The Conservation Development Framework
This is a document (CDF) described by the Park as "a spatial framework to guide and co-ordinate conservation, development and recreational activities and initiatives in and surrounding the Park". It was compiled in 2001 to tie in with the declaration of the Table Mountain chain as a national park. Among many other things the CDF document divided the entire park area into different "use zones." In its present form it does not contain any restrictions on dogs. The CDF is now up for revision."

The Environmental Program for Walking with Dogs
After the initial version of the CDF was completed, Friends of the Dog Walkers were requested to draft an Environmental Program for Walking with Dogs in the Table Mountain Park. This we did, and after much negotiation and initial disagreements the finished EMP was issued by park management in May 2002 and described by park management in the final section 6 as a "binding 'contractual' document between Park management and dog walkers to facilitate responsible dog walking in the park". This EMP is still in force. It imposes certain conditions for bringing dogs in the Park including a code of conduct which must be complied with. It does not restrict dogs into specific dog-walking areas. Instead it has a short list of places where dogs are not allowed leaving the rest of the park free for dogs under control of their handlers. The prohibited areas are, primarily, the Cape of Good Hope nature reserve, Orange Kloof, Boulders Beach and Klawer Valley restricted military area.

Revision of the Conservation Development Framework
The draft revision document contains a map with various coloured use zones and an associated chart that ticks off proposed activities which would be permissible in the different zones. Dog walking has been categorised as a separate activity from just walking or hiking and if you will look at the Park's map (click here) you will see that dogs would be prohibited from the park's Remote Wilderness and Remote zones. The map is not at all clear because of lack of detail but obviously a very considerable amount of the park, especially nearly all of Silvermine and all of the upper table would be off-limits.

If this proposal is accepted it will be very difficult if not impossible for Friends of the Dog Walkers to secure the existing rights of dog owners later when the EMP comes up for revision. FDW do not accept the imposition of limited dog walking areas in the park.

We believe that time-honoured rights of the people of the Cape to take their dogs with them when they walk in the Park must be maintained.