The Cape Bird Club

MINUTES OF THE CAPE BIRD CLUB CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 22 February 2010 at Dave’s house.

Present: Dave Whitelaw, Felicity Ellmore, Frank Wygold, Gavin Lawson, Doug Harebottle.
Apologies: Cliff Dorse, Suretha Dorse.

1. Strandfontein - Someone has been flying over pan P2 in a microlite - there is a law regarding flight height over Strandfontein. He has been tracked down and they have an apology from him.

  • Gavin received a report from Victoria but he can’t read it on his computer - he asked her to send it again but she hasn’t done that yet.
  • Are working on the info centre - building a wall on the top to stop people climbing onto the roof.
  • Pan S3 is being drained to dry out the hyacinth.

2. Paarden Eiland - They are laying a sewage pipe line along the hospital fence, entering the pump house. There is an open trench 4m wide and 1,5 m deep along the length of the path. They have completely destroyed the path - Frank has photos. Gavin will find out who the area manager for roads and stormwater is - write to him/her. Approach Bernadette le Roux - find out how to take the story to the portfolio committee.

  • Frank has received notice - must be out by the end of April 2010. Robin Carlisle will help him.
  • Yesterday Frank found out that the scouts have cleared their stuff out of the scout hall and will not be needing it any more. The council gave Frank permission to use it years ago subject to the scouts not needing it. Frank had a meeting with Bernadette le Roux today so that Frank could explain that he has prior claim to use the place as other organisations are now also wanting to use it. It would be suitable for Frank to live in and for the field study centre. Would need containers for storage.
  • Gavin will ask Dave Privett about the history of the scout hall - he was involved. The scouting organisation claim to have built the building.
  • Gavin has spoken to Allie Ashwell, she is interested in helping Frank, taking groups to the centre. Frank suggested that maybe Heather Howell would be interested. Dave will approach CBC to see if there is anyone else interested in helping.
  • On 3 Feb Frank received an email from WESSA - they received R680 000 from lotto, have about R460 000 still to be spent. Must submit a project proposal by the end of Feb.
  • Cliff sent Frank the application form for Lotto so that he can prepare himself for filling it in for next year. Vernon will be happy to help design a place.

3. Raapenberg - Dave went to a Captrust meeting - there are plans for low cost housing in the Oude Molen area. The Oude molen committee were going to try and show Tokyo Sexwale how unique the area is.
Simon Fogarty and Charles Saunders might together take over the Raapenberg portfolio.

4. Edith Stephens - Doug got a chance to talk to Stacy when he was at Edith Stephens. She is still keen to do activities for the Cape Flats Bird Club. One idea Doug had was to take some of her kids to Frank’s W C Field Study Centre.
Try and get Stacy to come to the next meeting. Dave suggested that he and Dave go to see her one morning to start the planning.

5. Flaminkvlei - They have submitted a revised proposal - no development on the South Bank but the rest is as it was. This development was discussed at the last West Cape Birding Forum.
- Need to speak to Pierre de Villiers. Want to put a management plan for the estuary in place. Then the developments will have to fit in with it.

6. House Crows - The last two strikes killed about 1000 birds all together. The final registration proposal is in the pipeline and they have permission to start.

7. Penguins - Dave is still trying to contact Rob Crawford or Lauren Waller.

8. Phillippi Wetlands - Nothing to report.

9. Princessvlei - Nothing to report

10. Other 

  • Dave’s letter was in the Cape Times about Quad bikining.
  • Air estate  Linda du Toit contacted Dave about it.
  • Wind Farm between Bot River and Caledon - Mark Anderson is proposing a study to work out no go areas for windfarms as a report from Chris van Rooyen shows that some areas have problems, others don’t.
  • Applications for mining permits have been made for areas north of Durbanville - areas where there are wine farms now. Now mining permits are linked to the Dept of the Environment. EIA’s have to be done.

NEXT MEETING - 19h30 on Monday 12 April 2010, at Dave’s house 

                                                                                                                                            

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