One of the jewels of the Cape Flats, the geographical location north of Cape Town where many black and coloured townships are situated, is the Edith Stevens Wetland Park. Here, embraced by townships as Philippi, Nyanga, Gugulethu, Manenberg, people and nature come together in an very special way.

The Edith Stevens Wetland Park boasts over 80 species of plants, several reptile species including the endangered leopard toad, birds and small mammals as the clawless otter. Here one can spend hours walking, bird watching, or relaxing on the lawns reading a book.

Apart from being a leisure spot, Edith Stevens Wetland Parksreves as a place where inhabitants from the townships are educated about the environment and environmental challenges such as the waste problems many townships face.

The centre also plays a vital role in social development and job creation. The park for instance trains inhabitants from the townships the clearance of waste and alien invasive vegetation in and around Cape Town, as for instance Eucalyptus and pine trees.

In Other words, The Edith Stevens Wetland park in the Cape Flats is more than simply a nature reserve.

Where?
Edith Stevens Wetland Park,
Lansdowne Road, Phillipi
+ 27 (0) 21 691 8087

The Edith Stevens Wetland Park is one of the highlights of the township tours organised by Cape Capers, a Cape Town based tour operator that promotes responsible and sustainable (township) tourism.

(Source: CapeTownMagazine.com / Miriam Mannak / 17 Feb 2006)