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A BRAND NEW YEAR |
Well, almost. 2006 is a
month old as this is being written this, and “normal” life
has probably resumed for most people. The Committee wishes
the members of Friends of Rietvlei and their nearest and
dearest everything of the best for 2006, with a year filled
with your ACTIVE involvement!!
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EVENING TALKS |
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Our final Evening Talk
for 2005 was held on Thursday 17th November. It was well
supported and the student's reported on their projects for
2005. If you wish to read their projects, there are
printouts in the Environmental Centre. They are well worth
reading. |
Our first Evening Talk for 2006 will be held on 23 February
and will be on “The Bygone Years of Rietvlei”. So come along
at 19:30 for 20:00 , and if you have not been before, you
are most welcome, and you may bring guests if you wish. Join
us for refreshments and a chat before the talk. The evening
will include the showing of some historic videos.
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INSECT COLLECTION |
Our insect collection has been further added to with some
new specimens. It will continue to be expanded through the
year as the seasons change. So next time you are in the
Environmental Centre make sure you have a look. There is a
new magnifying glass for you to look through donated by Ray
Mason.
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OPEN DAY |
We are going to resume
our Open Days once the rains start and there is more to see.
So, as they say, watch this space! Members of Friends of
Rietvlei are, of course, welcome to walk to the bird hide to
observe the bird-life at any time. We are in the process of
organising membership cards for members who wish to enter
the reserve for walking or bird-watching, to make it easier
for you to enter at the gate. Should you be keen to get a
membership card please contact Pauline on 557 6920 a/h or
send an email to us ( see details on letterhead)
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FUND-RAISING |
We are planning to host a
play evening at the Milnerton Playhouse towards the end of
March. The Milnerton Players are putting on two short plays:
The Public Eye/The Private Ear. More details will be given
in the next newsletter. However we would really like some of
our members to volunteer to assist the committee with this
fun venture. A few hours of your time will be well rewarded.
Please contact Pauline on 557 6920 a/h or send an email to
us. Surprise the committee with an enthusiastic response!!!
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STUDENTS FOR 2006 |
Once again the reserve
has the services of three 3rd year nature conservation
students from CPUT: Chantel, Arno and Tracey. We welcome
them and hope that they have a fruitful, productive and
successful year. We are hoping to hear their first
report-back in June. They will be supervised by Koos Retief,
the reserve manager. Also new to Rietvlei are three staff
members of the now-closed City of Cape Town abattoir. They
had the chance to be re-deployed and took the opportunity to
come to Rietvlei. They will provide very necessary
additional manpower ( yes they are all men!) for the
reserve.
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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING |
Advance warning of our
AGM: it will be held on Thursday 4 May at 19:30. More
details will be given nearer the time but write it in your
diary NOW!
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SCOUT VOLUNTEERS |
Andrew van den Honert
(grandson of Robert & Audrey, great nephew of Ruby) is
working towards his Springbok Scout Award and is undertaking
his community project at Rietvlei, working on Friends of
Rietvlei projects. We are really most fortunate to benefit
from 40 hours of work from six scouts under Andrew's able
guidance. Their first stint was on 28 & 29 January. They
completely resealed all the outdoor wood-work on our
Education Centre. They cleared the overgrown grass to make
way for paving to the entrance of the centre and they got to
grips with using tree-poppers. They tree-popped alien Port
Jackson re-growth along the fire- break and east of the
cabin. They will be spending more days at Rietvlei over the
next few weeks continuing with their tasks. THANK YOU,
ANDREW AND TEAM.
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CHEVRON REFINERY |
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Whilst Caltex Refinery
have been getting some bad press lately we can report on a
positive action. Through interaction with Caltex ( now
Chevron but most people continue to call them “Caltex”)
staffers Roy Wright and Phumi Nhlapo on the Rietvlei
Management Working Group, the issue of pampas grass being an
aggressive invader of wetlands arose. It was brought to Roy
and Phumi's attention that the refinery was harbouring these
prolific seeders around their detention ponds close to
Koeberg Road . During windy conditions the seeds are blown
far and wide and mostly in the direction of Rietvlei and the
Diep River . Chevron Refinery made a commitment to remove
the grass and a contractor company, Henchem, recently
applied herbicide to the problem plants These died back and
they then cut back all the dead material. It is hoped that
suitable indigenous plants will replace the alien invaders.
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So if you, or your neighbours and friends are harbouring
pampas grass follow Chevron's lead and get them removed.
There are lots of interesting indigenous restios that would
make good replacement plants. |
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Please feel free to contact us on any matter. Our e-mail
address is at the top of this newsletter as is our website
address if you want additional information or to read past
newsletters. An additional e-mail address is
info@friendsofrietvlei.net. Please get involved!!! |
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Thanks still go to Caltex Refinery for sponsoring envelopes
for the posted newsletter. |
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| This newsletter comes to you with the kind
assistance of Caltex. |
