EDWARD SILBERBAUER RETIRES FROM LEADING THE CHARGE

Merrilee Berrisford, Kogelberg Branch Chairman

It was teatime at Round 633 of the Battle of Betty’s Bay when Edward Silberbauer announced his retirement as Convenor of the Betty’s Bay Hack Group. Edward has a very proud record of unswerving commitment to eradicating invasive aliens. For twenty-six years he has planned the location of each monthly hack, seen to the maintenance of the tools which he stored and most important of all, he has enthused a loyal band of hackers – an average of twenty-five per hack – some working monthly, the Wednesday regulars every week. His efforts are to be seen in the landscape in and around Betty’s Bay, mostly municipal land – not entirely unsullied – but in places where fynbos treasures contrast with the dullness and fire hazard nature of invasives. It would have been so much worse without the Hack.

In February, the Hack Group will be fifty-three years old; there have been only five Convenors. Edward has planned the succession carefully, giving notice of his retirement a year ago during which long-time Betty’s Bay resident and hacker, retired chemical engineer, Frik Potgieter agreed to lead the on-going Battle. Watching the handover were three young lads with Betty’s Bay hacking pedigrees who had been hard at work: third-generation hackers, Sean (9) and Michael (7) Bensch (Malcolm Pollard’s grandsons), and fourth- generation hacker, Sam Berrisford, 10 (great-grandson of Tut Trainor) – hope for the future of our Hack.

Only a few organisations are fortunate to have had the sustained, wise and cheerful leadership of an Edward Silberbauer. In 2004 he was awarded the BotSoc Denys Heesom Gold Medal for Conservation; eleven years on he has richly earned a bar to that medal. Edward, we thank you and salute you.