The Cape Bird Club
Invasive vegetation removal - "hacking".
This is a working relationship with the City and the Cape Bird Club.
We need more volunteers to help, as a number of regulars have had to move on for various reasons.
Where
The Cape Bird Club has a long history at Zandvlei, and has had monthly
'hacks' started by
Alan Morris in 1978. He initiated the practise for the Cape Bird
Club when he was Chairman. Alan grew up in Muizenberg and knew the area well.
Bill Rudings took over as leader in 1985 and subsequently Gavin Lawson in 1991.
In 2006 the Wildwood Bird Sanctuary changed dramatically to be called the Greater Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve. It is now a local authority nature reserve, whereas it had no legal status before. It has changed from 24 hectares to 96 hectares, and includes all the water surface of Zandvlei to the mouth and a number of terrestrial areas surrounding the vlei, including Bokmakierie Park in Bath Road. This process took about 6 years to achieve by the 'local interest groups' with the City.
We work in an adjacent Sandplain Fynbos area called Grysbok Park. Currently we are clearing a remaining biodiversity corridor from Muizenberg to Zandvlei across Old Boyes Drive to help connect the coastal strip from the Table Mountain pennisula to the Koegelberg Biosphere. This area is made up of Granite Fynbos which has introduced new plant and other species to the Reserve.
When
The 'rehabilitation' takes place every, 2nd Saturday afternoon of the month at 14h00.
Contact Gavin Lawson
021 705
5224.
Why
The idea is to remove these species, so that the biodiversity of indigenous plant species may be encouraged. This also promotes the diversity of other living species, which make up or are part of habitats and ecosystems.
The exotic invasive vegetation often dominates areas, where it grows and therefore suppresses the indigenous plants. The exotic plants grow very quickly, removing large amounts of water from the soil and creating a shade covering
canopy. This canopy prevents the sunlight reaching the ground, where the low growing ground covers and seedlings struggle to grow.
The invasive plants can and some do alter the soil characteristic by adding
nitrogen to it. The fynbos vegetation usually grows in nitrogen poor soils.
This is an opportunity to "give back" with some of your time and effort. You can also learn and see more of the surrounding Nature Reserve, where we as CBC members enjoy regular outings, and have done so for many years.
Alan Morris (who initiated the hacks at
Zandvlei in the 1970s when he was Chairman of the CBC),
David Osborne and Una Hartley - Wildwood Island 05/12/2004.
Una Hartley a non - CBC member, has hacked and cleared litter continuously for more than 25 years at Zandvlei. A big thank you to Una for all the dedicated effort, time, enthusiasm, hard work and friendship you have given.
- What are you doing to conserve the birding habitat at the Zandvlei Nature Reserve?
- Would you like to help?
2012.
January.
Bert took the shortest steepest route up the slope. We took the longest easiest route and it took most of the afternoon to reach the target area to do the work planned. We did not see Bert till it was almost time to go home and he had run out of herbicide. It was a hot afternnon fortunately there was a breeze. Sue and Catherine collected arms full of glass bottles from the drinking parties, for recycling.
Milan checking the names of the various invassives.
Catherine clearing stems of a large manatoka tree cut down last month.
Sue and Milan starting where they left off last year.
This is the stump of a Spanish broom plant / tree. It was about 3.5 metres tall, the largest ever cut down on any of our clearing afternoons. Note it has a dark and very hard centre similar to a rooikrans tree.
Bert after chopping down plenty of shelters for drinking parties under the manatoka trees.
