Save Deer Park Forest: Stop Sugarbird Projects now!

[DemitriN]

Fellow MTB’ers, trail runners, dog walkers & Deer Park Forest users — this is urgent!

I’m putting this S.O.S. out as a Deer Park Forest frequent user (mountain biking, dog walking & all round forest lover). I’m seeing this deforestation happening first hand and it is tragic - healthy, mature trees are currently being poisoned, ring-barked, and saplings uprooted, mostly without public awareness. If this continues, much of our forest could be gone within 1–3 years.

The work is mainly being carried out by Sugarbird Projects. While they’ve done well in the past removing invasive wattles, their current approach labels most trees here — including pines, oaks, and eucalyptus — as “alien” and targeted for removal. Their stated long-term vision is to clear forests from Tokai to Newlands and Deer Park to Signal Hill, replacing them entirely with fynbos.

What does this mean for Deer Park?

🚫 Loss of vital shade

🚫 Increased wind, erosion, and dust

🚫 Loss of habitat for birds and animals

🚫 A harsher, less usable park for people

I have chatted to a number of environmental groups in Cape Town. Action needs to be taken. We believe that Sugarbird Projects is acting upon its own impulses and not in the best interests of our community. This deforestation will not only disrupt the natural habitat of many bird and animal species but also strip the community of a vital, green space central to the identity and health of Cape Town.

If you care about the future of Deer Park Forest, please take action now. We are calling on local government and environmental authorities to intervene and halt the deforestation of Deer Park Forest. I have started this petition to present to City Parks and Cape Nature.

👉 Sign and share our Change.org petition: https://c.org/YttswwB8zK

Let’s protect Deer Park Forest before it’s too late.

🌿 Please share 🌿

For more info or to chat please msg me on bikehub.

Kind regards,

Demitri Nikiforos 

Edited January 14 by DemitriN

[betaboy]

Definitely signing on.✅

[Eugene]

I hate to tell you this, but pines and eucalyptus are alien. They are not indegenous to South Africa. I am not sure about oak, but I think that is alien to this area too.

You cannot rob the birds and animals of their natural habitat if this is not their natural habitat. 

If Sugarbird's goal is to turn this into a fynbos area and fynbos is the indigenous flora of the area, then I am all for it. 

Restoring previously damaged areas to its original state can only be good for the fauna and flora

Eucalyptus especially is incredibly detrimental to the environment as they suck up massive amounts of water effecting rivers and the underground water table and everything else that relies on this water. 

 

 

[Sepia]

Exactly this.  Remove the aliens although they are not classified as invasive,

These trees are are huge problem, especially water wise.

 

Oak is alien and Eucalyptus is a great/huge fire hazard. 

Edited January 15 by Sepia

[tinmug]

+1 for fynbos.

Where a hat if the sun bothers you.

[fanievb]

https://sugarbird.org.za/ 

 

[babse]

Definitely doesn't seem like "they acting upon their own impulses"

[Meezo]

correct... not mention what they do the indigenous trees/plants and then as mentioned the fire hazard they can and almost were not too long ago. 

Sugarbird will not be acting on their own impulses and they are willing to engage... so do reach out to them 

[Bro Derek]

This pangs of the lower tokai outrage of the dog walkers when MTO said they were going to harvest their pine trees and Parks put a whole bunch of awesome regrowth plans in place which were all eventually scrapped because the populace decided it would rather have pine trees because shade!

hahahaha

In Parks areas, they have been mandated to remove all non local vegetation and trees. This is an ongoing initiative and involves quite substantial logistics and planning 

Let our mountain be home to what is supposed to be there. Our shade and comfort is not important. We are visitors to the area and creating more space for the creatures who are supposed to live there is first prize. 

[DemitriN]

Hey guys, I sincerely appreciate your comments and insights. I am no expert at all on forestry, but I have spent the past 6 months studying as much as I can. In addition I have previously engaged with Sugarbird Projects to obtain their reasoning for wanting to do away with Deer Park forest. Here are some responses to the common reasoning/arguments--

1. Argument: "Exotic plants/trees have no place in our land and should be removed." Response: Most civilised nations on earth have a mixture of indigenous and exotic plants. Our gardens do too! This adds beauty and variety to nature. Who says that we have to only have indigenous? What benefit is it to us to only have local species when we could have local and exotic? Will it make us feel better about ourselves, as if we have accomplished something great?

