The land inside the track of the Milnerton Racecourse has remained relatively untouched by development as well as free of invasive alien plants due to the removal of tall alien trees that would obstruct views of the running horses.
Management
The Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve comprises two non-contiguous natural areas separated and surrounded by the up-market residential development of Royal Ascot. The management of these two areas resides with the City of Cape Town as the landowner. This is accomplished through the Environmental Management Committee which comprises several stakeholders including the Royal Ascot Master Property Owners Association and Gold Circle. The Environmental Management Committee is responsible for the implementation of the Environmental Management System.
Environmental Management Committee
The Environmental Management Committee was established as a condition of the approval of the application for rezoning of the Milnerton Racecourse land from Private Open Space to Sub-divisional Area, by the local authority, City of Cape Town: Blaauwberg Administration in terms of the Land Use Planning Ordinance No 15 of 1985 and by the Department of Environmental and Cultural Affairs and Sport in terms of the Environmental Conservation Act No 73 of 1989. The subdivided erf 25939 is now known as the Royal Ascot Development.
Access
Because of the botanical importance of this conservation area, botanists recommended that the southern portion of the racetrack not be opened to the public. The northern portion is accessible to the public where there is a footpath. Access to take dogs on a leash through this area was allowed in the past, but now dogs are no longer allowed there.
The Milnerton Racecourse Nature Reserve has an unusual geologyconsisting of neutral to slightly acidic sand on ferricrete. It is one of the last natural habitats situated on ferricretes, from where the name Ysterplaat is derived. The vegetation comprises Cape Flats Sand Fynbos, although some elements of Cape Flats Dune Strandveld also occur here. There are 232 recorded plant species of which 12 have “Red Data” status including Cliffortia ericifolia, Hermannia procumbens ssp. procumbens, Leucadendron levisanus, Acrolophia bolusii and Lampranthus stenus.
Water and fauna
There are two small wetlands in the area, but during winter several more small temporary wetlands develop, providing habitat for more than 70 bird species. At least 10 species of butterflies and moths have been recorded. There was a small population of steenbok, but they have disappeared from the area. There is however still a population of grysbok in both the northern and southern parts of the reserve. ; Updated from South African Biodiversity Database as species present on 2011/01/05
Aonyx capensis
Atilax paludinosus
Bathyergus suillus
Cryptochloris asiatica
Galerella pulverulenta
Genetta tigrina
Georychus capensis
Hystrix africaeaustralis
Lepus capensis
Raphicerus campestris
Raphicerus melanotis
Rhabdomys pumilio
Tatera afra
; Updated from South African Biodiversity Database as present on 2011/01/05
Accipiter melanoleucus
Acrocephalus baeticatus
Acrocephalus gracilirostris
Alopochen aegyptiacus
Amaurornis flavirostris
Anas erythrorhyncha
Anas smithii
Anas undulata
Anhinga rufa
Apus affinis
Apus barbatus
Apus caffer
Ardea cinerea
Ardea melanocephala
Ardea purpurea
Bostrychia hagedash
Bradypterus baboecala
Bubulcus ibis
Burhinus capensis
Burhinus vermiculatus
Buteo vulpinus
Calandrella cinerea
Charadrius pecuarius
Charadrius tricollaris
Cinnyris chalybeus
Cisticola juncidis
Cisticola subruficapilla
Cisticola tinniens
Columba guinea
Columba livia
Corvus albicollis
Corvus albus
Crithagra flaviventris
Delichon urbicum
Egretta garzetta
Estrilda astrild
Euplectes capensis
Euplectes orix
Falco peregrinus
Falco rupicolus
Fulica cristata
Gallinago nigripennis
Gallinula chloropus
Himantopus himantopus
Hirundo albigularis
Hirundo cucullata
Hirundo dimidiata
Hirundo fuligula
Hirundo rustica
Lanius collaris
Larus dominicanus
Larus hartlaubii
Macronyx capensis
Merops apiaster
Microcarbo africanus
Milvus migrans
Motacilla capensis
Numida meleagris
Nycticorax nycticorax
Onychognathus morio
Passer domesticus
Passer melanurus
Pelecanus onocrotalus
Phalacrocorax lucidus
Platalea alba
Plectropterus gambensis
Plegadis falcinellus
Ploceus capensis
Ploceus velatus
Podiceps cristatus
Prinia maculosa
Pternistis capensis
Riparia cincta
Riparia paludicola
Scleroptila africanus
Serinus canicollis
Spilopelia senegalensis
Streptopelia capicola
Streptopelia semitorquata
Sturnus vulgaris
Tachybaptus ruficollis
Tachymarptis melba
Telophorus zeylonus
Threskiornis aethiopicus
Urocolius indicus
Vanellus armatus
Vidua macroura
Zosterops pallidus
Zosterops virens
; Updated from South African Biodiversity Database as present on 2011/01/05
Bradypodion pumilum
Homopus areolatus
Pelomedusa subrufa
Psammophylax rhombeatus
Pseudaspis cana
; Updated from South African Biodiversity Database as present on 2011/01/05
