The Cape Bird Club

MINUTES OF THE CAPE BIRD CLUB CONSERVATION COMMITTEE

Minutes of the meeting held on Sat 6 June 2009 at Klein Perle, Pearly Beach.

Present: Dave Whitelaw, Gavin Lawson, Felicity Ellmore, Cliff Dorse, Suretha Dorse.

Apologies: Doug Harebottle, Frank Wygold, Isabella Haydon.

1. Strandfontein – Dave spoke to Michal Toll about the sludge pans – he agrees they need to be moved. He is writing it into the management plan without a time frame. Martin Thompson had a plan for the sludge pans.

• Joanne is finalising a new Memorandum of Understanding to pay Victoria RX/month.
• Victoria hasn’t been using all the funds available. She has mapped the Hyacinth and started removing it from the less infested areas but nothing has been done about the big pan. She must send Gavin information for the website. Victoria has been sent the dates for the Strandfontein counts – she must join them.
• Asieff is manager of False Bay Ecology Park – has 3 site managers under him.
• Wetlands Forum Meeting – Kate Snadden presented – Standfontein has the highest status for an artificial wetland.

2. Paarden Eiland – Franks is not getting evicted.

3. Raapenberg - At the last TRUP meeting (May 8th), it was confirmed that Swish Properties had pulled out of the River Club lease takeover. They had expected to get a good deal on the land - possibly because they had a good relationship with someone high up in Transnet, who was no longer going to be in a position to help them. This happened just before the April elections.

• So Terry Dickinson is still the lease-holder.
• James Cooper is now working two days a week at Raapenberg, two days on the Liesbeek River and one day at Rondebosch Common. Friends of the Liesbeek are funding his time on the river. Isabella will be taking up the bird counts again, with James, hopefully, as well as a student or two to show them the ropes.
• Owen Kinahan has resigned as chair of TRUP. Liz McDaid will take over as chair.
• Another concern is the issue of land which the provincial government signed over to National, days before the election, which Helen Zille has been questioning. Not sure exactly which pieces of land are involved, but it probably includes Oude Molen, maybe also Valkenberg, and other areas not part of TRUP.

 4. Edith Stephens – Dave has been trying to organise for Stacy to take the kids to Boulders but it is proving difficult. Edutrain is an option – Dave will speak to Stacy.

• Heather was meant to give a talk during Bird Week but she had laryngitis. Ringing did happen.
• They have a strategy for removing the hyacinth.

5. Flamikvlei – Dave got a letter from the Berg River municipality – according to the letter the decision to move the Urban edge was taken 3 years ago which is not true.

• Suretha will contact Lisa Petersen who is the case officer for the application. CBC contact should be through the case officer.
• De Plaat – nothing happening.

6. Bantamsklip – Area is geologically unstable. Should rather look up the West Coast, other side of the Olifants River.

• For Biodiversity should look at areas with greater biodiversity becaue there will be a large area conserved.

7. House Crow - Louis has decided to suspend the program. They have reached the end of budget and need to do things legally to continue. Gerhaard Verdoorn has suggested we go for full registration of the starlicide. Louis has submitted the application.

• If we stop now we are wasting all the money that has been spent. Cliff will speak to Louis about other options.

8. Dassenberg – Still have to get approval to subdivide.

9. Windfarms – nothing to report.

10. Koeberg – on appeal.

11. CBC Website – Gavin will put the minutes on the website.

12. Boulders penguins – they are spreading into residential areas and some nests are overheating.

• Dave contacted Rob Crawford. Around St Croix where there is a no fishing zone the foraging area has decreased.
• Ross Wanless said that one problem is that MCM don’t take into account Penguin bycatch when setting fishing quotas.
• Ask Monique to come to one of our meetings or send her a series of questions.

Thanks to Dave for providing a great venue for a meeting.

NEXT MEETING – 27 July at Dave’s house.