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 interest to many Botsoc members and the general public. The Overstrand Fire Department and other stakeholders (including the DEA, who have recently been communicating with the Council) are currently upgrading the policy on verge clearing, among other concerns. Vulcan are also liaising with fire department officials.
Saturday 20 May:
Dr Allan Heydorn will speak on “The Rock Lobsters of Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island and how they relate to the perlemoen and kreef poaching in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve”. At 18h00 – Nivenia Hall, HPBG.
Allan, a diver/scientist, while on an expedition actually looking for diamonds, was the person who first discovered the Tristan rock lobsters on Vema Seamount in 1964. Subsequent publicity (not from Allan) led to “a ruthless international onslaught” on this virgin population of rock lobsters from which it has never recovered.
Saturday 17 June:
Geologist Dr John Rogers will talk about his new book, Geological Outings in the Fairest Cape: Unlocking the Secrets of its Scenery. At 18h00 – Nivenia Hall, HPBG.
Dr Rogers’ book is due to be published in April; it features Betty’s Bay and mentions two of our residents. The following day, on Sunday morning, John will take us on a field trip in our area. Way back in May 2010, John gave an excellent talk “on the hotly debated Pringle Bay Fault in his usual knowledgeable and infectiously enthusiastic style” to quote Prof Michael Orren. The field trip to Aasbank and the Buffels River Valley the next day attracted a large group.
