|
ANNUAL
GENERAL MEETING |
Another successful year
has passed by for Friends of Rietvlei and we invite all
members (and any visitors who wish to attend) to our
forthcoming AGM which will be held:
ON: THURSDAY 25 APRIL 2002
AT: MILNERTON AQUATIC CLUB, off Pentz
drive, Table View
FROM: 7:30pm for paying of subs and collecting
membership cards
8:00pm for business and speaker |
|
Koos Retief, Environmental Site Officer for Rietvlei will
give a talk on "Towards Active Management for Rietvlei". |
We look forward to a good turnout from our members - the
committee works hard on your behalf and they would
appreciate your attendance at the AGM.
|
|
Reed clearing in the
Rietvlei Wetland Reserve |
|
Mr Leonard Henning of
HENCHEM has been appointed by the Blaauwberg Administration
of the City of Cape Town to conduct peripheral weed control
at the pond that borders Marine Drive and Otto du Plessis
Drive, north of the Dolphin Beach Hotel. Mr Henning started
this project on 2 April 2002 and will work until the project
has been completed, but by no later than 30 June 2002. |
Mr Henning is appointed to cut and remove 75% of the
standing plants of bulrush Typha capensis and to chemically
treat the bases of the bulrush reeds after they have been
cut, in order to prevent them from resprouting. The
expansion of reed beds is caused by the nutrient enrichment
of wetlands and water courses due to pollution and
stormwater runoff. This reed clearing project aims to manage
the size of the reed beds and their associated problems by
removing a certain amount of the standing plants. The
management of the size of reed beds is in harmony with one
of the objectives of the Rietvlei Wetland Reserve - to
conserve the indigenous biological diversity.
|
|
Alien vegetation
clearing in the coastal dunes between Sunset Beach and
Dolphin Beach (Rietvlei Wetland Reserve) |
|
The Blaauwberg
Administration - City of Cape Town is implementing and
supervising a Working for Water alien vegetation clearing
project in the Rietvlei Wetland Reserve. The Working for
Water programme is administered by the Department of Water
Affairs and Forestry. |
|
The Working for Water project at Rietvlei aims to remove the
alien vegetation and to stabilise the dunes by stacking the
brush material in wind-rows. The Blaauwberg Administration
will also re-vegetate the dunes with indigenous plant
species in order to re-establish the lost patches of
vegetation, and to prevent the movement of the dunes.
Eventually the dry brush material will be removed to reduce
the fire hazard. The fence between these dunes and the Otto
du Plessis Drive (R27) will also be repaired and suitable
regulatory and information signs will be displayed. A litter
and rubble removal project is also due to commence shortly
with funding made available from the City of Cape Town's "
Mess Action Campaign" |
It has been recognised that the dense Rooikrans (Acacia
cyclops) on the dunes between Dolphin Beach and Sunset Beach
has become a problem. This part of the Table Bay coast is
used for low-impact recreational purposes as well as
offering a scenic view of Table Mountain.The dunes contain
indigenous vegetation types called Strandveld, Dune
Asteraceous Fynbos, and Dune Thicket, which are prone to
invasion by the more aggressive Australian Acacia species
such as Rooikrans and Port Jackson (Acacia saligna). If
these invaders are not removed, they can cause the local
disappearance of indigenous plant species. Furthermore the
dense infestations increase the likelihood of uncontrolled
wildfires, and unlawful activities such as the dumping of
litter and rubble. A similar project is being undertaken in
the coastal section of the Blaauwberg Conservation Area
between Big Bay and Kreeftebaai.
|
|
Table View boundary
channel/berm |
In April last year
(2001) a section of the Rietvlei boundary was formalised
with the excavation of a channel/berm. This work has been
successful in defining the edge of Rietvlei. Further funding
has been made available from the City of Cape Town for the
extension of the channel/berm in an easterly direction. This
work commenced after Easter under the guidance of Rietvlei's
Environmental Site Officer, Koos Retief. For enquiries on
this and the previously mentioned projects please contact:
Koos Retief, Environmental Management, Blaauwberg
Administration - City of Cape Town, Tel: (021) 550 1086.
|
|
Damage to bird hide |
We are very sorry to
report that some *@*#* members of our society have thought
it "cool" to damage the seating and floor of our hide once
again. Fortunately we have had a speedy offer from Jacques
and Jackie Tredoux of the DO-IT-YOURSELF-SHOP in Brooklyn to
undertake the urgent repairs. What a blessing it is to have
the good people to counteract the bad. Thank You!!
|
|
Come and do something
practical for Rietvlei |
Another "good" person is
working for Rietvlei - please join Louis Raubenheimer and
others for an hour or two of alien vegetation removal or
"hacking".
Dates: 27 April and 11 May
Time: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Please call Louis for further particulars on 554 2221 (or
082 651 5437) if you are interested in joining one of the
hacks. |
