by KBergReserve

Walk Report

- Tim Attwell Oudebos, the relict patch of Afrotemperate forest in the ravine between Platberg and the back of Elephant Rock Mountain that gives its name to the offices of the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, did not disappoint us. We went looking for a spot under the forest canopy, next to a bubbling mountain stream to have our tea or coffee and the goodies we had brought with us. After all, the whole purpose of mountain or, for that matter, fynbos walking is ‘to find a good spot to have tea.’ We allowed ourselves an hour…
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by KBergReserve

WALK REPORT

West Bank Roundabout - Tim Attwell The weather forecast promised a clear but chilly day. Well, it was clear, but certainly not chilly at Fairy Glen when we set off across the R44 and the bridge over the Palmiet River to pick up the path which took us southwards along the west bank of the Palmiet River towards the sea in the distance. The aim was to have tea at the mouth of the Palmiet Estuary and return via a path which took us away from the river through Overberg Dune Strandveld, Hangklip Sand Fynbos…
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by KBergReserve

TALK REPORT

Ants of Southern Africa - Andrea Benn Referring several times to his new book” Ants of Southern Africa – The Ant Book for all”, Peter Slingsby introduced his presentation by answering the question “Why ants?”! Peter, a naturalist at heart, with interests in plants, animals and even the tiny creatures, found that there was no book recently published on the subject. From early years he had kept his own Ant menagerie under the stairs at home. At 15 he was given a small book ‘The Study of Ants’ by Dr S H Skaife who had…
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by KBergReserve

TREASURER’S REPORT AGM 15 JULY 2017

- Natalie van Wulven, Treasurer The financial year 01 April 2016 to 31 March 2017 reflects an uneventful fiscal year. Stepping into the role Peter had filled for so long was quite daunting and I want to take this opportunity to thank him for his patience, assistance and mentorship. I also wish to thank Colette Chung at Head Office for her continued assistance and great sense of humor! The year started with difficulties at the bank that took quite some effort and time to get us FICA’d and registered for online banking. The Kogelberg branch…
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TALK REPORT: MAY 2017

- Rea Borcherds Diamonds or rock lobsters? - A presentation by Allan Heydorn: Saturday 20 May 2017 Dr Allan Heydorn held his audience captive on Saturday evening 20 May when he recounted his role in a historic expedition in 1964 to a near mythical undersea mountain to search for diamonds. Vema Seamount is an isolated flat-topped undersea mountain rising up from the deep Atlantic Ocean Basin to approximately 26 - 30m below the surface. It was discovered in 1959 by the American research vessel ‘Vema’ and lies approximately 550 nautical miles west of Lambert's Bay.…
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THE BATTLE OF BETTY’S BAY: HACK REPORT 649

A pleasant early winter morning (sans the rain), and the troops arrived to tackle the demon Rooikrans. A huge number of the enemy succumbed to the enthusiasm of the hackers. At tea there were several suggestions as to where the worst area is, but all agreed that there is a lot more to do in this area. Thus, we will be back here next month. As I will be travelling, Ed Silberbauer has agreed to do the organising. Thank you Ed! Di Knott provided the sandwiches and Merran Silberbauer the tea. Thank you ladies! Richard…
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by KBergReserve

WALK REPORT: SATURDAY 22 APRIL 2017

-Barbara Jenman On 21 Feb this year a wildfire swept across Clarence Drive, raced towards Pringle Bay and consumed a substantial part of the fynbos of the Brodie Link, also known as the Hangklip Nature Reserve, damaging some homes in Pringle Bay and threatening many more. We went to see what flora was emerging two months later. Maybe the little rainfall in the interim had helped. The surprise was evident. Fire resistant Mountain palmiet (Bergpalmiet), Tetraria thermalis, was still intact and erect. “They stood out in isolation in what looked like a wasteland,” says walker…
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TALK REPORT: APRIL 2017

-Andrea Benn Co-existing with wildfire - A presentation by Ryan Heydenrych and Dean Harrison, Directors of Vulcan Wildfire Management: Saturday 22 April 2017 This talk was an excellent, informative presentation. The day after the talk I did a walk around Betty`s Bay with this question in my mind, ‘Were we ready for a wildfire this summer?’ Within 100 metres of our home were three properties heavily infested with large alien invasive species! Since the last fire we have tried as far as possible to reduce the fuel load on our property, but there is more…
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by KBergReserve

PRINGLE BAY: HACK REPORT N0 123

-Chris Geldenhuys, Convenor With the Pringle Bay Festival full on the go in Pringle Bay, the Hack Group gathered at Droster’s Gat on 30 April 2017. Despite the holiday and festive atmosphere, a well-motivated group moved to the intersection of Barbara and Bobby roads in Pringle Bay. The hack group started clearing plot 728. The infestation was mainly Rooikrantz and Port Jackson trees. What made this hack difficult was the amount of coppicing that was encountered. Each stump had to be dug out before it could be cut and poisoned. Our “explorer” came up with…
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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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