The theory of conservation: How Rietvlei Nature Reserve does it right!

Ask anyone who has visited the Rietvlei Nature reserve in Pretoria about their experience, and you are bound to hear words such as ‘jewel’, ‘special’, ‘magnificent’, ‘unique’ or ‘exceptional’! I agree wholeheartedly with these feelings of wonder, and will even go further and say that this reserve is a prime example of what modern nature conservation can be! There are many unique aspects to Rietvlei which make it such an important and valuable natural resource for conservation.

I do not make these above statements lightly, as I was fortunate to spend a year at the reserve while doing the practical component of my nature conservation studies. I saw the importance of the reserve for the people of Pretoria first hand, as well as the countless hours of hard work poured into the reserve by both the reserve employees and volunteers.

In this blog post we will be looking at the differences between conservation and preservation and the importance thereof. We will explore how Rietvlei uses its resources as an effective conservation tool for both people and the natural systems to thrive and how this can be applied in many areas of Africa.

Let us jump into some important theory on this subject. Don’t worry though, this will be quick! The first important distinction to make is between conservation and preservation, with these two terms often being used interchangeably. Although they do both aim to protect nature and natural systems, they differ significantly at their root. At the heart of conservation lies the principle of sustainable use and utilization of nature and its resources by people, while protecting and not exploiting natural systems. Now immediately one might think this just refers to highly invasive activities such as mining or logging. This is however false. This utilization includes all human activities from tourism and recreation such as fishing or camping to water treatment plants or responsible hunting. The main focus here is thus sustainable use.

This is where the concept of preservation differs. Preservation refers to completely protecting a natural system by prohibiting any resource use and thus largely keeping human activity out of the area. We can almost think of it as figuratively ‘fencing off’ an area to keep people out and nature in.

So which one is correct could be the next question? Well the short answer: BOTH! Not one of these two can be classified as exclusively right or wrong as there is a place for both.

Modern nature philosophy incorporates both of these concepts. This philosophy believes that we cannot take humans completely out of the equation as we do need resources for a growing population and this can be done in a sustainable manner. It further realizes that by only preserving nature we are effectively saying that humans are not part of nature, which is also not true. It does however realize that there are natural areas which are extremely fragile or rare and which should be afforded extra protection in the form of preservation.

The question asked above can be further answered by saying that the method (conserving or preserving) of protection is highly dependent on the specific characteristics of an area or ecosystem. Although Rietvlei for example is generally regarded as a conservation property, there are also highly sensitive vlei areas on the property which are not open to the public. This being an area of preserved nature on a conservation property.

So let’s get back to exploring Rietvlei as a conservation property. At the very start I mentioned that I feel Rietvlei can be a great example for many other conservation areas. To further this opinion, we must look at which conservation activities take place at the reserve. Let us look at some general information about the reserve and the significance of Rietvlei in relation to conservation.

Rietvlei is an approximately 4000-hectare reserve located within the city limits of the City of Tshwane. Already we can see how this increases the accessibility of the reserve for visitors, as it is figuratively right on their doorstep. The reserve consists of two dams, a vlei system and rolling grassland hills consisting mostly of the highly threatened bankenveld vegetation type. The water treatment plant located at the main dam supplies around a quarter of Pretoria with fresh water and was one of the initial reasons for the protection of the area and the subsequent proclamation of the nature reserve.

The reserve is home to a host of birds, reptiles and mammal species, most importantly the near threatened white rhino and vulnerable cheetah. The latter forming part of the endangered wildlife trust’s Cheetah metapopulation project which aims to increase genetic diversity of Cheetah populations through their rotational breeding programme. The Rietvlei coffee shop is located in one of the historic farmhouses on the reserve and is a living piece of history with old photos, appliances and stories throughout the house.

From a recreational point of view, the reserve is a bustling hub of activities. A big focus is put on environmental education with school groups often coming for a visit. There are also various guided game drives and hikes taking place for visitors and the opportunity for the public to come for a self-drive or enjoy a relaxing picnic or braai at the Marais dam picnic area.

The reserve is managed by the City of Tshwane with a high level of assistance from the Friends of Rietvlei who are a volunteer organisation helping with various infrastructure and conservation activities. This shows how conservation can flourish when there is collaboration between governments and civil organizations as many members of the public are willing and able to help where the opportunity arises. Many such groups exist over Africa from national parks to municipal reserves. How cool is that!

Through combining the physical characteristics of Rietvlei with the utilization of the reserve by the public, we now see exactly how conservation happens in a real-world scenario. Within the reserve the aspects mentioned above exists, such as the vegetation types, waterways and animals. These aspects thus need to be protected. For this protection to take place, financial and labour resources and knowledge is needed.

At the same time, the people of the region require resources and have a need for recreation activities. This is obtained from the reserve through the water provided, the game drives and educational activities mentioned above. By allowing these activities to take place within the reserve in a controlled and sustainable manner, the reserve gains funds to conserve the natural systems and keep the history and cultural heritage of the area alive. Thus, humans are not removed from the system but are celebrated as part of it, and the critical natural systems can survive and thrive through sustainable and ethical management and use.

You may now be wondering how we can use this model in other places throughout our continent? The answer can be found in both formal and informal conservation efforts. As mentioned before, the location of Rietvlei in such close proximity to Pretoria is of vital importance. It reinforces the idea that nature should not be a faraway concept but close to where we work and live. Many cities have potential areas which can be used to proclaim public reserves to bring nature closer to the cities. Many of these reserves already exist and can be further increased to create areas where human activities and environmental protection can co-exist.

The way that the reserve is managed through formal management and volunteer groups is just as important. Through collaborations between management and volunteers, it further emphasizes the concept that we as humans should have an active and present role in conserving the natural and cultural heritage which we are blessed with.

The conservation principles of sustainable use and utilization can also be incorporated more informally in many aspects of life, from everyday activities of individuals at home to business practices of large corporations. This shows that conservation can go far beyond formal conservation areas and can include conscious decision making and a mindset change in order to minimize overutilization and environmental degradation.

Rietvlei nature reserve truly is a gem of Pretoria and a shining example of conservation done right. A beacon of hope for the protection of our special natural heritage. If you ever have the opportunity to visit the reserve I would highly recommend it, and I hope you look at all of it through a new kind of conservation lens.

Be filled with nature.

Willem🐛