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South Africa's urban population is increasing, and in parallel, urban green infrastructure has shown an increase in alien tree species, e.g., mulberry (Morus sp.), oak (Quercus spp.) and plane trees (Platanus spp.) to name a few. This causes ecological problems since alien trees are often more water-demanding and competitive than indigenous trees, but they also increase the abundance of respiratory diseases often triggered by an allergic reaction towards the pollen of those alien taxa. In the current study, utilizing 7-day volumetric spore traps, we illustrate that the most abundant tree pollen in the two largest cities of South Africa, Cape Town and Johannesburg, is produced by alien trees with a high risk of allergenicity. This adds another aspect related to public health when evaluating plant species composition in urban forestry and urban ecology, which underlines the urgency of more intense monitoring. More importantly, this—for South Africa—newly emphasized risk for public health underlines the applicability of current directives [i.e., Spatial Development Frameworks (SDFs), localized Precinct Plans, Land Use Schemes (LUSs)] and implementation options in urban planning. Here, we present ideas that may be implemented in such a framework. From both a public health and an ecological perspective, it is recommended to plant indigenous trees like Combretum erythrophyllum, Vachellia and Senegalia spp. that have fewer ecosystem disservices, like a lower impact on public health due to lower allergenicity/lower pollen occurrence and providing more ecosystem services such as lower water needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of its recently acquired world heritage status and the anticipated influx of tourists into the area, the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site in South Africa is currently experiencing pressure for development. Sudden and radical changes to the spatial environment may have a detrimental effect on local inhabitants who have a long history with the site and who have developed a strong place identity. Intangible aspects, such as the sense of place of an area, are currently not integrated in spatial planning in South Africa. This paper aims to explore personal and symbolic meanings, as part of the sense of place of local inhabitants in the Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site. An interdisciplinary and mixed-method research approach was followed in this study to explore and understand what constitutes a sense of place for local inhabitants in the area. In essence, the qualitative study revealed that inhabitants have a deep and personal relationship with and within the area, which contributes significantly to their sense of emotional security and a strong place identity. The quantitative study indicated how the unique relationship with the environment is concretised into spatial environmental characteristics, areas for development and conservation, and preferences and deficiencies in the built environment. In general, the research found a strong conservation-oriented attitude with regard to the natural rural character of the site, especially in the inner core. Basic guidelines in the form of a spatial planning framework, in which the sense of place is anchored, are proposed in order to strengthen the sense of place of the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]