The Environment:

That is what the annual Kingswood Cares Environmental Day is all about.

Learners from local schools experience what can be achieved with a sound ecological rehabilitation program, which is at the core of the Kingswood Golf Estate's development philosophy.

With environmentalist Cathy Avierinos and a team of experts from HilLand Associates and entomologists from CapeNature on hand, the learners get a new found appreciation for the region's indigenous wealth and the importance to protect the fragile ecosystem.

The Kingswood Cares environmental day strives to compliment in a hands-on way what learners are taught in the classroom. They are made aware of the positive impact rehabilitation of the Rooi River running through the estate, its banks, wetland and forest areas have on restoring the ecosystem. The hands-on activities included catching organisms in the river, identifying and releasing them again in a dam. Learners test the health of the river and the presence of aquatic organisms using the South African Scoring System (SASS), a monitoring system used to assess the recovery of the riverine environment.

Thirty five indigenous trees (White Stinkwood, Forest Currant and Fleur) were planted on the 18th hole under the guidance of restoration-ecologist Rob Syme. They learn about the threat of alien vegetation such as Black wattle, Pampas grass and Bug weed and the methods used to allow indigenous vegetation, from yellowwood, cape chestnut and milkwood trees to key Fynbos species such as Ericas and proteas, to be re-established.

Relocation of black bass

Another Kingswood Cares project was the relocation of black bass, with the guidance of the environmental management consultancy Hilland Associates from a dam on the Kingswood Golf Estate to a dam in Thembalethu.

This relocation, done in accordance with the Kingswood development programme, has not only provided the black bass with a new refuge, it has also been the start of a new era for the Thembalethu farmers' association, a black empowerment project that represents 29 farmers. For them is will provide a sustainable source of income.

Kingswood Estate nurtures nature back to life

Environmental integration is part of the Kingswood developmental philosophy, not only ensuring minimum impact on the environment, but to rehabilitate the Rooi River, its banks and wetland areas

When Kingswood Estate was started the river running through the estate was totally degraded and infested by alien vegetation, mainly Black Wattle, Pampas Grass and Bugweed, to the extent that the river was not visible at all in certain areas. At the onset of the rehabilitation program tests indicated hardly any life in