Duiwenhoks News 18 – Early 2012

Summer early 2012 - Issue 18 editor: [email protected] EDITORS NOTE : Geagte Vriende van die Bewarea……. Welcome to the first edition of the Duiwenhoks IN THIS ISSUE: Conservancy Newsletter for 2012. It has been some • Editors message time since a Newsletter of this nature has been • Note from the Chair compiled and we trust that you will enjoy this edition. • Cell C 60 m tower proposed • Environmental Impact Assessment report The Conservancy is still looking for someone to take • The Vermaaklikheid Fire….Conrad Hicks ownership of the newsletter for the 2012 – 2013 • Fire Protection Agency period. What with the blog now on the conservancy • New Councillor – Dr Joan Prins web site, it is probably only necessary to do 2 • Motion camera newsletters a year. Thus the Editorial task is not too • Fishy issues – have you spotted a grunter….? onerous. • Rainfall update Rob Hill has done a fine job in developing the • Membership fees reminder Duiwenhoks Conservancy web site with assistance • A summary of environmental regulations from various quarters. He maintains the “blog” on this • Photo gallery site and it is well worth a visit to see what interesting • Romella de Mors….a play for the children postings there have been. The Conservancy web site • Membership application and renewal form is developing into a very useful reference source for information on the area. Those non-permanents who ventured out to Vermaaklikheid over the Christmas – New Year period would have noticed that the Vermaaklikheid Trading Post is closed, as is the restaurant. This is unfortunate as it did provide a service of basic necessities, nothwithstanding a perchance meeting place. It has been reported by the locals that the shop missed out on considerable trade over this period judging by the number of cars that stopped there – only to find it closed. It is a pity that this closure has occurred, however, it is my perception that the level of service and goods offered by the shop had deteriorated over the past year or so. We do hope that someone with business acumen and ‘gees’ will acquire these premises, including the restaurant, and turn them around to be the rural retreat and place of social gathering that they should be. Overpage is Chairman Mike’s important message, please note the request for attendance at the AGM on the Saturday 7 th April 2012 from 10h00 at the Vredesaal. There is much to report on and we do need your support, ideas and input. Bring a friends and visitors and let’s have a fun time joining our energies to care for the assets of the area. Thank you - Kind regards / Vriendelike Groete Ritchie Morris [email protected] Cell: 0833814560. A medical pun to make you stand up and think: A man rushed into a busy doctor's surgery and shouted, "Doctor! I think I'm shrinking!" The doctor calmly responded, "Now, settle down. You'll just have to be a little patient." 1 MESSAGE from the Chairman…………….Mike Munnik It is great to have a newsletter again informing members and friends of the activities of the Duiwenhoks Conservancy – thanks to Ritchie Morris for putting it together. In addition, we have a well established, popular and easily accessible blog run magnificently by Rob Hill which enables members to engage in the latest news and issues affecting the Vermaaklikheid area. If you have not already done so you are encouraged to visit the blog (http://duiwenhoks.wordpress.com ). On Easter Saturday (7 April) at 10am in the Vredesaal, we will hold the 10 th AGM. We have recently recommended that members seriously consider joining the Southern Cape Fire Protection Association and Charl Wade of the SCFPA will address the AGM and answer any questions you may have. The aim is to consider and develop an integrated fire management plan for the village and surrounding area. So please come and participate in the discussion on how best to proceed. Finally, we have a new Ward Councillor, Dr Joan Prins, and we look forward to meeting her and engaging with her on the environmental and community challenges facing us. See you at the AGM! Mike Munnik 22 February 2012 Cell C proposes a new 60 metre high tower near Vermaaklikheid Posted October 23, 2011 by Duiwenhoks Conservancy Blog site 2.1 CADASTRAL MAP – BRAKFONTEIN4. Brakfontein Site photographs3. Google imagesEnvironmental Assessment and Application ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT AVAILABLE: If anyone would like to view the Environmental Impact Assessment report undertaken for the clearing of land in Vermaaklikheid, it can be obtained from Sharples Environmental on 021 – 552 8777, or their web site www.sescc.net . A pun to test your memory: Evidence has been found that William Tell and his family were avid bowlers. Unfortunately, all the Swiss League records were destroyed in a fire, ...and so we'll never know for whom the Tells bowled. 