WESTERN CAPE WETLANDS FORUM
Urban Conservation; Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens; Rhodes Drive Private Bag X7; Claremont; 7735. Tel: 021 799 8800; Fax: 021 797 8390; e-mail: [email protected] www.wetlandsforum.blogspot.com
MINUTES OF THE QUARTERLY MEETING HELD AT 13H30 ON WEDNESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2008 IN THE AUDITORIUM, TWO OCEANS AQUARIUM, VICTORIA & ALBERT WATERFRONT
1 Welcome George Davis as Chairman welcomed everyone.
2 Apologies Cilla Bromley, Rupert Bromley, Jenny Day, Candice Haskins, Ruhvene Miles, Josiah Mpofu, Ndiitwani-Nyamande, Diteboho Ramongalo
3 Minutes of The minutes of 11 June 2008 were accepted as an accurate record of the Previous meeting. Meeting
4 Presentation Estuaries: Catchments' dumping ground by Pierre de Villiers, Coordinator, 1 C.A.P.E. Estuaries Programme The World Bank is funding the first set of plans for the Western Cape estuaries management project. The task team drives this as well as testing co-funded and co-managed plans for different ways of ensuring implementation. The generic management framework and guidelines comprise estuary classification, prioritisation, conservation and rehabilitation. The process involves: assessing the situation of the six prioritised estuaries agreed at workshops (Olifants, Klein, Breede, Knysna, Gamtoos), holding stakeholder workshops, developing fine scale estuary zonation plans and draft management plans and establishing estuary management forums. A reasonably quick and efficient formal peer-review process will check the assessments. Q: Getting the Silvermine River estuary litter removed is a problem because the City of Cape Town's Solid Waste Department doesn't work in water and the Roads & Stormwater Department says it has doesn’t have the manpower to do it. A: Firstly, find out which agency has the mandate to clear litter and why they can’t do this. Secondly, approach Coastcare whose mandate includes how to expand coastal cleaning capacity. Thirdly, approach the relevant subcouncil to get cleaning the estuary incorporated in the City's Integrated Development Plan. I’ll take up with Coastcare their mandate and human capacity and let George know the outcomes to communicate to you. 2
5 Presentation Preview of the Two Oceans' Aquarium New Frog Exhibit by Russell 2 Stevens of the Aquarium The Aquarium’s vision is developing a love, respect and understanding of our oceans. We want to be financially viable institution to fund our outreach programme. The Aquarium is a forum where people can be connected with nature. Everyone arrives from diverse communities with their own life view and experience of the environment. We start at the entry level to get people to take ownership. Our exhibits derive from a lot of thought in understanding how to do this, given the different individual outlooks. Frogs are amphibians and there are approximately 6000 known species.Frogs have survived for some 360 million years, however thousands of species are now threatened with extinction because of the destruction of their habitats, and the effects of diseases, pollution and climate change. The animated marionette show is designed to get across the message of what people can do to help the environment in which frogs and toads live.
6 Presentation Invasive alien species management in the Western Cape by Louise 3 Stafford, Alien Invasive Species Co-ordinator, City of Cape Town. The Cape Floristic Region has been expanded to include the boundaries of the Western Cape. The history of invasive species management reveals the most neglected components are prevention, detection and early response. After spending R74 million in 2007, what are the results? For plants, there is the lack of strategic planning; fragmented, un-coordinated and un-prioritised work with a lack of contingency operations such as follow-up after fire. Work with animals has been ad hoc and reactive. The vision of the C.A.P.E. Strategy by 2020 is to significantly reduce the invasive alien species impact, to prevent further indigenous species extinctions and to manage sustainable programmes. To achieve this, decisions will be scientifically based within an appropriate legislative and policy framework, and all role-players' activities will be harmonised and controlled. The database and monitoring system will be standardised and improved. Alien species are increasingly invading wetlands, contributing to habitat change, altered flow routines, pollution and chemical changes. Q: the aquarium snail is spreading because the number of aquarium users is increasing. Can pet shops be targeted to prevent further spreading? A: email this to louise.s@mweb.co.za to add to the list of alien species and feed into the prevention plan. Q: how will you quantify progress towards achieving the percentage of objectives by 2020? A: through quarterly meetings on the monitoring programme. Q: are you working with DWAF on alien plants? A: yes, DWAF is on the working group. Q: is there any contact with Friends' groups so that they can pass on information on potential problems? A: the City is working with Friends groups through WESSA. Q: WESSA can channel information, but what actions can Friends groups take? A: we will identify five “big bad” alien species we can eradicate and launch a campaign by July 2009 in which the Friends groups can join.