2. Argument: "Eucalyptus trees are detrimental to the environment as they suck up huge amounts of water." Response: You will find Eucalyptus varieties all over the world - there have been very good reasons for importing them. New academic research is challenging the presupposition that they suck up huge amounts of water. All large trees suck up water!

The important thing is to consider what these trees do with the water. It enables them to do their jobs. These large trees can be viewed like factories - they absorb odours and harmful pollutant gases (nitrogen oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide, etc) and filter the air by trapping dust and other particles. 

3. Argument: "Pines and Eucalyptus trees do not belong in Cape Town. They should be removed to make way for indigenous species." Response: Let me state, our Cape Town foresters in previous centuries were way more knowledgeable than we give them credit for (e.g. Frank Jarman - see his memorial at the King's Blockhouse). They realised that very few tree species would be able to thrive on the slopes of Table Mountain. The area is swept by gale force winds and the soil is of such an inferior quality that many plants would not be able to be established there. Pines and Eucalyptus are two very hardy varieties that have shown success. Positively they act as wind barriers, while their roots aid in preventing soil erosion and mud slides. 

4. Argument: "Fynbos is the original plant inhabitant of Cape Town and should be restored." Response: There are many, many areas in Cape Town where fynbos can be propagated. Why should all the Capetonians who love and enjoy Deer Park Forest have it forcibly removed from them without any real consultation? To be sure, not everyone loves fynbos. I have read quotes from visitors to Cape Town in the 1700's and 1800's who described the vegetation on the slopes of Table Mountain as a barren, rocky, dull, and unexciting wilderness. The idea that it will be teeming with beautiful protea varieties is not realistic. Contrary to popular opinion, local is not always lekker.

I do hope that these provide some clarity as to my reasoning for starting a petition. I do believe that there can be sections of fynbos, and forest, existing side by side. If Sugarbird decides to lay down the hatchet, be considerate of others, and engage with the public this could be considered.

As I stated earlier, I am no expert, and I am always willing to engage with others and research and learn wherever I can. In the end, it is not a case of one size fits all. So thank you again each one of you for your responses. Happy biking! 🙂        

              

 

 

 

10 minutes ago, Meezo said:

correct... not mention what they do the indigenous trees/plants and then as mentioned the fire hazard they can and almost were not too long ago. 

Sugarbird will not be acting on their own impulses and they are willing to engage... so do reach out to them 

 

10 minutes ago, Meezo said:

correct... not mention what they do the indigenous trees/plants and then as mentioned the fire hazard they can and almost were not too long ago. 

Sugarbird will not be acting on their own impulses and they are willing to engage... so do reach out to them 

 

12 hours ago, Eugene said:

I hate to tell you this, but pines and eucalyptus are alien. They are not indegenous to South Africa. I am not sure about oak, but I think that is alien to this area too.

You cannot rob the birds and animals of their natural habitat if this is not their natural habitat. 

If Sugarbird's goal is to turn this into a fynbos area and fynbos is the indigenous flora of the area, then I am all for it. 

Restoring previously damaged areas to its original state can only be good for the fauna and flora

Eucalyptus especially is incredibly detrimental to the environment as they suck up massive amounts of water effecting rivers and the underground water table and everything else that relies on this water. 

 

 

 

[Bro Derek]

10 minutes ago, DemitriN said:

Hey guys, I sincerely appreciate your comments and insights. I am no expert at all on forestry, but I have spent the past 6 months studying as much as I can. In addition I have previously engaged with Sugarbird Projects to obtain their reasoning for wanting to do away with Deer Park forest. Here are some responses to the common reasoning/arguments--

1. Argument: "Exotic plants/trees have no place in our land and should be removed." Response: Most civilised nations on earth have a mixture of indigenous and exotic plants. Our gardens do too! This adds beauty and variety to nature. Who says that we have to only have indigenous? What benefit is it to us to only have local species when we could have local and exotic? Will it make us feel better about ourselves, as if we have accomplished something great?

2. Argument: "Eucalyptus trees are detrimental to the environment as they suck up huge amounts of water." Response: You will find Eucalyptus varieties all over the world - there have been very good reasons for importing them. New academic research is challenging the presupposition that they suck up huge amounts of water. All large trees suck up water!

The important thing is to consider what these trees do with the water. It enables them to do their jobs. These large trees can be viewed like factories - they absorb odours and harmful pollutant gases (nitrogen oxides, ammonia, sulfur dioxide, etc) and filter the air by trapping dust and other particles. 