2 THE VERMAAKLIKHEID FIRE – a personal perspective from Conrad Hicks Many of you will have seen the scar that was left by the fire that started on the weekend of the 17 th of December 2011. It started late in the evening of Saturday the 17 th December 2011. On Sunday morning I went for a run up to the radio mast and was surprised to see the fire damage and that it had died down of its own accord. The wind direction had been blowing it against the road where the fire fighters could easily control it. However the next morning, Sunday 18 th December, the wind direction changed to SE and the fire very soon grew from a few wisps of smoke to a massive fire and moved across towards the river. This pattern went on for a few days, the fire dying down at night and then with the day wind starting up again. Each day the fire protection unit from Stillbaai had to be called, but were unable to be effective as they had no access to the back of the fire in order to put it out. Had the respective landowners been responsible and cut their fire breaks on the fence lines and kept the old access roads open, this fire would have not been the potential threat that it became. Fortunately the wind direction stayed from a predominately southern direction and the fire was not directly threatening to houses. We borrowed the Duiwenhoks Conservancy’s ‘bakkie sakkie’ and had it mounted on our vehicle just in case the fire came close to houses but there is no way that any effective fire fighting can be done if property owners do not take the first step of doing the minimum of obligatory maintenance to fire breaks and keeping the fuel load down on their land by clearing alien vegetation. These requirements are law and no amount of excuses such as “this is a Holiday property, and we can’t afford it” is going to wash. If the expenses of being responsible are too much, one must question one’s eligibility of custodianship of the land. However I suspect it is not the expenses, but more a case of not being willing to work together to create a management plan. We now have a situation where there will be an opportunity to keep the burnt land clear of Rooikrans by pulling the new growth. However this is extremely expensive as there is no financial balancing from the sale of firewood. This fire also highlights the effect of disorganized cutting of firewood. Currently, it is done in random patches and the dry branches left in a disorganized tangle making it not feasible to do an effective clearing until the new Rooikrans is big enough to make firewood. This takes about 10 years. Also, it must be mentioned that the fire has caused the loss of a valuable harvests of indigenous species that would have helped toward funding sustainable alien clearing. Bad news. Conrad Hicks Editors Note: Conrad makes an important point about land owners responsibility. In mid February 2012 another fire raged across about 6 farms along the Blombos Road, fanned by a strong south easterly wind. Extensive areas were burnt and fences destroyed. Insurance claims are now being made and these will most likely all be passed back up the burn line to the property owner who started the fire. Land owners must be fully aware of their fire insurance and whether it sits in their policy under the property section or public liability section. This influences greatly what is covered and under which circumstances. The Southern Cape Fire protection Agency is active and we include overpage information in this regard. Serious consideration should be given by land owners to joining the SCFPA. 3 1) What is the SCFPA and what is the area of jurisdiction? The Southern Cape Fire Protection Association (SCFPA) established in 2006, is a section 21 Non- Profit Organisation (NPO), which operates in an area bounded by the Swartberg Mountains in the North, the Bloukrans river in the East, and the area West of the Robertson pass to Witsand (The area basically encompasses the entire Eden District Municipality). The SCFPA is managed by an executive committee which is represented by role-players from various forms of land use practice within the Southern Cape namely: farming, organised forestry, conservation, together with various local government departments and parastals. Funds which are generated by the SCFPA through the collection of membership fees and fund raising are used specifically within the SCFPA. The SCFPA is not mandated to contribute any funds towards state institutions. Funds are audited annually by an independent auditor, statements of which are made available to the members.

Load more