Experts sound warnings

The metro needs to mount a bigger, firmer presence in the Baakens Valley to avoid “environmental vigilantism”.

That is the view of veteran conservationist and former district environmental law enforcement officer Arnold Slabbert.

Slabbert said the bulldozing of the bush between Hallack Road and Target Kloof had clearly not been done with any expert oversight.

“It’s not an alien clearing project, it’s a hack project.

“The facts seem to be still emerging, but the bottom line is where civil servants are paid to act and they don’t, can you blame residents for environmental vigilantism? We have to avoid that situation.”

Hallack Manor owner Arnold Olbe said on Monday he and his wife had been away and had returned home to find a great swathe of cleared bush opposite their guesthouse.

“Vagrants and security have been a concern. But the Baakens Valley is beautiful and one of our assets and this situation now is certainly not attractive to our guests,” Olbe said.

“We needed action to deter the vagrants and criminals. But I wonder if this has been co-ordinated correctly.”

Veteran Baakens Valley Preservation Trust member Steff Schenk said much of the bush in the area comprised invasive alien species and there was no problem with removing these plants and trees.

“But there has to be monitoring of interventions like this otherwise it may be a really important patch of vegetation next time.”

The municipality was the custodian of the valley and the trust called for it to take a more proactive approach, he said.

“I can understand the frustration of residents and if they can now stabilise the area with some kind of indigenous vegetation or grass that would be good.”

Residents of Chelmsford Avenue just down Target Kloof from the cleared area said they had not been contacted about plans to clear the area and there had been a number of milkwood trees destroyed.

While they were happy that the vagrants had been forced out, the feeling was that the approach was extreme.

Environmental consultant Dr Mike Cohen said if the site that had been cleared was demarcated public open space, permission would have been needed from the provincial environment authority.

“That would have required a site visit and assessment of the different clearing options and identification of indigenous species.

“One sympathises with the residents but there has to be proper management for interventions like this.”