Greater  Zandvlei  Estuary  Nature  Reserve

 On Madiba Day 18 July 2011, the Mountain Men
acknowledge Nelson Mendela's 93rd birthday, doing voluntary community service by planting local indigenous plants, at the Zandvlei Nature Reserve.

The Reserve Staff arrived early and off loaded the trays and bags of plants all propagated at the Nature Reserve nursery. The two nominated planting sites were cleared of the brush from a previous cutting.

The species list and quanities for todays planting;
Watsonia meriana: 20, Lampranthus reptens: 20, Phylica ericoides: 20, Passerina paludosa: 10, Gladiolus angustus: 65, Psoralea repens: 20, Struthiola ciliate: 10, Psoralea glaucina: 1.

Stacking the dry branches and stems of the invasive cut trees and shrubs. 

Isgaak, Liam and Taariq digging the holes and Cassy placing the various species on the planting site.

Eddie with some watsonias.                                 Phylica ericoides.

Psoralea repens.                                                   Gladiolus angustus.

Lampranthus reptens.                                                Passerina paludosa and Struthiola ciliate.

Watsonia meriana.

Cassy found a Giant Table Mountain Cockroach female under some bark.

The Mountain Men Team arriving shortly after 09h00.

Mark is impressed with the groups enthusiasm and energy.

This was the first area which was planted. It was previously cleared of invassive trees and plants
about 18 months ago. The invasives smothered this area and prevented anything to grow. The greenery is winter grasses and some pioneer plants from sedstock in the ground. This area was selected as it can be seen from the road and in years to come will offer an interesting display.

While we were working the Zandvlei juvenile African Fish Eagle flew over head riding the warm rising air off the mountain ridges.

Jane compacting the soil around her first one.       Carol putting a plant in a hole.

Brenda patting down the soil .                                  Tracy with her next plant.

Janine finishing her last one.                                     Niven and Mark digging more holes.

Brenda and Linda with a team effort.                       Luzelle and Janine also working in a team.

The Mountain Men patrolling vehicle stopped to check on the procedings.

Then to the second area which is also visible from the road, also an area previously
cleared of invasives.

This was delicate work planting out the small Gladiolus bulbs on the pavement.
Linda, Cassy, Bruce, Janine and Luzelle in this group.

Nearly finished this section. Zandvlei estuary in the background.

Cassy explaining the significance of this planting at the site and giving The Team some general 
background information about the Zandvlei Nature Reserve.

With so many hands the planting went quicker than expected, so all went down the hill to help drag out the previously cut invasive tree branches into piles for collection by the Reserve Staff.

Thank you to all the volunteers and staff for more than 67 minutes of umbuntu.

The Mountain Men Team at the Zandvlei Nature Reserve on Madiba Day - 18/07/2011.

back row l to r; Isgaak Crombie, Taariq Fakier, Janine Jacobs, Mark Arendse.
second row l to r; Neville Wiliams, Liam Wright, Eddie Moses, Jane Ratcliffe, Brenda Thomson,
Linda Bland.
front row l to r; Bruce Kendell, Cassy Sheasby, Tracy Ratcliffe, Luzelle Smit, Carol Fensham.
kneeling l to r; Niven Wyeth and Allan Dillon