by KBergReserve

PRINGLE BAY HACK REPORT N0 122

-Chris Geldenhuys, Convenor On another beautiful autumn morning, Pringle Bay Hack Group gathered at Droster’s Gat on 26 March. Despite all the holidays and heydays, the well-motivated group moved to the intersection of Buffels and George roads in Pringle Bay. There the hack started on the verges of George, up to Elizabeth and Ursula roads. The infestation was mainly Rooikrantz, Australian Myrtle and Sesbania Trees. Sesbania is very poisonous for humans and animals. See the photo below of a typical Sesbania (flowers are orange in colour). Some of the Rooikrantz and Myrtle trees were really…
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by KBergReserve

THE BATTLE OF BETTY’S BAY: THE WEDNESDAY HACK

Over the past month the group hacked on the verge of the R44 near the entrance to Pringle Bay and Rooikrans (on the verges of Porter Drive) where a severe infestation of Australian Myrtle has all but been removed. The group size varied between 8 and 12. Acacia Elata (Pepper tree wattle) The species was introduced to southern Africa as an ornamental species on several occasions between 1904 and 1940. It has since become a widespread invasive. Acacia elata is a fast growing, profusely seeding, long lived species invading mostly urban open spaces, roadsides, fynbos…
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by KBergReserve

THE BATTLE OF BETTY’S BAY: HACK REPORT 648

A glorious day to tackle the intruding Rooikrans! The fynbos could almost be heard to say’ thank you’ as the enemy fell one by one. A huge difference could be seen at the end of the hack. Well done all. There are still a lot to eradicate so it will be back here next month. It was encouraging to experience a local resident that came to thank us for the clearing and to offer coffee and rusks! It was interesting to see that as we cut the Rooikrans, little gems like Haemanthus coccineus (some already…
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by KBergReserve

THE BETTY’S BAY WEDNESDAY HACK

Over the past month the group hacked on the verge of the R44 near the entrance to Pringle Bay where a severe infestation of Australian Myrtle has all but been removed. The group size varied between 8 and 12. Acacia Elata (Pepper tree wattle) The species was introduced to southern Africa as an ornamental species on several occasions between 1904 and 1940. It has since become a widespread invasive. Acacia elata is a fast growing, profusely seeding, long lived species invading mostly urban open spaces, roadsides, fynbos and forest clearings. It competes with and replaces…
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by KBergReserve

THE BATTLE OF BETTY’S BAY: HACK REPORT 647

-Frik Potgieter, Convenor We had a small taste of winter at first, but the weather turned quite warm later on. Large numbers of Acacia elata (with the odd gum and pittisporum) were removed by the enthusiastic group. Hilary Mauve counted 830 something to tea time on her own! If this is extrapolated to the whole group, it can be estimated that about 8,000 aliens came to a bad end on one day. Well done! Di Knott provided the sandwiches and Merran Silberbauer the tea. Thank you ladies! Also thank you to Penguin Place for donating…
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by KBergReserve

WALK REPORT: SATURDAY 18 MARCH 2017

-Tim Attwell It’s small comfort to those who lost so much to wildfire this summer that fires are part of the cycle of life in the Cape Floristic Region. We join many others in our heartfelt sympathy with those whose homes were lost or damaged in Pringle Bay and Rooi Els during this summer’s ‘fire season’. With fire and its aftermath in mind, thirteen members and guests set off on Saturday 18 March, from Fairy Glen, following the steep and rocky Kasteelkop path to the shale band, at an altitude of 200 metres, on the…
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by KBergReserve

TALKS PLANNED FOR 2017

Saturday 22 April (Please note this is the fourth Saturday of the month – the usual talk date on the third Saturday falls on the Easter weekend): Patrick Ryan, Ryan Heydenrych and Dean Harrison, of Vulcan Wildfire Management, will speak on wildfire and environmental management for both the public and private sectors. At 18h00 – Nivenia Hall, HPBG. Patrick Ryan, Ryan Heydenrych and Dean Harrison began their careers as volunteer fire fighters. This passion has seen them move to becoming professionals with a combined 20 years' experience between them. The presentation will be of great…
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by KBergReserve

FIRE IN THE FYNBOS – WHO LOOKS OUT FOR THE SNAKES?

-Rea Borcherds When driving towards Pringle Bay over the past few weeks, the consequences of the recent severe fire is plain and painful to see. What was once flowering fynbos up the hillsides of the Brodie Link, is now a sandy waste of scorched earth. While the fynbos itself recovers fairly rapidly after fire, and indeed benefits from fire - provided it is not too frequent - the creatures, large and small, that inhabited the fynbos do not recover as fast. Much attention has recently been drawn to the plight of baboons in the Western…
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