Imagine a place marred with old glass, rusty tins, and building rubble. Now, picture that same spot teeming with over 400 Indigenous plant species and buzzing with life, like Cape rain frogs, angulate tortoises, and a vibrant array of birds and pollinators. This incredible transformation is taking shape at the Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area (KRCA) in Cape Town!
Cape Town, South Africa (17 June 2025) – Where devastation once lay in rubble and debris, new life can bloom with breathtaking beauty when hardworking hands and passionate hearts come together.
This is exactly what happened when volunteers, conservationists and community members joined forces to restore a historically degraded area within one of Cape Town’s most significant conservation sites: the Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area (KRCA).
Led by Nature Connect as part of SER Make a Difference Week, the restoration focused on a section of KRCA that was once used as a rubble dump in the 1960s.
During preparation, volunteers uncovered old glass bottles, rusted tins and building rubble. Through dedicated work, the debris and contaminated soil were cleared, creating ideal conditions for ecological restoration.
Restoring Cape Town’s natural heritage
On the day, 150 indigenous plants propagated in Nature Connect’s onsite nursery were planted by volunteers. These species were carefully selected to match the original vegetation of the area, helping to restore its ecological function.
KRCA is a 52-hectare biodiversity hotspot that conserves Cape Flats Sand Fynbos (CFSF), a critically endangered vegetation type. Remarkably, most of the site has been inadvertently protected since 1881 because of its location inside the historic Kenilworth Racecourse.
Today, KRCA supports over 400 indigenous plant species, including several critically endangered plants, as well as species like the Cape rain frog, angulate tortoises and a wide variety of birds and pollinators.
“This restoration brought people together to reclaim a piece of our city’s natural heritage,” said Llewellyn Williams, Media and Communications Manager at Nature Connect.
“It was powerful to see old rubble cleared and new life planted in its place.”
Nature Connect also produced a short video showcasing the day’s restoration efforts, highlighting the transformation of the site and the power of collective action.
Every act of compassion and every shared effort planted a seed of hope, which has helped transform barrenness into a vibrant landscape of possibility.
Sources: Supplied
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