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The Admiralty Reserve forms part of the range of zones that describe the coast along with the seashore, coastal waters, and coastal buffer zone. It is generally described as a strip of land between 45m to 60m wide, inland of the high-water mark. It serves as a development restriction zone, links coastal and inland biodiversity, creates dune stability and prevents coastal erosion.
District Ecologist for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Dr Yvette Ehlers Smith gave a talk at the last Conservancies KZN South meeting Hosted by the Munster Conservancy in Munster. Here follows a summary of her very informative talk which is also available for viewing on U-Tube. https://youtu.be/WoNcGni6zh0.
In our area the admiralty reserve is a relatively contiguous piece of land along our coastline with gaps existing in areas of riverine estuaries. The Admiralty has various legal naval and maritime links stemming from the colonial area but following the establishment of the state of South Africa the area became state owned.
Presently the main function of the strip is ecological, linking biodiversity within the coastal zone and linking the coastal zone with inland. It is INCREDIBLY important for the lateral and vertical flow of game and wildlife. The Admiralty is also economically important for tourism as it provides access to beaches and maintains the natural beauty of the coastal area. It encourages dune stability and prevents erosion when there are storm surges. We have witnessed huge damage when this buffer zone gets removed as witnessed recently with the destruction at Mariners restaurant in Palm beach. The Admiralty strip provides a natural buffer against coastline erosion from extreme high tides and sea level rise. It is our last natural line of defence against the growing threats we face from climate change, protecting our properties and preventing sand erosion by working as a sand trap.
Various types of dune systems and the vegetation that exists on them including the indigenous flora and fauna are encompassed by the Admiralty. The main threat to these areas is anthropogenic (human). We cause habitat fragmentation through development. Even short coastal paths create wind tunnels that lead to erosion and destabilize the dune system causing them to slip. We face habitat loss for coastal creatures where vegetation is removed for views and admiralty paths are widened exacerbating the problem of invasive plants which take over from the natural vegetation. Fire is another threat and therefore not allowed on beaches.
Various legislation has been put in place over the years to protect this important natural zone. The area is referred to as ‘coastal public property’. It is protected by the National Environmental Management Act and the Integrated Coastal Management Act which protect everything from the Admiralty to the tidal zones and national waters. Administrative responsibility lies with the municipalities amongst other entities. They must manage the admiralty in a way that is environmentally friendly but also consider tourism and development, finding a sustainable balance between the two.
Also applicable is the National Environmental Management Biodiversity Act or NEMBA also upheld by EDTEA . Melissa Packree deals with a lot of our local environmental authorization and contraventions of the NEMBA act. There are also laws specific to KZN which Ezemvelo take responsibility for and that is usually linked to plants and animals. We have the KwaZulu-Natal Conservation Management Act and the Natal Nature Conservation Ordinance where most of our rules and regulations come from.
Within the Ordinance there are various chapters linked to game mammals, wild birds, and indigenous plants. We also have the National Forests Act whereby it is an offence to cut, damage or destroy any indigenous trees in a natural forest. Some indigenous plants are protected, and some are especially protected. It is an offence to cut, disturb, damage, or destroy any protected species without a permit.
In essence the admiralty is important not only for aesthetics but also for the ecosystem it supports and the physical protection that it provides from the sea. It provides a wildlife corridor essential for the preservation of our Natural Heritage.
Munster Conservancy worked with the ‘Grat-Tree-tudes’ group of indigenous tree experts to identify indigenous and invasive trees and shrubs along six of the paths of the Admiralty Reserve in Munster. The purpose of this project is to help people appreciate the diversity of plant life and species habitat that exists along this conservancy area. The document includes pictures of the entrances to each path and the identified plants on each path. It can be accessed on our website www.munsterconservancy.co.za or as a pdf Munster Admiralty Paths in the docs section of the Munster Conservancy whatsapp group.
Compiled by Jeanne-Louise Kinsey
[email protected]
Download pdfs of Admiralty Reserve Paths
Original Quality: 36 MB
Compressed: 2.7 MB