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Q: can we use the City's biodiversity database? A: Cape Nature is checking whether it’s sufficiently informative for our purposes: we don't want to duplicate resources. Q: critical for Working for Water is integrating our programmes into municipalities' development planning. There is a specific workshop coming up which can communicate information. What are the spinoffs for local development and tourism? A: I would like to establish communication so we can learn from each other. Q: is the Department of Agriculture still implementing the CARA regulations? A: it is very under-capacitated but is getting good co-operation in the Cape Peninsula.
7 Updates on Simonsvlei course on methods to identify wetland plants current Philippa reported that Wendy Hitchcock had successfully run this practical projects course on identifying wetland plants in which about 18 people had participated. It might be repeated in December.
Wetlands Workshop Pat Holmes reported that the workshop will run towards the end of October 2008. It aims at standardising assessment of Western Cape wetlands and developing a protocol for prioritisation of different levels of wetlands in the Western Cape.
Wetlands Indaba Philippa reported that this will be held in Mpumulanga on 27 and 28 October 2008. Winston Coe will be attending and can represent the Forum.
DWAF groundwater policy development workshop Patrick reported that this has a close link with wetlands. The DWAF consultant wants to discuss this at a workshop with the Forum, Friends groups and any interested parties. It is provisionally scheduled for 5 November 2008.
Next Forum meeting is at 13h30 on 19 November 2008 at Kirstenbosch George reported that this will include the AGM. Among the topics will be: a review of the Forum’s constitution, office-bearers and Steering Committee composition; the next phase of the development of a protocol for prioritising different levels of wetlands; the EIA decision-making process and compliance and enforcement; and the interaction between groundwater and wetlands.
8 Members National Wetlands Inventory Phase 2 inputs and Namhla reported that work on the Inventory started in 2005 and now Phase 2 general on improving the existing map is underway. She asks Forum members to Forum submit existing data sets and notes of any activities around wetlands. The business form for this is on the website http://www.sanbi.org/collaborativeprojects/working for wetlands.
New City of Cape Town Nature Reserve Booklet Shona reported that the booklet covering 24 reserves is now on sale. It can be viewed at http://www.capetown.gov.za/services/environment/whatsnew.
Updated Silvermine River Wetlands Route brochure Evanne reported that the brochure now incorporates the self guided blind trail.
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9 Meetings & 19 November at the Seminar Room, Research Centre, Kirstenbosch, from venues 2008 13h30 to 16h30. The Forum agrees that a central venue, such as Kirstenbosch, is better. But practical events can take place at others, such as Rondevlei and Tygerberg.
10 Closure The Chairman closed the meeting at 16h20.
Present
Surname Forename Affiliation Email address Abrahams Carlo DWAF [email protected]
Albertus Martin DEAT [email protected] Bergh Vincent CoCT [email protected]
Coe Winston SANBI [email protected]
Cranna Ian CoCT [email protected] Davey Dennis Friends of Die Oog [email protected]
Davis George SANBI [email protected] De Kock Marisa CoCT muizenberg[email protected]
De Villiers Pierre CapeNature [email protected]
Dowling Patrick WESSA-WC [email protected] Engelbrecht Bentley DWAF [email protected] Foot Erika CoCT [email protected] Gordon Andrea WESSA:WC [email protected] Gray Anne Cape Bird Club [email protected]
Holmes Pat CoCT [email protected]
Huntly Philippa WESSA [email protected]
Job Nancy LRI [email protected] Jordaan Martine CapeNature [email protected]
Ketse Nosiphiwo CapeNature [email protected]
Laidler Dennis DEA&DP [email protected] Lawson Gavin Zandvlei Trust [email protected]
Loveland Peter Private [email protected] Mafelatshuma Fulufhelo DWAF n/a
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Mbedzi Mulalo DWAF [email protected] Mbona Namhla SANBI [email protected] McCallum Sharon Zandvlei Trust [email protected]
Mossop Leighan SANParks-TMNP [email protected] Nieuwoudt Heidi CapeNature [email protected]
Noffke Mandy Wet-land Solutions [email protected]
Paulsen Manfred CWDM/wfw [email protected] Pretorius Jackie CoCT [email protected]
Radzilani Michael CapeNature [email protected]
Rothwell Terry FOSNA [email protected]
Rothwell Evanne FOSNA [email protected]
Snaddon Kate FCG [email protected]
Stevens Russell Two Oceans Aquarium [email protected] Swarts Esmay CoCT [email protected] Titmuss Pat CoCT [email protected] Tyandela Phumzile Friends of the Liesbeek [email protected]
Van Wyk Niel Friends of Rietvlei [email protected]
Wheeler Liz Friends of the Liesbeek [email protected]
Wheeler Dave Friends of the Liesbeekl [email protected] Young Shona CoCT [email protected]
Apologies Bromley Cilla GEESE [email protected] Bromley Rupert GEESE [email protected] Day Jenny FRU-UCT [email protected] Miles Ruhvene WfW [email protected] Mpofu Josiah SA Breweries [email protected] Ramongalo Diteboho DoA [email protected]