RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY REVIEWS
PAGE 24
thesen
islands
While the forests, the beaches and the
relocated them to other parts of the lagoon,
other coastal lakes, estuaries and wetlands.
fascinating little towns all contribute to
and immense resources were dedicated to
While this is all very good, what’s really
making the Garden Route a pretty special
ensuring that the size, shape and relative
exciting is that it makes Thesen Islands
place, it’s the lagoons and coastal lakes that
placement of the channels allowed a constant
such a great place to live. The water quality
really set it apart. For a long time estuaries
flow, so there would be no nasty little
ensures that all manner of water sports can
and wetlands were considered “waste” land:
stagnant backwaters, nor a flow too fast for
be indulged in safely, and the health of the
wetlands were “swamps”, and the best way to
aquatic life to survive. In fact, it’s a matter
ecosystem makes for rewarding snorkelling,
deal with them was to drain them, fill them
of pride to Thesen Islands residents and
birdwatching and general enjoyment of the
in and build over them – and estuaries were
developers alike that there has been an
scenery.
mostly seen as convenient harbours if they
increase in both the biomass and biodiversity
were considered at all.
within the development. The placid and iconic
And, of course, Thesen Islands, while being
Knysna seahorses sway in the gentle current,
a neatly enclosed world unto itself, is also
But that’s all changed. Society has come to
sea hares roam the gabions quietly grazing
part of the larger Knysna community. The
realise that wetlands are essential elements in
on a generous carpet of marine algae, and a
development is built on what was once a
maintaining water catchments and preventing
range of fish species swim through the canals.
rather degraded island with a sawmill and
soil erosion, and that estuaries are invaluable
other hard-core industrial elements, many of
breeding grounds for ecologically (and
But getting to this point was not easy. The
which have been preserved and converted
commercially) important fish species.
Department of Environmental Affairs and
into stylish industrial-chic premises for
Tourism imposed more than a h