| De Hel Nature Area | |
|---|---|
 Indigenous forest at De Hel Nature Area. Cape Town. | |
  Map ofCape Town | |
| Location | Cape Town,South Africa |
| Coordinates | 34°00′46″S18°25′13″E / 34.01271°S 18.42015°E /-34.01271; 18.42015[1] |
| Area | 21.3 ha (53 acres) |
De Hel Nature Area is a 21.3-hectare (53-acre)nature reserve protecting a river valley andindigenous forest on the lower eastern slopes ofTable Mountain,Cape Town,South Africa.
TheSpaanschemat River is surrounded by steep slopes that are covered in deep indigenousSouthern Afrotemperate Forest. At the lower end of the reserve is an open piece of land known as “the Meadow” where fruit trees remain from earlier cultivation.
The vegetation type isAfromontane forest, with areas ofPeninsula Granite Fynbos. Several hundred plant species have been identified here, including the strikingSilvertree (Leucadendron argenteum) andErica phylicaefolia. The reserve is also home to a variety of local wild animals, including endangered birds like the Knysna warbler (Bradypterus sylvaticus), and theendangeredWestern Leopard Toad (Amietophrynus pantherinus). Invasive alien plants are a problem; as such weeds threaten both the indigenous forest and the fynbos.[2]
Ancient trails used byKhoi-khoi herders ran through this patch of land, and when the Dutch arrived they established a woodcutter's post here. Subsequently, its forests became known as a retreat for runaway slaves. For this, as well as for environmental reasons, in March 2012 the provincial heritage resources authority,Heritage Western Cape declared De Hel a provincial heritage site in the terms of Section 27 of theNational Heritage Resources Act.[3] This provides the site with the highest form of protection under South African heritage law.[4][5]
