Spring comes to Princess Vlei

On Sunday, September 1st, about 15 community members gathered to celebrate the first signs of spring with a walk around the southern shore of Princess Vlei to Little Princess Vlei. People from all walks of life, including their furry friends, came together to explore and appreciate the natural beauty of the Vlei. They met at the braai area, where they shared conversations under a blue sky dotted with scattered clouds and a refreshing, chilly breeze.
The tour, guided by Emma Oliver, Bridget Pitt, and Denisha Anand, members of the Princess Vlei Forum, provided a wealth of information on the ongoing restoration efforts at the site. They also shared intriguing details about the local animal and botanical species.
The walk was attended by Chief Hennie Van Wyk and Jeanette Isaacman of the Gorochouqua House. Chief Hennie is a founding member of the Princess Vlei Forum, and one of the leaders in the fight against the shopping mall. Their presence was a reminder of the rich and complex history of this vlei.

As the sun shone on Princess Vlei, white rain daisies and yellow bietou flowers, both native to South Africa peppered the sandy banks. Among the abundant flowering plants, pops of bright blue and violet could also be spotted as the group walked from the meeting point to Little Princess Vlei. These vibrant flowers belong to the common water hyacinth, Pontederia crassipes, and while beautiful in color are an invasive species. Invasive species are harmful as they outcompete indigenous species for resources and lack natural predators to control population growth. Originally native to South America, the invasive water hyacinth is widespread in freshwater ecosystems throughout South Africa. Additionally, common water hyacinth reproduces rapidly and possesses the ability to double in population in just two weeks. Large amounts of water hyacinth around a wetland can gather in waterways blocking sunlight and lowering oxygen levels.
At the Princess Vlei Forum, alien species clearing has become an integral process in the restoration of native Cape Flats Dune Strandveld, Cape Flats Sand Plain Fynbos, and Cape Freshwater Lowlands. Young children and adults alike wandered around the Vlei clearing common water hyacinth by pulling them out by the roots.

Nearby, thistle sugarbush, or Protea scolymocephala, grew in several patches—an example of a successful restoration project. This sandveld species is endemic to the Western Cape and was classified as endangered in 2019. Several years ago, members of the Princess Vlei Forum scattered seeds in an area lacking native vegetation. Now, in the Greater Princess Vlei Conservation Area, more than ten observations of thistle sugarbush have been recorded on the citizen-science app, iNaturalist.
     Weaving through the sandy dunes, several individuals with trash bags kept an eye out for plastic bags, bottles, and other litter along the walk. As stewards work to protect vulnerable and endangered species around the wetland, litter clearing creates an environment where animals and plants can thrive without disturbance. Among these threatened species is the endangered  Western Leopard Toad, Habitat fragmentation and loss due to urbanization and agricultural expansion have led to the population’s decline.  The group listened for the call of the Western Leopard Toad as they walked around the wetland.
Trekking through to Little Princess Vlei, the group stopped at a small hill that overlooked a field of flowers and indigenous vegetation on one side and a view of the water on the other. Carefully stepping over mounds of loose soil created by the Cape mole-rat, endemic to South Africa, the group breathed in the fresh spring air and relaxed to the joyful chirps of birds circling the Vlei.
     Princess Vlei is a public space meant to be enjoyed by all community members. These spring walks are just one of the ways the Princess Vlei Forum is seeking to create space for community building in an outdoor classroom. A big thank you to all who came out and we hope to see you at our next community event!