Oppose the closure of hiking trails by Cape Nature
Oppose the closure of hiking trails by Cape Nature
The Issue
Cape Nature is slowly and systematically closing hiking trails in the Western Cape. Particularly in Jonkershoek and Hottentots-Holland Nature Reserves. This affects all hikers who wish to hike in these areas, many of who have been hiking these trails for decades, without incident.
The long term danger of this is that without feet on the trails, the paths become overgrown and eventually reclaimed by nature, in the end, they will be lost, and all the history associated with these trails will be gone forever.
The short term danger is that despite the closures, hikers will continue to go there (it is public land, it is only managed by Cape Nature), and in doing so, hikers may get lost, due to lack of trail maintenance, or they may stray off path, trample sensitive vegetation while searching for the path, or worst still - fall and injure themselves, necessitating a mountain rescue.
The reasons given for the closures are sketchy at best, and easily dismissed with sound and logical counter-arguments. If nobody opposes these closures, the pattern will continue, and hiking trails will continue to be closed, because Cape Nature is not maintaining them. By leaving the trails to rot, CN is inviting complaints from the hiking public, and the knee-jerk reaction is to close the trails, citing them as 'unsafe'. The only reason they become unsafe is because CN failed in their mandate to maintain the trails in the first place.
As I type this, the section of the Jonkershoek reserve that is managed by MTO is open for mountain biking and hiking, but the section managed by Cape Nature remains closed. The circular road that runs through the reserve and gives access to the trailheads, is also closed, due to storm damage. This road needs to be repaired and re-opened to facilitate access for all, not just the super fit who can hike the extra 10km to and from the gate!
The results of this petition will be presented to Cape Nature management, to campaign for re-opening of the trails. With your support, we can put pressure on them to listen to the hiking community, and work together with us to solve the problems, instead of just closing the trails.
6,714
The Issue
Cape Nature is slowly and systematically closing hiking trails in the Western Cape. Particularly in Jonkershoek and Hottentots-Holland Nature Reserves. This affects all hikers who wish to hike in these areas, many of who have been hiking these trails for decades, without incident.
The long term danger of this is that without feet on the trails, the paths become overgrown and eventually reclaimed by nature, in the end, they will be lost, and all the history associated with these trails will be gone forever.
The short term danger is that despite the closures, hikers will continue to go there (it is public land, it is only managed by Cape Nature), and in doing so, hikers may get lost, due to lack of trail maintenance, or they may stray off path, trample sensitive vegetation while searching for the path, or worst still - fall and injure themselves, necessitating a mountain rescue.
The reasons given for the closures are sketchy at best, and easily dismissed with sound and logical counter-arguments. If nobody opposes these closures, the pattern will continue, and hiking trails will continue to be closed, because Cape Nature is not maintaining them. By leaving the trails to rot, CN is inviting complaints from the hiking public, and the knee-jerk reaction is to close the trails, citing them as 'unsafe'. The only reason they become unsafe is because CN failed in their mandate to maintain the trails in the first place.
As I type this, the section of the Jonkershoek reserve that is managed by MTO is open for mountain biking and hiking, but the section managed by Cape Nature remains closed. The circular road that runs through the reserve and gives access to the trailheads, is also closed, due to storm damage. This road needs to be repaired and re-opened to facilitate access for all, not just the super fit who can hike the extra 10km to and from the gate!
The results of this petition will be presented to Cape Nature management, to campaign for re-opening of the trails. With your support, we can put pressure on them to listen to the hiking community, and work together with us to solve the problems, instead of just closing the trails.
6,714
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on 27 June 2023