Spend the new year in Pretoria’s nature havens

The beginning of a new year is a time we often make resolutions to better our lives and the lives of those around us.

One common resolution is to take a turn for the eco-friendly to protect nature around us and lessen our impact on the environment. One way to do this in Pretoria is to make use of the wealth of nature conservation spots scattered throughout the city.

Check out Tshwane’s offerings at these conservation areas to nail your New Year’s nature resolution.

Birds

– The Austin Roberts memorial bird sanctuary is named after SA’s greatest ornithologist, J Austin Roberts and is located at Walker spruit in Brooklyn. The sanctuary features diverse birdlife attracted by the water networks in the park. The sanctuary even has blue cranes and the popular Blue Crane restaurant.

– Bishop Bird nature area near Rooihuiskraal is named after the southern red bishop bird, with a variety of veld and water birds. The sanctuary also has small mammals such as blesbuck, mongooses and hedgehogs.

– Boardwalk bird sanctuary, nestled in the Olympus suburb is a lovely space to see some local water birds and even has a restaurant on site.

– The Chamberlain bird sanctuary is a 2-hectare space in Rietondale. The sanctuary has a small bird hide overlooking a small dam. The keys to the hide can be collected from around the corner at Chamberlains and there are good restaurants close by.

– Struben dam bird sanctuary was built as part of a flood control system for Waterkloof spruit, with water birds, a 1.8 walking trail, and casual fishing is allowed.

Animals

– At Tswaing meteorite crater, a meteorite half the size of a rugby field made impact 220 000 years ago leaving a crater 1.1km wide and 100m deep. Just 40km north of Pretoria, the large reserve around it boasts a diversity of animals, birds, and reptiles as well as hiking trails and museums.

– Rietvlei nature reserve is a huge 4 000ha conservation area that has existed since 1929. It has grassland and wetland areas, with big game such as cheetah, rhino, buffalo, eland and more. Day hikes and game drives are available, as well as picnic facilities.

Hikes and activities

– In 1895, the now Groenkloof nature reserve valley on the southern side of Pretoria became the first game sanctuary in Africa when Paul Kruger proclaimed it as such to protect the herds of animals, especially the oribi, from hunters.

– Bronkhorstspruit nature reserve, or Bronkies, is just a short drive from the city. Visitors can enjoy water sports, fishing, birding and wonderful sunsets around the dam.

– Moreleta Kloof nature area has a number of hiking trails, with the longest at 3.3km. The park has zebra, other smaller mammals, with a bird hide and Rademeyers restaurant for visitors to enjoy.

– Klapperkop nature reserve, overlooking the city, is a nearby spot for hiking, jogging, and walking. The reserve has some larger animals such as zebra and wildebeest, a museum at the fort, with stunning views of Pretoria.

– Faerie Glen nature reserve is a well-looked after space that boasts three hiking trails, with the longest at 4.2km. The park has impala, red hartebeest, zebra, which were introduced after two vegetation types were identified, one of which, the Marikana thornveld, was declared endangered.

Plants

– Colbyn Valley nature area is an 80ha open space reserve, that was created because of the peatlands there. Peatlands develop over hundreds of years in conditions of low energy flow and anaerobic breakdown of vegetation.

– Pierre van Ryneveld nature area is a unique 16ha open rocky plain that protects a threatened veld type, called Rocky Highveld Grassland. This is a great place to go and see unique indigenous plants, with dogs welcome, so long as they are on a leash.

– Wonderboom nature reserve straddles the Magaliesberg in a 200ha park. The park has braai facilities, walking trails, and a water hole, and most importantly, its namesake, the 1 000 year old tree, a ficus salicifolia (fig tree).

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