These are some examples of how the CBC has played a positive role in Conservation and Environmental Education in the Western Cape. Over the years we have dealt with many issues, the following are some recent past examples, particularly where we helped make a difference with regards to funding, there are of course many others.
We take our responsibility as custodians very seriously and this is some examples of how donations can make a very positive, tangible difference.
The Club raised money which was matched by Pick n Pay to sponsor the production of our “Bird Pack” in the mid 1990’s. This project has now been taken over by The Ubuntu Foundation and with minor modifications is used in hundreds of schools throughout the country. This was a combined project with the S.A.Museum and The Ubuntu Foundation.
Bridging funding was provided to keep Clifford Dorse employed at the Zandvlei Nature Reserve for 4 months, until he was appointed to the position in 1999.
Past and present members regularly monitored the Cape Town International Airport runways for birds as potential flying hazards to aircraft. This was in conjunction with management staff. Various habitat changes were implemented to try discourage large birds frequenting the areas surrounding the runways.
R30 000 funding for the Western Cape Raptor Research Programme was motivated.
The CAR project is funded to a limited extent – basically covering the costs of analysing the Western Cape data.
Bridging funding was provided to keep Erica Foot employed at the Zandvlei Nature Reserve for 3 months, until she was appointed to a contract position in 2004.
Funding to the Knysna Warbler project was motivated.
We motivated the funding of the Black Oystercatcher Project with R30 000.00 over the initial 3 years.
In 2002 we donated R3000 to fund the employment of a part time gardener (previously unemployed) and the purchase of indigenous plants (Strandveld – habitat rehabilitation) for the Westlake Wetlands Walkway garden at Lakeside, near Muizenberg.
Committee members administer the Julie te Groen Bequest at Strandfontein. They work closely with a number of City of Cape Town officials.