Your committee was active in a variety of fields during the period under review, and I can say sincerity having been in this position for some time now your current committee is a very dedicated and positive one.

As always there are high lights and low lights. A major concern is the proposed Steenberg road extension. If it goes ahead it will have a serious impact on Zandvlei. It is in the early stages of a long process and the formal Impact studies have not yet commenced. The feeling on the committee and particularly of Gavin Lawson is that it may be more difficult to halt than the ring road. You can be comforted by knowing that Gavin is keeping his eagle eye on this matter.
The ring road which could have cut Strandfontein in half and seriously impacted on Zandvlei would appear to have “gone to ground” we’ve had no comments on this project for almost a year. We are optimistic that this may indicate that the project has not found favour with the authorities, although that is not official.

Strandfontein: Some progress has been made, although accurately predicting how the birds will react to changes has not been easy. We have signed an agreement with the City Council for a 3 year period which will extend the life of this project considerably. Monitoring of the pans continues and we had a successful workshop to formulate a management plan. We are waiting Clifford Dorse’s return from the far south before finalising this, which we hope will place Strandfontein on a planned course. There are also plans to renovate a derelict pump house into an information centre. Money has been procured to proceed in a step wise pattern to implement this. The stage has been reached where architects plans have been prepared and costing has been done. It is planned to name this the “Julie te Groen Information Centre” as a tribute to the charming lady whose generosity made this enterprise possible.

Raapenburg: We now have a representative on the Two Rivers Urban Park, and Isabella Hayden has done a sterling job in making our presence felt. There are plans to construct a hide at the junction of the Black and Liesbeeck Rivers. We have also reopened the knotty problem of the River Club’s lack of compliance to a record of decision on revegetating the river’s edge.

West Coast Field Study Centre: Frank Wygold continues to provide conservation education to large numbers of children. He has had his share of trouble issues including theft of apparatus, and squatters. The area also suffered pollution as an explosion of catfish. These were controlled by lowering the water level and it is hoped that a weir will be built to prevent them reinvading the water body. Cliff Dorse was able to assist in having aliens cleared. Despite his “gammy leg Frank soldiers on.

Edith Stephens Reserve: We are fortunate in having Doug Harebottle actively involved in both getting local students interested in birds by way of monitoring the area and ringing. There are also plans to try and establish a satellite club centred round the Reserve.

We have also been involved in motivating against the further development of Myburgh Park near the West Coast National Park, and have also lodged our concerns at other developments up the West Coast and given advice to an environmental club at Atlantis. Developments also on the west coast are being ably monitored by Keith Harrison of the Saldanha Bird Club. A major concern is the proposed extension of the iron ore terminal at Saldanha. This would involve further dredging of the bay with possible deleterious consequences of Langebaan lagoon. We have registered as an interested and affected party and will monitor the process carefully.

Finally no report would be complete without mentioning Felicity Ellmore our secretary who ensures that the committee is supplied with concise accurate notes. Like good governance this sort of service is not obvious but without it the committee would flounder.

Dave Whitelaw
Chairman: Conservation Committee