PAUL LOCHNER, CHAIRMAN, INTAKA ISLAND ENVIRONMENTAL TRUST
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My first involvement with Century City was in December 1995, when CSIR was approached by the developer of the Century City site, Martin Wragge from Monex, to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that incorporated waterbodies into the general site development plan for Century City. We worked intensely over the following months with a team of environmental scientists, engineers and planners to generate a design that integrated a 16-hectare nature area and canals into the mixed-use urban development that became Century City. This plan was then approved by the Premier of the Western Cape in 1996. It has been very rewarding for me to be involved at Intaka Island and Century City over the past 28 years. During this time, I have seen the transformation of the Intaka Island site from when it was mostly sand and alien plants with the Blouvlei seasonal pan in the centre, to the initial phase of designating a natural seasonal pan area and constructing the wetlands and canals, to the phase of establishing plants and managing water quality, to experimenting with
ways to re-create a heronry and provide a diversity of habitats for birds and other animals, through to the later stages of providing visitor & recreational facilities, and developing the environmental education centre and schools programme. Two key factors in the success of Intaka Island have been teamwork and commitment to adaptive management. A diverse team has worked together, facilitated via the Blouvlei Intaka Island Environmental Committee that meets approximately 8 to 10 times per year. This committee includes the Century City Property Owners’ Association, scientists, educationalists and representatives from local government and civil society. A diversity of people has contributed their skills and knowledge, much of it pro bono. In addition, the commitment to adaptive management has been essential for a small nature reserve in a vibrant urban milieu. This has enabled the nature reserve and canals to continue to add value to Century City.
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