Edith Stephens Wetland Park

Edith Stephens Wetland Park
A bird hide at the Edith Stephens wetlands
Map showing the location of Edith Stephens Wetland Park
Map showing the location of Edith Stephens Wetland Park
Map of Cape Town
LocationCape Town, South Africa
Coordinates34°00′05″S 18°33′07″E / 34.00147°S 18.55183°E / -34.00147; 18.55183
Area39 ha (96 acres)

Edith Stephens Wetland Park is a nature reserve for wetlands and fynbos, located in the city of Cape Town, South Africa.

The park consists of a large seasonal wetland, with surrounding stretches of Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and Cape Flats Dune Strandveld vegetation.[1] Seven Red Data plant species have been recorded here as well as nearly a hundred species of bird, several amphibians (including a population of endangered Western Leopard Toad), reptiles and mammals. The 39-hectare (96-acre) park was originally built around a smaller piece of land that was donated by the botanist Edith Layard Stephens. She intended it to preserve the rare Isoetes capensis plant, which exists nowhere else on Earth. After subsequent additions to take it to its present size, the resulting park was named after her.

The park is run by the City of Cape Town in partnership with the local community. It now has an Environmental Education Centre, boardwalk trails, a picnic area, a bird hide and a garden of medicinal plants.[2][3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Flora of the Western Cape".
  2. ^ "City of Cape Town Nature Reserves. Free Booklet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-22.
  3. ^ "Environmental resources and downloads. City of Cape Town. Environmental Resource Management Dept". Archived from the original on 2012-12-23.