Zandvlei Trust
Porter Estate to Soetvlei inspection – 27 July 2009.
We all met at Chris Botes SANP office on a very warm mid winters day, forecast 25 degrees C. The idea was to drive up the mountain to a point above Porter Estate where the beginings of a seep has formed after the plantation block was harvested 5 years ago. We would view the area we would walk and drive to follow the natural water flow line down to Soetvlei. John Green, James Forsyth and Brian Redpath believe this is the critical link required to link the Constantiaberg to the Princessvlei for many user groups in the Source - to - Sea project operating as a sub committee of this Forum.
Then we went down to the old Porter Estate reformatory and farmlands to view the various canals and furrows used to divert the water courses across its land for previous agricultural practices. We found a small dam which none us was aware of and had not picked up on the arial photos by us. The base of the dam was leaking / seeping water down the slope into another wetland with a large pond, this drained into a concrete and brick canal and eventually into the natural water course through the planations. Wetland Solutions and Working for Wetlands had done some work clearing trees and invassive vegetation from this water course. The recovery is evident and very welcome.
Then we drove down to the area next to the Stone Church on the border of Uitsig Estate. Here we viewed the canaled water course which flows under Orpen Road and into Soetvlei. The poplar grove is growing in the natural water course.
We then drove to the Maths and Science Institute and inspected the infilled area, where very little has happened about the removal of the illegaly infilled area of Soetvlei. Then on, past the controversial provincial lands transferred to the national government the day before this years national elections. All to do with housing proposals. We end the inspection at the current privately proposed development abutting Soetvlei and james and Brian explained the process which has taken place so far and what some meetings have decided todate with the developers, the various City departments and Ratepayers and interest groups.
A very interesting and worth while exercise as most had not been onto all the sections of land which this water course flows through.
Those participating were Martin
Thompson, Candice Haskins, ? Bodenstein from the City, Chris Botes from SANP,
John Green (WESSA and Friends of Tokai), Philippa Huntley (WESSA), Marie Abraham
(Wetland Solutions),
Brian Ratcliffe (Friends of Constantia Valley Greenbelts), James Forsyth
(Friends of Constantia Valley Greenbelts), David Muller (Zandvlei Trust) and
Gavin Lawson (Zandvlei Trust).
Discussing the areas we will
visit on
the
Chris Botes explaining where the Granite Fynbos has
inspection trip. We were taken in 4 x 4
vehicles recovered 5
years after the pine and gum trees were
up the mountain to
start.
harvested.
Standing at an area where a seep
has started. Looking back at Constantiaberg
with the "Waterfront" in the
centre above the plantation line. The seed stock has recovered.
Looking out to follow the line of
the natural flow
John Green explaining all the sections of land owned by
area down towards the Soetvlei
area.
SANP, Provincial government, and the various private land
owners.
Looking towards Zandvlei and False Bay. The Hotentots Holland Mountains in the background.
In the centre of the picture is the Dreyersdal waterbody between the M3 freeway and Main Road Tokai / Retreat.
The recovery of the Granite Fynbos after 5 years. There was numerous insect life flying and skuttling about, with small reptiles and rodents present while we were standing there. Sand Plain Fynbos is immediately below the Granite Fynbos down the slope.
On the Porter Estate looking back
up the slope Looking down
the slope with the "new" dam to our left.
where we had come from.
Chris explaining the width of the corridor at this point. Some Alpacas live here too with a very large woolly sheep.
They are curious creatures,
eyeing us as
we
The horizontal green line is the "new" dam wall from below.
drove past.
This small pond in the wetland
course has
a
John pointing out the run of the canals or furrows.
variety of alien invassive plants in and around it.
One of the canals with a good
stream of water. This is the Porter
Estate "Morning Market" adjacent to the
canal and wetland area.
A T- junction in the canal at the side of a road. A very large stone pine tree.
This is the wetland which Working
for
Wetlands
Some recovery of scurpus and restios and Arum lilies
teams cut down invasives and non wetland
type in
flower. Evidence of porcupines eating the arum cormes
vegetation
was present.
Discussing the restoration work
and how the present An unusuall cast
iron box in the middle of the
trees are too close with no buffer
zone.
plantation. No one kew the purpose or origin.
It even has an opening door with
a
lock.
On the border of the Uitsig Estate inspecting the furrow and
the poplar grove in the natural wetland next to the Stone Church
off Orpen Drive.
At the Maths and Science
Institute at the infilled section of the Soetvlei wetland. Back towards
Constntiaberg
where we started off earlier in the morning.
At the last stop, the proposed new housing area. This is called the Berlin Wall in Soetvlei, an illegally built.There is a BMX track illegally built by locals. wall into the wetland.
Brian Ratcliffe explaning the proposed
layout and James Forsyth explaining how the different "land owners"
how it would encroach into the
wetlands.
need to
carefully consider the impact and functioning
of the wetland.
