UPDATE FROM MANAGEMENT Before I write my report for the of being stuck and general fatigue will be able to read more about Friend’s Newsletter, I have a habit of everything Covid-19. what activities are taking place fur- of looking back at the previous edi- While all this has been happening, ther on in the newsletter. tion to remind myself of what I nature has been doing what she I would like to take the opportunity wrote about the previous time. does best. Just getting on with it. to clarify, that the reserve staff and In the last letter I spoke of the Reclaiming the time and the space management of the protected ar- “continuous stream of visitors” and that we so often take for granted. ea do not have the authority to de- the “laughter and chatter” that is The footpaths, no longer trodden on cide when the nature reserve audible across the reserve on a have little seeds growing in them opens. We are governed by the beautiful day. and are littered with porcupine National Lockdown Regulations Little did I know that a few days quills and caracal scat. and we may only reopen once we after the release of the March The duiker are on the picnic lawns receive our directive from the City Newsletter we would receive an all day and not just early in the Manager. The City of Cape Town instruction to close the Helderberg morning or late evening when our has submitted numerous appeals Nature Reserve in preparation of a visitors go home. for parks and nature reserves to be nationwide lockdown that would open, however at the time of writ- affect us all. After the initial shock ing we have yet to receive the au- of there being no visitors, the re- thorization to do so. serve management team quickly We understand that you are all des- adjusted the daily task lists to start perate to visit the Helderberg Na- addressing some jobs that we just ture Reserve again and we share never get an opportunity to do your anxiousness and frustration, but when there are public around. we ask for your patience and sup- That didn’t last long either as we port while we wait. quickly came to realize that the national lockdown would be appli- When will we open? cable to everyone and there While some nature areas are open, would be no staff working. On the 15th June, we were permit- our Reserve which relies on a con- For 60 years the Helderberg Nature ted to have 30% of the reserves trolled access system and public fa- Reserve has been open to the work staff return and resume duties. cilities remains closed during level 3. The City of Cape Town’s Environmen- public. This allows five staff to start working tal Management Department has I never thought I’d be the one to towards a re-opening, a date we appealed for re-opening and been have to issue an instruction to close have yet to receive. There is a ton denied. Unfortunately, we cannot the gate. On the 27th of March of work to complete and there are commit to a date when we are able 2020, I wished the last of the biodi- new projects starting as well. You to re-open our gates but we will con- versity staff good health and safety tinue to keep you all informed. and settled into 82 days of being When we do open, we are required the sole custodian of this protected to follow the Covid-19 Health and area. Safety regulations for safety reasons. This will require the following changes: I think we have all experienced the exercise & hiking only, no picnics & different phases of Lockdown and parties, social distancing, wearing a the initial adjustment of lockdown face mask, restricted number of visi- life. Keeping busy with tasks like tors per day etc. Regulations will tidying and sorting. Finding activi- change as the pandemic evolves. ties to keep ourselves entertained We thank our Friend’s/Visitors for their that would usually never have the patience and support. time to do and then the frustration Hope to see you all soon ! Hayley-May Wittridge - Biodiversity Area Co-ordinator HELLO, FRIENDS AND MEMBERS Although many countries around the world were in lockdown of some City Nature degree due to Coved-19, the challenge still took place over the week- Photo end of 25 – 27 April. Many participants, like SA, were unable to go further Challenge than the boundaries of their own properties, but that did not deter Cape 2020 Town nature lovers/cameramen. Cape Town residents captured the most observations worldwide and recorded to second-most species, at 34254 For details see the observations and 3270 species. Lockdown, particularly during the initial 5 link below: -6 weeks, made people much more aware of nature in their immediate http://citynaturechallenge.org/ surroundings. Well done to those of our members whose sightings and entries helped Cape Town do so well in the challenge. messages of support that have been From the Chairman… received and posted on social media. The Annual General Meeting of the Our members will be notified of any Friends this year, due to the Covid-19 news/indication of when the Visitor pandemic lockdown, was held using the Centre may reopen. Once open we Zoom online facility. The Chairman's will need to take the necessary precau- report and the financial statements had tions in line with City policy to safeguard been forwarded to all the members via our volunteers and members and Penny Clifton-Smith - Chairman email with the notice of the A.G.M. and would ask for your co-operation and Peter Blaine - Deputy Chairman were both accepted at the meeting. understanding. It would be unwise to The 2 reports are available on request by rush the process only to have to close Alistair Munday - Treasurer emailing the Friends office. We were down again. In the meanwhile we Muriel Rowcroft - Secretary pleased to have 3 new members elect- suggest that those who wish to can Freya Brett- Representing WESSA, ed to the committee (see on the left). We complete and print the membership Eco-Schools, SW Bird Club welcome Peter, Anrike and Miona and form on the website and where possible Hayley-May Wittridge - Biodiver- look forward to working together sup- we encourage you to pay by EFT. You sity Area Co-ordinator, ex officio porting the management of the Reserve can then print out the form as well as Adriaan Roux and planning the various activities that the proof of payment and bring them are enjoyed by all our members. along with your cards to the Visitor Cen- Anrike Theron Due to the lockdown and closing of the tre when we reopen. This should speed Fay Rolando Reserve to the public, renewals and ap- up the renewal process and there will James Silberbauer plications for membership have not be a grace period for the use of out of Margie Humphries been able to be processed. Please date cards until the Visitor Centre is fully remember that we fall under the City operational. We look forward to wel- Miona Janeke and abide by their rules and regulations. coming you all back to the Reserve in Nuno de Sousa I would like to thank members for their the not too distant future. Peter Gordon - Penny Clifton Smith 2 ECO SCHOOLS - LOCKDOWN Since lockdown started 3 months back to resume the academic year ago, the Eco-Schools in the Helder- which will be very short. This will berg Node have faced many hard- have an effect on the Eco-Schools ships and challenges. Schools from programme and will not allow disadvantaged areas were particu- enough time to complete the full larly hard hit as parents lost their jobs programme. With this in mind, the and food scarcity was, and still is, a programme will be rescheduled to huge problem. One can only hope accommodate each individual the Eco-Schools Programme where school. a healthy lifestyle and good hy- To the Eco-Schools that have re- giene is encouraged, will help to opened, we wish them well and keep the schools' communities thank the teachers for keeping our healthy and safe. Unfortunately the learners safe and motivating them awards ceremony that was sched- to succeed in this 'new normal'. uled for March was cancelled and The Eco-Office is closed until KEEP WARM AND STAY SAFE will now take place sometime later further notice. Contact: this year when all Eco-schools are Freya Brett 082 708 1016 MULTI-PURPOSE CENTRE Reserve needs. During the mid-1960’s Some examples of this technology in- a plantation of commercial pine had clude the use of rammed earth walls, been planted in an attempt to gener- tyres and ecobricks as structural mate- ate funds when reaching maturity. rials as well as a timber decking and Reserve management gained approv- gabions as landscaping components. al for the funds generated for the sale The water system will be a closed loop, of the timber to be “ring-fenced” for a which means that water utilized in the new facility. building flows to an underground treat- The pines came down in 2014/15 and ment chamber and is then pumped until now most of the reserve opera- back for reuse in and around the facili- tional focus has been on the restora- ty. Lighting and electricity needs will tion of the old plantation areas back be addressed with solar technologies. to fynbos.