The Legacy Effects of Colonial and Apartheid Imprints on Urban Greening in South Africa: Spaces, Species, and Suitability

Charlie M Shackleton,N Gwedla

doi:10.3389/fevo.2020.579813

Abstract

Colonialism is a significant legacy across most aspects of urban form, the nature and distribution of public green spaces, and tree species composition in many cities of the Global South. However, the legacy effects of colonialism on urban green infrastructure and the uses thereof have only recently come under scrutiny. Here we collate information from South Africa on urban greening and interpret it through a colonial and apartheid legacy lens in relation to the distribution and types of urban nature found and their resonance with contemporary needs as an African country. The analysis indicates marked inequalities in public green space distribution and quality between neighborhoods designated for different race groups during the colonial and apartheid periods, which continues to be reproduced by the post-colonial (and post-apartheid) state. Additionally, in the older, former colonial neighborhoods non-native tree species dominate in parks and streets, with most of the species having been introduced during the colonial period. Such colonial introductions have left a burdensome legacy of invasive species that costs billions of Rands annually to keep in check. Lastly, the forms of nature and activities provided in public urban green spaces remains reminiscent of the colonial norm, with little recognition of African worldviews, identity and needs. We conclude in emphasizing the necessity for urban authorities and planners to address these anachronistic legacies through adopting a more inclusive and co-design approach with respect to the extent, location and types of urban nature provided, as well as the types of cultural symbols and activities permitted and promoted.

Highlights

Urban greening and especially the planting of trees is increasingly advocated as an important strategy for promoting urban sustainability, liveability and resilience (Wachsmuth and Angelo, 2018; Du and Zhang, 2020)
Colonial authorities and institutions deliberately undersupplied urban green spaces and street greening to neighborhoods designated for indigenous black South Africans, which was continued by the overtly racist apartheid regime
The introduction of thousands of species from other continents during the colonial period has left the country with a staggering hangover of biological invasions, which threaten urban and rural biodiversity, ecosystem services and human wellbeing, and which cost billions of Rands annually in control efforts

Summary

Introduction

Urban greening and especially the planting of trees is increasingly advocated as an important strategy for promoting urban sustainability, liveability and resilience (Wachsmuth and Angelo, 2018; Du and Zhang, 2020). Colonial Legacies in South Africa accord with the cultures and meet the needs of local residents because urban trees and green spaces represent symbols or expressions of particular cultures, preferences, histories and planning approaches (Stewart et al, 2004; Hunte et al, 2019). The latter is challenging as urban settings around the world become more multicultural, and especially so in the Global South due to the rapid rates of urban growth (Khan, 2014; Zwiers et al, 2018; Hunte et al, 2019). Despite the growing recognition of legacy effects, only one study in South Africa has explicitly examined landscape history as a driver of species composition in urban areas, that being du Toit et al.’s (2016) work on grassland remnants in Potchefstroom, the engrossing ecosystem services history of Cape Town by Anderson and O’Farrell (2012) has relevance

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Conclusion