Knysna forest unscathed by wildfires that gutted town
WHILE the iconic Knysna Forest was not affected by the devastating fires, the blaze destroyed the fynbos in the Harkerville Park.
The Kranshoek Viewpoint and picnic areas were gutted by the recent inferno.
In preparation for the Oyster Festival, organisers in Harkerville are assessing the damage to see if that area will be ready for the town’s biggest annual festival next month.
SANParks spokesperson Nandi Mgwadlamba said the forest is accessible and was not at all affected by the fire stretching from Goudveld to Diepwalle.
“We had an overwhelming response to a call for volunteers for geological infrastructure system mapping of lost infrastructure. The team is also getting ready to finalise findings and should hand over maps and a report to the joint organising committee.
“This exercise will provide adequate information pertaining to the loss of infrastructure as a result of the devastating Knysna fires from Rheenendal right through to the town of Knysna,” said Mgwadlamba.
She said the fire is active but now contained.
The Knysna forests are South Africa’s largest portion of Southern Afrotemperate Forests, spanning across some 60 500 hectares of land, from George to Tsitsikamma in the east.
The forest is a haven for 465 species in the forest areas, more than 22 species of amphibians, 24 reptile species, 305 species of birds and some 42% of South Africa’s 290 mammal species. At least 7.1% of the park’s mammals are listed as endangered and 14% as vulnerable.
The Knysna estuary used to ferry people across from suburbs affected by the fire, is also operational and ready for the Knysna Oyster Festival which takes place between Friday 7 and Sunday July 16.
The mystical Knysna forest is attractive to visitors for its indigenous trees some of which are more than 600 years old.
Meanwhile, the Gift of the Givers have offered relief to pet shelters in Knysna, George, Plettenberg Bay, Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage since the fire struck.
The organisation is providing food and medical supplies to pet shelters in the affected areas, Gift of the Givers founder still Imtiaz Sooliman said. The charity has also donated about 5 000 food parcels to individuals and 1 200 liquid and food items to firemen.
“Our bee rehabilitation project has commenced. We now have an additional request for horse and livestock feed. The Knysna fire aggravated the existing drought which destroyed substantial hectares of grazing land,” Sooliman said.