Zandvlei Trust

Rehabilitation - removing exotic invasive vegetation.

This is a working relationship with the City of Cape Town and the Zandvlei Trust.

Where
The Cape Bird Club has had a long history at Zandvlei, and monthly 'hacks' were initiated for the Cape Bird Club by Alan Morris the then Chairman, in 1978. Alan grew up in Muizenberg and knew the area well.
Bill Rudings took over as leader in 1985 and subsequently Gavin Lawson in 1991.
Zandvlei Trust members have regularly cleared the invasive species from the Reserve area for more than 25 years.
Since the GZENR (Greater Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve) was proclaimed in Oct 2006, we have worked in the extended area beyond the "old" Reserve boundary.

When
The 'rehabilitation' - clearing of invasive plant species takes place every, 2nd Saturday afternoon of the month at 14h00.
Contact Gavin Lawson  or  021 705 5224, for more information. Come and help us and you may learn much and see the benefit of the results of the work we do.

Why
The idea is to remove these invasive species, so that the biodiversity of indigenous plants may be encouraged. This also promotes the diversity of other living species, insects, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, birds etc, which make up or are part of habitats and ecosystems.
The invasive vegetation often dominates areas, where it grows and often suppresses the indigenous plants. These exotic plants grow very quickly, removing large amounts of water from the soil and they also create a shade covering canopy. This prevents the sunlight reaching the ground, where the low growing ground covers, bulbs and seedlings struggle to grow. The exotic plants can and some do alter the soil characteristic by adding nitrogen to it. These invassive plants tend to dominate, as their host insects and parasites are not present.
The fynbos vegetation usually grows in nitrogen poor soils.

We need more volunteers to help, as a number of regulars have had to move on. It is not difficult work and only 2 hours of your time once a month. We need consistant, regular, community effort from the team of dedicated and enthusiastic workers. Training and information is provided. This work assists the Nature Reserve staff who do not have enough hands to do the work. 

Phone me if you are interested in helping with this project 021 705 5224 or Gavin Lawson. 

There are many interesting things you can learn about nature and the area while we are working.

Produced by the City of Cape Town in collaboration with the Sand River Catchment Forum.

Read the content.              See the latest target species along the Peninsula.

January 2012.

Bert took the shortest steepest route up the slope. We took the longest easiest route and it took most of the afternoon to reach the target area to do the work planned. We did not see Bert till it was almost time to go home and he had run out of herbicide. It was a hot afternnon fortunately there was a breeze. Sue and Catherine collected arms full of glass bottles from the drinking parties, for recycling.

Milan checking the names of the various invassives.

Catherine clearing stems of a large manatoka tree cut down last month.

Bert after chopping down plenty of shelters for drinking parties under the manatoka trees.

Sue and Milan starting where they left off last year.

This is the stump of a Spanish broom plant / tree. It was about 3.5 metres tall, the largest ever cut down on any of our clearing afternoons. Note it has a dark centre similar to a rooikrans tree. 

See what we did in 2011.    new 15/01/2012.

See what we did in 2010.

See what we did in 2009.

See what we did in 2008.

See what we did in 2007.

Contact Gavin Lawson  on  021 705 5224.