3. Argument: "Pines and Eucalyptus trees do not belong in Cape Town. They should be removed to make way for indigenous species." Response: Let me state, our Cape Town foresters in previous centuries were way more knowledgeable than we give them credit for (e.g. Frank Jarman - see his memorial at the King's Blockhouse). They realised that very few tree species would be able to thrive on the slopes of Table Mountain. The area is swept by gale force winds and the soil is of such an inferior quality that many plants would not be able to be established there. Pines and Eucalyptus are two very hardy varieties that have shown success. Positively they act as wind barriers, while their roots aid in preventing soil erosion and mud slides. 

4. Argument: "Fynbos is the original plant inhabitant of Cape Town and should be restored." Response: There are many, many areas in Cape Town where fynbos can be propagated. Why should all the Capetonians who love and enjoy Deer Park Forest have it forcibly removed from them without any real consultation? To be sure, not everyone loves fynbos. I have read quotes from visitors to Cape Town in the 1700's and 1800's who described the vegetation on the slopes of Table Mountain as a barren, rocky, dull, and unexciting wilderness. The idea that it will be teeming with beautiful protea varieties is not realistic. Contrary to popular opinion, local is not always lekker.

I do hope that these provide some clarity as to my reasoning for starting a petition. I do believe that there can be sections of fynbos, and forest, existing side by side. If Sugarbird decides to lay down the hatchet, be considerate of others, and engage with the public this could be considered.

As I stated earlier, I am no expert, and I am always willing to engage with others and research and learn wherever I can. In the end, it is not a case of one size fits all. So thank you again each one of you for your responses. Happy biking! 🙂        

              

 

 

 

 

 

 

Further on this, clearing alien vegetation in TMNP areas is a BIG part of the ongoing primary function of SANParks and TMNP- which is the maintenance and management of the areas as a natural environment.
 

They are tasked primarily to maintain and enhance the Cape's vegetation/wildlife biome as a national park

This extensive clearing has been happening for a long time, not just here but nationally, in order to restore our wild areas back to their original state in order to help our dwindling natural eco-systems endure.

Their main task as an entity is to preserve - clearing the alien vegetation is a core function

By asking them not to do this, you are essentially asking them not to do their main function

[Headshot]

I'm afraid OP, you're not going to win this one.

I know how you feel as a Tokai regular since the 1990's, the loss of those trees will change the feel of the place completely. but, TMNP is an environmental conservation area and as a result all aliens and especially invasive plants will be removed eventually. 

Personally, I'm glad the aliens are getting removed as I love the Fynbos and indigenous forest that is found on TM. Its a pity that at Upper Tokai, aliens still rule the roost and TMNP seems to have lost the plot on how to deal with the problem.

[Headshot]

"I have read quotes from visitors to Cape Town in the 1700's and 1800's who described the vegetation on the slopes of Table Mountain as a barren, rocky, dull, and unexciting wilderness."

That's a 300 year old opinion of some Europeans used to the greenery of their home counties who tried some terraforming by planting stacks of oaks and pines. Not really something to base your petition on IMO.

 

Edited January 16 by Headshot

[Anthem24]

Surely if you have  done so much research, you would  have discovered the alien and invasive species regulations under the Biodiversity Act, which require that pines and eucalypts need to be controlled or removed, particularly in protected areas.

But I suggest you get in touch with Parkscape, which have taken on SANParks in an effort to preserve some shade trees in Tokai Forest. They may be able to provide some context.

[Stoffel76]

1 hour ago, DemitriN said:

To be sure, not everyone loves fynbos. I have read quotes from visitors to Cape Town in the 1700's and 1800's who described the vegetation on the slopes of Table Mountain as a barren, rocky, dull, and unexciting wilderness. The idea that it will be teeming with beautiful protea varieties is not realistic. Contrary to popular opinion, local is not always lekker.

           

"Blasphemy!" 😮 This sort of comment will get you burnt at the stake (on a big pile of felled alien vegetation, of course) in the Cape... Best you keep that one to yourself...

[DemitriN]

40 minutes ago, Anthem24 said:

Surely if you have  done so much research, you would  have discovered the alien and invasive species regulations under the Biodiversity Act, which require that pines and eucalypts need to be controlled or removed, particularly in protected areas.

But I suggest you get in touch with Parkscape, which have taken on SANParks in an effort to preserve some shade trees in Tokai Forest. They may be able to provide some context.

Thank you for your good suggestion! I will so this. Believe it or not, there is some headway being made... I have been informed that even pine and eucalyptus forests have some measure of protection on the grounds of their recreational value for humans.