Ecologically minded travellers may be up in arms when they see a helicopter flying up and down the slopes of Table Mountain while large trees are being felled one after the other, but they can take comfort from knowing that the whole operation is to protect the Western Cape's floral kingdom from invasive alien trees.
Depending on the weather conditions, the operation – referred to as a Helihack – is scheduled for this weekend (October 6-8).
Helihacks are usually planned over spring or autumn weekends when skies are clear, the mountain wet and temperatures mild.
About eighteen volunteers will take part in the operation, all of them skilled mountaineers and tree surgeons who can handle chainsaws, rope access and other high-angle techniques. Some are affiliated to the Cape Town section of the Mountain Club of South Africa, many of them having been involved in mountain rescues.
The volunteers will be flown three at a time up the eastern slopes of Table Mountain above Kirstenbosch, taking with them equipment such as chainsaws, safety equipment, fuel, food, water and warm clothes.
"This is probably one of the most high-risk operations involving helicopters. It is more expensive, dangerous and challenging than other approaches to eradicating invasive alien vegetation, but it is the most efficient for hard-to-access terrain," said Helihack Founder, Aleck McKirdy.
Professor Ed February from the Department of Biological Sciences of the University of Cape Town, said: "Fynbos is a unique vegetation type, not found anywhere else in the world. That species diversity has led to the Fynbos Biome being declared a Unesco World Heritage Site. The National Parks authorities have to clear the pines as their mandate is to conserve the biodiversity of the Western Cape, which is fynbos. If we don’t cut the pines down, the whole of Table Mountain will in due course be covered in pines. Helihacking is the only way to get into these inaccessible places."
Megan Taplin of South African National Parks said some of the areas and paths in Table Mountain National Park would be closed during the operation for public safety. She added that notices would be put up in the areas that should be avoided.
