GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - The Seweweekspoort Pass, linking the town of Laingsburg with the towns of Ladismith, and Zoar winds through the very narrow Seweweekspoort Gorge which covers the Seweweekspoort River a number of times over a short distance of 18km.
Flooding of the roadway as a result of the swelling of the river during the rainy season has necessitated the construction of new structures that will allow the floods to pass easily beneath them, and in so doing, preventing damage to the roadway. Construction of the causeway has resulted in the disturbance of endemic plant material or flora in the area, bringing about the appointment of Afrilandscapes to do restoration work which will ensure that vegetation, which has been moved or shifted during construction, is restored.
Restoration and rehabilitation of plant material includes search, rescue, and propagation work prior to construction. According to Tony Krammer, Afrilandscapes Manager, this component of the restorative work includes either the digging out of certain species with their roots, or the making of plant cuttings, or the collection of seeds for regrowth. Plants are transplanted or propagated into containers and maintained in a nursery on a nearby farm where they will be nurtured until they are ready to be reintegrated into the area.
The micro-climate differs considerably throughout the ‘poort’, resulting in a wide variety of diverse plant species from one bridge or causeway to another.
“Plants are harvested per causeway”, said Tony, “in order that they may be replanted in their initial locations so as to maintain the original status of the plant life in the area.”
The Afrilandscapes team at work with the rehabilitation of plant life in the Seweweekspoort area.
Rehabilitation and planting work post construction will only happen in the coming Autumn and Winter months, and will run for a period of up to 2 years. Causeways which are completed ahead of this year’s Winter Season will be rehabilitated this year, while the rest will be completed in subsequent Winter Seasons.Restoration work will involve the reshaping of the soil after construction, with the spreading of topsoil from the area in the vicinity of the construction sites. The area will then be replanted, maintained and watered, if necessary, until plants are fully-grown and returned to their original state.
“We’re keeping an eye out for the prized Protea aristata during our search and rescue work”, said Tony.
The Protea aristata is a rare protea which was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in this area in the 1950s.
A temporary nursery has been set up on the nearby Zandrivier Farm where plants which have been recovered are maintained until they are ready to be reintegrated into the area.
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