to 100 years, the vlei’s bed is revealed during droughts and such happened in April 2019 when some of these archaeological and cultural artifacts were exposed.
Among the first management actions will be to clear the alien infestation on the north-western end of the property, and to address erosion control in order to sustain its ecological functioning. SANParks will plan and implement veld and wetland rehabilitation through the Working for Water and Working on Wetlands programmes, as well as oversee area integrity, including fencing, access control and other uses on the land. The main focus will be restoration of the natural habitat.
Dr Morné du Plessis, CEO of WWF South Africa, commented, “We are proud to have been able to facilitate the expansion of the Agulhas National Park with a wetland that plays such a significant role in a functioning ecosystem. We are immensely grateful both to our generous donors and SANParks for their efforts in securing this wetland for future generations.”
