Tokai Park

Tokai Park
Tokai Park: a view from lower to upper Tokai Park, with Constantiaberg Mountain in the background.
Location	Tokai Park Tokai Park (South Africa)
Nearest city	Cape Town
Coordinates	34°03′17″S 18°25′55″E / 34.054675°S 18.431933°E / -34.054675; 18.431933Coordinates: 34°03′17″S 18°25′55″E / 34.054675°S 18.431933°E / -34.054675; 18.431933
Area	1,482.63 acres (6.0000 km2).
Governing body	South African National Parks
Website	South African National Parks

Tokai Park, previously known as "Tokai Forest", is a small wing, about 600 ha, of the greater Table Mountain National Park in Cape Town, South Africa. Tokai Park is made up of two sections: upper and lower Tokai Park. Lower Tokai Park is flat, and characterized by the threatened Cape Flats Sand Fynbos. Upper Tokai Park is on the slopes of Constantiaberg Mountain, and consists of conservation area as well as the arboretum. Upper Tokai Park is characterized by Peninsula Granite Fynbos, Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos and Afromontane Forest and noted for its diversity.

Until recently, most of Tokai Park was under plantation. However the lease of Tokai Park by MTO Forestry expires in 2025, and the removal of the last of the commercial plantations has been followed by restoration efforts by South African National Parks and other conservation organisations. Today Tokai Park has over 110 plant species threatened with extinction or extinct in the wild and restored at Tokai. Perhaps the best known example of a species that is extinct in the wild, but which is recovering at Tokai Park is Erica verticillata. More than 300 plant species have already naturally returned. Additionally wildlife such as Cape Fox, Porcupine and Caracal are now recorded here.

Tokai Park is also a popular recreational area, with walking trails, horse-riding and cycling trails as well as a picnic area. There has been much contention over this recreation.

Pine and Gum plantations were first planted on the state land at Tokai in the 1890s. From 1905-1919 William Frederick Purcell, a naturalist of note, recorded over 500 different plant species at his home on Bergvliet Farm thereby creating a species list for the Bergvliet/Tokai Cape Flats Sand Fynbos. In 1998 the conservation significance of Tokai Park was realized. However it was only in 1999 (in a Botanical Society Report) that it was recognized to be one of the top 20 conservation priorities of Cape Town.

Tokai is thought to have been the starting point of Forestry in South Africa. Its most important contribution was arguably the attempted Forestry School (1906-1911). Its failure led to a local training college for foresters in 1912, which was transferred to Saasveld in 1932