Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve

The Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve is a lowland conservation area located in the City of Cape Town, South Africa.
It forms part of the greater Table Bay Nature Reserve, proclaimed in June 2012.

Location

The Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve, formerly also known as Royal Ascot Conservation Area, is situated in Royal Ascot, Milnerton, South Africa. It consists of the land inside the tracks of the former Milnerton Racecourse and is now managed by the City of Cape Town's Environmental Resource Management Department.

History

The land inside the track of the Milnerton Racecourse has remained relatively untouched by development as well as free of invasive alien plants due to the removal of tall alien trees that would obstruct views of the running horses.

Management

The Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve comprises two non-contiguous natural areas separated and surrounded by the up-market residential development of Royal Ascot. The management of these two areas resides with the City of Cape Town as the landowner. This is accomplished through the Environmental Management Committee which comprises several stakeholders including the Royal Ascot Master Property Owners Association and Gold Circle. The Environmental Management Committee is responsible for the implementation of the Environmental Management System.

Environmental Management Committee

The Environmental Management Committee was established as a condition of the approval of the application for rezoning of the Milnerton Racecourse land from Private Open Space to Sub-divisional Area, by the local authority, City of Cape Town: Blaauwberg Administration in terms of the Land Use Planning Ordinance No 15 of 1985 and by the Department of Environmental and Cultural Affairs and Sport in terms of the Environmental Conservation Act No 73 of 1989. The subdivided erf 25939 is now known as the Royal Ascot Development.

Access

Because of the botanical importance of this conservation area, botanists recommended that the southern portion of the racetrack not be opened to the public. The northern portion is accessible to the public where there is a footpath. Access to take dogs on a leash through this area was allowed in the past, but now dogs are no longer allowed there.

Biodiversity

Geology and vegetation

The Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve has an unusual geology consisting of neutral to slightly acidic sand on ferricrete. It is one of the last natural habitats situated on ferricretes, from where the name Ysterplaat is derived. The vegetation comprises Cape Flats Sand Fynbos, although some elements of Cape Flats Dune Strandveld also occur here. There are 232 recorded plant species of which 12 have “Red Data” status including Cliffortia ericifolia, Hermannia procumbens ssp. procumbens, Leucadendron levisanus, Acrolophia bolusii and Lampranthus stenus.

Water and fauna

There are two small wetlands in the area, but during winter several more small temporary wetlands develop, providing habitat for more than 70 bird species. At least 10 species of butterflies and moths have been recorded. There was a small population of steenbok, but they have disappeared from the area. There is however still a population of grysbok in both the northern and southern parts of the reserve.
; Updated from South African Biodiversity Database as species present on 2011/01/05

; Updated from South African Biodiversity Database as present on 2011/01/05