Custodians of Clovelly Beach

Coastal management (CM)  has implemented radical re-profiling on many of our beaches across the Western Cape. The ecological systems in some of these areas are complex and are therefore sensitive to human intervention. Beaches featuring river mouths and wetlands for example, should be assessed according to these specifics.

Clovelly beach is one of these sensitive areas. 
CM has redistributed the dunes in an attempt to stabilise them, with the vision to re-profile the beach and rehabilitatie the indigenous vegetation. 

Unfortunately, this beach is volatile and the high water mark during spring highs as well as some high tides can extend across the netted area. The consequence is that despite conservation efforts, hundreds of meters of netting and plastic irrigation gets washed into the sea in the Pre-Spring high and Spring storm surges that devastated the southern coastline.

CM response is that they will not re-evaluate the management plan for clovelly, but rather continue to re-fence the area as the budget is extensive and allows for this. 

It is our duty as residents and community to call for a re-evaluation. This method is not sustainable. And it does not take the sensitive interplay between wetland and river mouth into consideration. 

Please consider supporting this petition. Community members and residents need to support the recovery of clovelly beach as it is a significant aspect of the entire silvermine system from source to mouth. 

images pre and post coastal management intervention.

Robyn Swart    Contact the author of the petition