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38-630: Its collection of specimens numbers over 320 000, making it the third largest university herbarium in the Southern Hemisphere. The collection is highly representative of the Cape Flora and also houses many type specimens. The international herbarium abbreviation BOL is used when referring to the Bolus Herbarium. Although the building caught on fire during the 2021 Table Mountain fire , which gutted several other collections in

76-476: A great many wild animals and there are at least 9 plant species which occur nowhere else in the world. This vegetation is severely threatened, mainly by invasive alien plants. A total of 13 of this ecosystem's plant species are classed as endangered , two of them critically . One local species, the Wynberg Conebush , is now extinct . This is actually a type of Cape Winelands Shale Fynbos , which

114-418: A lack of evidence. An investigation into the cause of the fire by South African National Parks concluded that the fire was most likely started by arsonists in throwing a fire starting object out of a vehicle. Newlands Forest Newlands Forest is a conservancy area on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain , beside the suburb of Newlands, Cape Town , South Africa. It is owned and maintained by

152-467: A large expanse of growing land, the City Parks team grow a wide range of plants to be used in the centre islands of Cape Town's highways and public service areas. It has also recently begun a project to grow and reintroduce indigenous species of tree to Newlands Forest, with the long-term aim of rehabilitating the original afro-temperate forests. The Newlands Reservoir (see Map Image) was built in

190-562: A large part of the original building was maintained. The home, affectionately known by residents as "The Reservoir" , has been home to a few well known Cape Town residents since it was built. Perhaps the best known resident being Father Kevin Robarts, a popular figure well known in the Newlands Parish. Since Father Robarts' passing in late 2007, the house has been maintained by his remaining family. In 2010, Father Pearce took over from

228-429: A natural transition zone between endangered Granite Fynbos and Peninsula Shale Fynbos , in an area that also originally supported large indigenous forests . In the late 1800s, much of the indigenous forests were felled, and the fynbos cleared, to make way for commercial pine plantations , which still remain and account for the remainder of the land. This is an endangered vegetation type, which can still be found on

266-574: A new function as a recreational area. The Fire Station operates emergency bushfire fighting from the Newlands base, running water dumps with three helicopters. The Fire Station also serves as the Headquarters of the growing Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS) fire fighting group. The City Parks Nursery (see Map Image) is maintained and ran to supply the public areas of Cape Town with a wide range of flora. Including four large green houses and

304-723: A vast majority of the African Studies Published Print Collection (about 70,000 items) and the entirety of the African Studies Film Collection DVDs (about 3,500 items) had been destroyed, along with documents relating to the university itself as well as any manuscripts or archives being kept in the Reading Room for digitization or after being digitized, but that the rare and antique collections kept underground, including significant documentation and works of

342-457: Is engaged in a project to grow indigenous trees and plant them out, with the aim of eventually rehabilitating the original forests. The major threats come from invasive alien plants such as Australian Cheesewood , Bugweed , Black Wattle , Lantana , Privet and Pine trees. Indigenous afrotemperate forests such as those at Newlands have a significant socio-economic value, due to their use for recreation such as hiking, their role in preserving

380-402: Is mainly found far to the east of Cape Town in the "Boland" region . The patch that occurs around Newlands Forest is a natural outlier, isolated in the middle of Cape Town. The soils are naturally poor and slightly acidic but the biodiversity is incredibly rich. The vegetation consists of a diverse array of Protea , Erica , geophyte and daisy species, as well as some endemic species. In

418-527: Is so effective that pine or gum forests in southern Africa eventually turn into monocultures or "green deserts". Consequently, there is also a policy in place to regularly "thin" the remaining plantations, in order that some other species can survive in between the pines. The original inhabitants of the area were the Khoi-khoi , who migrated and herded their cattle over much of what is now the city of Cape Town . Jan van Riebeeck (the first Dutch governor of

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456-616: The Annals of the Bolus Herbarium . Later, Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium appeared. 33°57′23″S 18°27′42″E  /  33.9565°S 18.4617°E  / -33.9565; 18.4617 2021 Table Mountain fire The 2021 Table Mountain fire (also known as the Rhodes Memorial fire or Cape Town fire ) is a major fire that started on 18 April 2021 in and around Table Mountain National Park and

494-459: The Cape Colony ) came across the extensive indigenous forests on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain and called them collectively "Boschenheuwel" . Due to the need for timber, the local afro-temperate forests were, by the late seventeenth century, being severely over-exploited, and the colonial government issued a series of (largely ineffectual) laws to protect the forests. By the close of

532-632: The San and Khoi people who lived in the area in the 1870s, had been preserved. The H.W. Pearson building caught on fire, although the Bolus Herbarium housed within narrowly escaped destruction and water damage. One of the damaged sections was the Plant Conservation Unit, which studies fossil pollen and compared historical photos of sites with the sites in the present day. Their photos are thought to have been digitized, and

