Zandvlei Trust

Task Team – BOSSIES

A working relationship with WESSA and Zandvlei Trust on City of Cape Town  land.

                We urge all communities to adopt this concept and introduce it in your area.

Background

Neil applied to WESSA for funding to promote the planting of local indigenous plants to form corridors linking the areas surrounding the Zandvlei to Bokmakierie Park a terrestrial land area, also part of the Greater Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve in Marine Estate, Muizenberg.

• Bath, Box and Ermington Roads are parrallel west to east from Zandvlei towards Bokmakierie Park.

• This project was started in February 2008.

Progress

February  2009 - It has been about 8 months since the first planting. Some areas have done well and others not so well. Bear in mind that it is the driest time of the year at the moment.

photograph by Neil Major                                                            photograph by Neil Major

A close-up view of the fynbos doing well.                 Some residents requested that off street parking
                                                                            areas be left unplanted. Here you can see the end
                                                                            of a parking area and the start of a planted area.

Lessons Learnt
We learnt a few lessons for example:

• Areas not protected by rocks or bollards have had cars park on them.

• A resident had agreed to place some rocks along a bed, failed to do so, and cars parked on the plantings.

• Areas protected by bollards are showing good growth.

• Areas not mulched have dry bare patches.

• Areas where the grass was not cleared well in the beginning, requires further biodegradable herbicide spraying.

The Future
It will take about another two years for fynbos to mesh, dominate and start looking natural. We are hoping that the residents will keep up with the weeding until then. The BOSSIES team will also be doing maintenance when needed.

October 2008 - Neil has planted along Box and Bath Roads in October and mulched for the coming hot summer months with little rain to water the new plants. Note the paving slabs removed in Bath Road so that a local indigenous corridor can be avaiable to form a link. 

photograph by Neil Major                                                            photograph by Neil Major

Box Road mulched for the hot summer months.       Bath Road with some paving slabs removed for
                                                                            "planting a corridor."

photograph by Neil Major                                                                photograph by Neil Major

Box Road being planted.                                            Erminton Road being mulched for the summer.

June 2008 - Zandvlei Trust members did our annual Arbour Day planting on the 16th June along Ermington Road.

 Neil placing out the species mix.                            Part of the members digging and planting.

See more from the Arbour Day planting.

March 2008 - Neil has assessed the pavements of Box and Ermington Roads, Marine Estate, Muizenberg to determine the quanity of plants that are required to create a local indigenous vegetation corridors to link the Zandvlei estuary mouth area to Bokmakierie Park.

Ermington Road pavement, photo taken in             Collecting seeds and cuttings
January 2008.                

He and his team have taken cuttings and seed stock (with a permit from the Manager of the Nature Reserve) from Bokmakierie Park and other nearby areas.The plants used will be a mix of low coastal fynbos that will produce a splash of colour during spring.

• He has bought all the equipment required seed trays, plant bags, potting soil. Completed the additional training required.

• They have propagated the stock in the special room with mistbeds and heating to start the growth.

• These seedlings will be bagged when the root and stems have developed sufficiently.

• Then they have to be put under a shaded area for a couple of months so that the plants can develop.

• The next step is to put them in the full sun and natural elements to harden up for another couple of months.

• The plants should be ready in time for the Zandvlei Trust, annual Arbour Day, 16th June 2008 planting. Our members and the local residents will help plant out the variety of species on the pavements.

Cuttings going into the seed trays                    Cutting material in the propagation room

Cuttings in the seed trays                                     A sample plug to show the root and stem growth

The pavement corridors will facilitate pollination and seed distribution, insects, birds and help small animals to move between these two areas of the Greater Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve in a residential suburban area.

Contact – Neil Major   or  076 473 7095  or   021 706 0153

• He can sell you local indigenous plants at very reasonable prices, and 

• also landscape your pavement or garden to help create biodiversity corridors with

• Strandveld and Sand Plain Fynbos plants promoting the biodiversity of all local species.

The Cape Flats Fynbos Nursery sales is now at;

•  Rondevlei Nature Reserve – No 1 Fishermans Walk cor Perth Road, Grassy Park.