Forests for Life 1: Mistbelt Habitat Restoration Project
Site
Greenpop | Forests for Life | Mistbelt Habitat Restoration Project | Madonna and Child Site 2
Natural Forest Reforestation Conservation Community Area 0,45 ha
Greenpop | Forests for Life | Mistbelt Habitat Restoration Project | Madonna and Child Site 2

Site 2 is located within Auckland State Forest just south of Hogsback village, in the Amathole District of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Geographically, the site is located on a south-facing ridge, surrounded by indigenous Amathole Mistbelt forest.

Geographically, the site is located on a south-facing ridge, surrounded by indigenous Amathole Mistbelt forest. It is unclear from historic imagery whether the non-forested conditions of this area captured in aerial images from 1949 were natural or due to human disturbance, but given the topographic position of the site, it is likely to be the former. Based on historic imagery available, it appears that woody encroachment of the site, likely as a result of fires suppression, resulted in the once grassland area converting to an invasive tree stand by 1985. This condition has persisted until the current day, with the site presently dominated by a dense, homogenous stand of Acacia melanoxylon (Black Wattle). Given the canopy cover created by this invasive stand, and the proximity of indigenous forests surrounding the site, forest naturalisation, i.e. the process of natural forest expansion into previously unforested habitats, is now underway on the site, albeit at a slow rate as indicated by the low density of forest regeneration under the invasive stand.

Two key communities are associated with the site, underpinned by their proximity to the area. The Hogsback community is located just north of the site (i.e. on the plateau above the forest), while the Hala community is located south of the site (i.e. in the valley below the forest). No major public access trails exist in this portion of the forest, and initial site visits indicate that the area is not extensively used by either community for any purpose. Other key stakeholders include DFFE, who are responsible for the management of Auckland State Forest, and hence this site, as well as Eskom, who are responsible for maintaining the servitude under the power line which transects the site.

Year planted = 2017
Total trees planted = 750 trees
Hectares restored = 0.46 Hectares

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