570-646: The Table Mountain National Parks Board, along with the City Parks Department of Cape Town, and includes a Fire Station, Nursery and Reservoir. The forest itself is a popular walking and jogging destination (See trail map below), close and easily accessible from the city's southern suburbs. Due to its location on the mountain slopes, there are impressive views eastward over the Cape Flats . Newlands Forest lies at

608-639: The Western Cape 's water supply, and their natural production of an enormous range of medicinal plants . In Newlands Forest, there are also 2 types of commercial plantation, Pines ( Pinus radiata , Pinus pinaster ) from Europe and America, and Gums ( Eucalyptus lehmannii ) from Australia. Over many decades, large swaths of the Cape Peninsula were cleared of their indigenous vegetation types to make way for commercial logging, and these two species were imported and cultivated en masse to supply

646-686: The 60's by the then Afrikaans Government. A tribute to South African engineering and construction of the time, it serves as the main potable water source of the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town. Water is stored, treated and distributed from this site. Also included in the conservancy land are a number of Council Houses owned by the City Parks Board. Of the eight houses, one is particularly well known for its classical design and scenic location. The original building, constructed in 1965, underwent minor alterations between 2000 and 2003. However

684-516: The Cape Peninsula in areas that were partially or totally protected from seasonal fires. Wherever fires are naturally more frequent, the forests give way to various types of fynbos . However, the streams and kloofs of Newlands ensure that fires are relatively infrequent here. Several patches of indigenous forest survive at Newlands, mostly higher up the mountainside where historically they were safer from logging. Mature examples of this forest are dominated by several species of massive tree which compose

722-471: The Cape timber industry. These species were chosen for their fast growth, the quality of their wood and their straight uniform growth which made them easy to harvest. However, they rapidly spread and became invasive. When the logging was eventually stopped, the final crop of trees was allowed to remain un-harvested, and today forms an important recreational area for the inhabitants of the surrounding suburbs. Both

760-502: The Department of Public Works and used by Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi had been “completely destroyed”. All academic activities at UCT were suspended for two days following the fire, with some student residences closed and students unable to return to their residences. Most students were able to return to Smuts and Fuller Halls on 7 May . As of 2023, a substantial programme is still ongoing to rescue and restore items damaged in

798-549: The Jagger Library, and to restore the library itself. Mostert's Mill was repaired by the Friends of Mostert's Mill, a non-profit organisation; by March 2023, it was reported that the mill had been almost completely restored. The Rhodes Memorial restaurant remained closed two years after the fire. On 18 April at 20:10 SAST, a 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of starting the blaze but later released due to

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836-595: The South African College (which changed its name to the University of Cape Town on April 2, 1918) inherited his herbarium; a library featuring many expensive, unique, and rare books on botany ; and a substantial amount of money for the maintenance and expansion of the collection. In 1924, a dedicated building was erected for the herbarium in Kirstenbosch, but it proved unsuitable later. Therefore,

874-435: The eighteenth century most were gone, excepting a few pockets on the steep upper slopes of the mountain. As indigenous wood supplies declined, the authorities decided to clear the eastern slopes of Table Mountain for commercial plantations. Fast-growing tree species such as Eucalyptus and Pinus radiata were chosen, and imported for cultivation. These trees also had the advantage of being tall, uniform and straight – all

912-470: The fire had been "largely contained". On 19 April Western Cape Premier Alan Winde stated that a total of five firefighters were hospitalised. At least four of them were hospitalised due to burn injuries. The fire burnt down a restaurant at the Rhodes Memorial and its adjoining chapel. More than six structures at the campus of the University of Cape Town suffered damage. Also affected

950-412: The herbarium was moved onto the campus in 1938. Louisa Bolus was also involved with the herbarium until her death in 1970. Botanical and ecological research at the herbarium runs the gamut. The focus is primarily on Cape Province flora, including their taxonomy , invasive plants , biogeography , systematics , and evolution . Scientists from around the world conduct research here. The best-known of

988-730: The moister areas, the Ericas predominate over the other plant groups. Along with the Granite Fynbos, this is by far the most diverse and richest in species of the ecosystems at Newlands Forest. As it typically grows on lower mountain slopes, which tend to be developed for housing or cultivated for farming, this vegetation is incredibly vulnerable. A total of 23 of this ecosystem's plant species are officially threatened , 7 of which are classified as endangered . Newlands Forest lies in an area that used to naturally support large, dense, shady indigenous forests . Such forests proliferated on

1026-474: The more suitable for efficient logging. The two World Wars each caused a boom in the timber industry and the size of the forests grew. After the subsequent decline in Cape Town's logging industry, some of the plantations were removed to allow for the return of the original natural vegetation. In other places such as Newlands Forest, the final crop was allowed to remain, unharvested, and the area recently took on

