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Meeting Chairman - Vernon Head Meeting Secretary – Helen Fenwick Members present 120 Apologies: Peter Nupen, Alan Morris. Quorum: A quorum was declared and the meeting opened after Mel Trip spoke about the 60th anniversary events to be held this year. Notice was given in the Club’s magazine “Promerops” (No ) that an advance posting of the following records would be made on the Club’s website: (1) Minutes of the 59th Annual General Meeting dated 8
March 2007. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MATTERS ARISING: CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Bird watching is a fast growing leisure activity and second only to fishing in popularity and the role of the bird club was to provide a place where people where people of common interest came to learn from each other, share experiences and become actively involved in the conservation of birds and their habitat. The Chairman continued that we must accept that not all bird watchers want to be part of a club, but that new people should nevertheless be encouraged to join. He expressed the wish that one day, if the club reached its threshold the CBC could act as the mother club to many satellite clubs in the South Western Cape and perhaps even on the Peninsula itself. The Chairman then reported on BLSA. It is in the process of re-positioning itself as a leading conservation NGO in this country and Vodacom has offered substantial funding for a new marketing analysis and advertising campaign that if successful will see the society grow significantly. The Western Cape Birding Forum (WCBF) has had a busy year and the chairman thanked Sylvia Ledgard the Honorary Secretary for keeping the Forum members on a tight reign. He also thanked the Honorary Treasurer Brian Dennis. He highlighted that WCBF has registered as an Interested and Affected Party (I&AP), for more than 19 Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA’S) across our region and thanked Keith Harrison in particular, for his diligence and dedication in this regard. The Chairman congratulated Anton Odendaal for the launch of the new Flamingo Birding Route along the West Coast. He also congratulated the ADU, BLSA and SANBI on the launch of SABAP2. He was very kindly invited to be Master of Ceremonies at the very grand and impressive launch by Prof Les Underhill, Dr Phoebe Barnard, Doug Harebottle, Neil Smith and wished their team great success, as the project gains momentum and assured them of our full support. He commended in particular John Carter for accepting the atlassing challenge so enthusiastically. The Forum tackled the issue of education of the youth last year and the chairman thanked Heather Howell, Helen Fenwick, Penny Dichmont, Frank Wygold, Pricilla Beaton and Anne Gray for their contributions. Many activities from outings to camps happen each year and the chairman thanked Mel Tripp and Peter Cooper for organizing the wonderful camps to Karoo National Park, De Hoop Nature Reserve and Nature’s Valley. He also thanked Peter for developing the outing programme.He also thanked Heather Howell for a year filled with informative and stimulating evening meetings and the Courses Committee, of Sylvia Ledgard, Brenda Anderson, Gill Ford, Judith Crosswell and Mel Tripp for all their flair and commitment. He commented that Promerops continues to set the benchmark, when it comes to club magazines in this country and complimented and sincerely thanked the editors Otto Schmidt and Jo Hobbs. He also thanked our Honorary President Peter Steyn for his continued support and congratulated him on the publication of “Antarctic
Impressions”. Anne Gray and Frank Wygold were congratulated on their
Eagle Awards. Lastly the chairman thanked the committee Helen Fenwick, Anne Gray, Dave Whitelaw, Peter Brunwin, John Treasure, John Magner and vice-chairperson, Heather Howell. Finally the chairman spoke about the great year of our 60th anniversary that lay ahead. We are second club to have reached our 60th Birthday milestone and he congratulated Wits Bird Club on turning sixty last
year. Adoption of Chairman’s Report: Proposed - Helen Fenwick, Seconded - Anne Gray. CONSERVATION REPORT The House Crow: After a year of unsatisfactory interchanges with the NSPCA,
attempts to obtain ethics committee approval will not be pursued as they oppose the principle to use poison which is the only practical way to go to eliminate this harmful
alien.
The construction of the Julie te Groen information centre is about
to commence. Contractors have been appointed to construct a gravel road and this should start within the next few
weeks. Salt, mechanical removal and poisons have been proposed to remove the hyacinth. The salt option which is less toxic than herbicides, is being pursued but obtaining truck loads of salt is a major
task. Dr Whitelaw called for suggestions to find a sponsor to allow the continuation of work at Strandfontein when the City Council funding runs out in June
2009. He complimented Eben Oldewagen for his hard work since being appointed in January
2008. Other projects include Adoption of Conservation Report Proposed and Seconded. FINANCIAL REPORT ELECTION OF COMMITTEE
MEMBERS The committee at its first meeting would confirm the following appointments APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR There being no further business, Peter Steyn and Heather Howell both complimented the chairman on an excellent report and the meeting closed at 8.45 pm.
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