Cape Town - Dubbed the “boomslang”, a 130m canopy walkway among more than 450 indigenous tree species, is due to be completed next month.
The walkway, the first of its kind in Cape Town, forms part of Kirstenbosch’s centenary celebrations.
In May 1913 the government set aside the land at the foot of Table Mountain and the Botanical Society was formed in June 1913. Its aim was to encourage the public to get involved in the development of Kirstenbosch.
The “boomslang”, situated behind the concert gardens known as the Arboretum, will give visitors a 360º view of the forest from 11.5m above the ground.
The walkway is the brainchild of Kirstenbosch’s interpretations officer, Alice Notten. She said the idea was conceptualised more than three years ago and turned out better than she had hoped.
“The Arboretum is a part of the garden that one does not really get to appreciate. The boomslang was created to give people the opportunity to get between the treetops,” she said.
Curator Philip le Roux said builders had experienced some delay. They had hoped to have it finished by last month.
Made mostly from steel, the walkway also is built from locally grown pine and the handrail is made of African Padauk wood. - Cape Times