Park Forum office bearers announced

Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) has announced the officer bearers for its Park Forum.

This SANParks issued a call in April for nominations (“Call for nominations to serve on TMNP forum,” Bulletin April 7).

The Park Forum was established in June 2021 and the office bearers were nominated two months later, according to TMNP manager Frans van Rooyen.

The forum is meant to encourage partnerships in support of SANParks’ conservation goals.

Three working committees will address recreational users and previously disadvantaged groups; safety and security and partnerships; and maintenance and the permit system.

The Park Forum team would serve a two-year term, with the forum’s management serving on a six-months rotation, Mr Van Rooyen said.

The team and management will meet quarterly.

The forum’s chairman, Stephen Floyd, of Tokai, is a hiker, cyclist, mountain patroller, Rotary International member and volunteer SANParks Honorary Ranger. He has run several volunteer working programmes around the park.

Vice chairwoman Nicky Schmidt, of Westlake, is founder and chairwoman of voluntary NPO Parkscape, a community-environmental organisation with a focus on safety. Ms Schmidt has been involved with TMNP since 2006.

Communications secretary Merinda Hill is a community worker who helps poor communities on the Cape Flats and surrounds. She has held senior leadership and management roles in international corporates and has a background in hospitality, events management, and project management.

The Park Forum members include about 40 volunteers in the working groups.

Mpendulo Dlamini, Judian Bruk, Nicky Schmidt, Roscoe Jacobs, Gary Goldman, Vanessa Jooste, Clive Danster, Merinda Hill, Edgar Smit, Frank Dwyer, Fatima Sait, Ronnett Sheldon and Grace Adams are on the “previously disadvantaged and recreational” group.

Andy Davies, Simon Metcalfe, Anwar Adams, John Masilo, Hein Aylward, Shaun MacDonald and Michael Wilcox are on the “safety, security and partners” group.

Gordon Chunnett, Stephen Floyd, Alanna Rebelo, Reena Cotton, Robert Breyer, Nkosinathi Man-O-Man Mazele, Lelethu Lolwana, Penelope Brown, Jürgen Burchelt, Blake Dyson, Francis Minicki, Princess Chantal Revell, Gregg Louw and Ashraf Orrie are on “maintenance and permits”.