1064-526: The morning of 18 April 2021 near Rhodes Memorial, Devil's Peak in Table Mountain National Park. Firefighters were alerted at 08:45 SAST (06:45 UTC ) . The fire was reported to have been started by a vagrant, and spread through old pine trees and debris, generating its own wind, towards the university campus and city. There was an extreme fire danger alert on the same day, with high temperature and low humidity. Initially,

1102-717: The neighbourhoods of Newlands , Rosebank , Mowbray and Rondebosch in Cape Town , South Africa . The damage to sites in the Table Mountain area included the Rhodes Memorial , where a restaurant burned down; the upper campus of the University of Cape Town (UCT), where the Special Collections library was gutted; and Mostert's Mill , a historic windmill that burned down. In addition, five firefighters were hospitalised. The wildfire started on

1140-500: The pines and the eucalyptus("gum") trees are Category 2 invasive weeds. They rapidly seed into the surrounding indigenous forests and fynbos , then gradually outgrow and kill these ecosystems. Consequently, on-going maintenance is necessary, to keep these invasive trees contained within the plantations. In addition, the leaf-litter of pines and gums changes the pH of the surrounding soil, poisoning other plant life. The trees may have evolved this feature to kill competing plants, and it

1178-548: The restaurant at Rhodes Memorial had been destroyed in the fire. The M3 road was also closed, with the fire spreading to the other side of it. On 19 April 2021 (8:00 SAST) homes in the Vredehoek , Walmer Estate and University Estate area of Cape Town were evacuated as a precautionary measure. This included the evacuation of the Disa Park residential complex. By 15:00 SAST on 19 April , firefighters reported that

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1216-577: The resulting smoke and wind updrafts caused by the fire prevented aerial firefighting support from being deployed. Later, over 250 firefighters were involved in fighting the fire and four helicopters were used to drop water onto the fire. By 14:10 SAST, students at the University of Cape Town were evacuated. Official warnings were issued for hikers in the Newlands Forest area of Table Mountain National Park to also evacuate. At 16:05 SAST, South African National Parks (SANParks) announced that

1254-750: The sediment cores they were taken from were housed in a different area, but the fossil pollen lab itself was likely destroyed. The fire also caused substantial damage to Cadbol House and La Grotta (administrative buildings) and to the Upper Campus student residences Smuts Hall and Fuller Hall. A number of other buildings suffered minor damage. The fire also destroyed the Mostert's Mill , the oldest working windmill in South Africa, built in 1796, and four thatched cottages behind it. The government reported that an unoccupied ministerial residence owned by

1292-500: The several collections of plants in the herbarium are Harry Bolus's set of orchids and heaths , H.M.L. (Lulu) Bolus's Mesembryanthemum , Augusta Vera Duthie 's fungi, and Henry Georges Fourcade 's trees from the area between Humansdorp and George . Several botanists bequeathed their collections of flora and books to the Bolus Herbarium. Among them were C. Louis Leipoldt in 1946, Fourcade in 1948, and Gen. Jan Smuts in 1950. Between 1915 and 1928, 4 editions were published of

1330-560: The southern edges of Newlands Forest. This ecosystem is endemic to the city of Cape Town and occurs nowhere else in the world. Existing only on the Cape Granite Formation, it naturally assumes the form of medium-dense tree vegetation, dominated by a variety of Protea and daisy species. The striking and iconic Silvertree grows in this vegetation type and a small population of these massive proteas can still be seen at Newlands forest. Historically this ecosystem supported

1368-412: The tallest canopy; smaller trees which form lower layers of foliage; and a variety of ferns , herbs, bushes, bulbs , vines and lianas (e.g. Asparagus scandens , Rhoicissus tomentosa ). Though not as rich in biodiversity as the various types of Cape Fynbos, these woodlands still contain a wide variety of plants and animals, some of which occur nowhere else in the world. The Newlands Forest Nursery

1406-482: The university including the Plant Conservation Unit, the Bolus Herbarium managed to narrowly escape being destroyed in the blaze. Harry Bolus (1834–1911), a rich Cape Town businessman, began his collection in 1865 in Graaff-Reinet , and it is now the oldest functioning herbarium in the country. In 1903 Louisa Bolus who was a grand-niece of Harry Bolus was appointed a Curator of the herbarium. After his death,

1444-629: Was the special collections department of the UCT Libraries system, housed in Jagger Library , part of the research wing of UCT's main library. Although a fire detection system prevented the fire from reaching the rest of the main library, the reading room of Jagger Library was gutted by the flames, and some of the rare collections in the special collections department, which held over 1,300 collections and over 85,000 books and other items, were likely lost. A later assessment found that

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