SPATIAL PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT BRANCH Shihabuddeen Khan, Mogamat Samsodien, Rolivhuwa Murovhi, Bronwen Amayo, Victoria Day and Asieff Khan Biodiversity Area: False Bay Nature Reserve Tel no: 021 400 3441 Email: [email protected] FALSE BAY NATURE RESERVE: QUARTERLY REPORT JULY TO SEPTEMBER 2019 False Bay Nature Reserve operational staff team photo (Photo K Mabuya 2019) Table of Contents ) Page 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................................... 2 2. HIGHLIGHTS & CHALLENGES .............................................................................................................................................. 2 3. CONSERVATION PLANNING ............................................................................................................................................. 3 4. FLORA .................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 5. FAUNA ................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 6. SOIL ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 9 7. WATER ................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 8. FIRE ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 9. PEOPLE, TOURISM & EDUCATION ...................................................................................................................................... 11 10. STAFF MATTERS ..................................................................................................................................................................... 15 11. LAW ENFORCEMENT ........................................................................................................................................................... 18 12. INFRASTRUCTURE & EQUIPMENT ........................................................................................................................................ 21 False Bay Nature Reserve | False Bay -natuurreservaat | ULondolozo lweNdalo False Bay 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Winter rains are most definitely here! In this quarter 216.6mm of rain fell with 155.6mm of rain falling in the previous quarter bring the total to 373.2mm for the past six months. Seasonal wetlands are still filled indicating a good soaking into the ground and a rise in the water table. More and more flowering plants are being seen as the landscape is transformed from a once dried area to one lush and filled with colour from the variety of flowers. Over the past quarter False Bay Nature Reserve received 28906 visitors through the two access gates at the reserve. That is an average of 314 persons visiting the reserve per day for the quarter. That brings the total visitors to the reserve for the calendar year thus far to 55285 persons. Even though entry fees are no longer being taken at the entrance gates the reserve still generates an income from the hire and use of the multifunction hall facility at Zeekoevlei. In the past quarter R36 199 of income was received and paid to the city for usage of the facilities. Capital funds were received this quarter to continue the wall construction along the western fence. The wall is proving successful however installing it is a challenge with a number of incidents were reported by the contractor. These incidents ranged from unsafe working conditions, stone throwing and assault on staff. A local NGO; AWQAF SA approached the reserve to assist with tree planting at three schools namely; Alexander Sinton High school, Al Azhar High school and Lwazi Primary school held on 10 September 2019. The tree planting was a contribution to Arbour day, but also seen as a symbol indicating peace in light of the gender based violence which is under the spotlight of our City and country. On the 13th August 2019 12 EPWP workers were appointed to work at the reserve as general workers. In addition to those 12 a clerk position was also received and filled. WE were happy to welcome back one of our previously employed epwp supervisors in the clerk. 2. HIGHLIGHTS & CHALLENGES Highlights: More capital funds received for wall construction western fence 12 new EPWP general workers employed 1 clerk position EPWP for store management Change in staff structure (all operational staff reporting to one manager) Challenges: Desperate need for a truck driver Desperate need to retain worker staff for longer terms Need for correct vehicles for staff transportation Current permanent staff working outside of job description to cover for the lack of staff resources 2 City of Cape Town Quarterly Report – 01 July to 30 September 2019 False Bay Nature Reserve | False Bay -natuurreservaat | ULondolozo lweNdalo False Bay 3. CONSERVATION PLANNING Time and effort is being put into developing infrastructure plans with the aim of developing maintenance plans for each of the buildings and infrastructure. A pre maintenance plan (PMP) will be drawn from those plans in an effort to minimise the amount and cost of repairs and maintenance required for our reserve infrastructure. The area manager along with all the site managers and people and conservation officer attends four branch meetings for the year with the next one schedule on the 05th December 2019. We also attend a regional meeting every two months and a monthly FBNR managers meeting, next being held the 22nd October 2019. A protected area advisory committee meeting is scheduled for the 28th November 2019. It is here that feedback is given on reserve activities and well as plans are tabled and discussed. It is also a forum in which to hear feedback from partner organisations and other city line functions that have an interest in the protected area. 4. FLORA Alien clearing planned for False Bay Nature Reserve All the management blocks of FBNR is planned to have alien clearing done within it. This clearing will be done through contractors which will be managed by the Invasive Alien Species Unit. Wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis) and wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) clearing We are constantly clearing wild mustard and relish off Eastern shore at Zeekoevlei section. Spring is the growing period of these species and to date we removed approximately 11 tons. The clearing of this species will be on going throughout its growing period. Paterson’s curse (Echium plantagineum) A few of these plants were removed from Eastern shore of the Zeekoevlei section as we would not want it to establish itself in the area. As we spot them we are removing it as soon as possible to avoid establishment. Vegetation monitoring Vegetation monitoring was conducted in relation to the Micro frog project at Rondevlei section. This monitoring was conducted with Leighan Mossop (Monitoring and Evaluation Co-ordinator) and one of her interns. This vegetation monitoring will be compared to the vegetation found at Kenilworth racecourse were the micro frog is currently found. Staff conducting monitoring in the Erica Field (S. Khan 2019) 3 City of Cape Town Quarterly Report – 01 July to 30 September 2019 False Bay Nature Reserve | False Bay -natuurreservaat | ULondolozo lweNdalo False Bay Some of our spring flowers Oxalis obtuse (S. Khan 2019) Zaluzianskya villosa (S. Khan 2019) Psuedoselago serata (S. Khan 2019) Roepera flexuosa (S. Khan 2019) Gladiolus cunonius (S. Khan 2019) Arctotheca calendula (S. Khan 2019) Senecio arenarius (S. Khan 2019) Farraria crispa (S.Khan 2019) 4 City of Cape Town Quarterly Report – 01 July to 30 September 2019 False Bay Nature Reserve | False Bay -natuurreservaat | ULondolozo lweNdalo False Bay Planting at Zeekoevlei Reserve staff, interns and volunteers assisted in replanting of different species (2650) of plant in the Zeekoevlei Rehabilitation area. Reserve staff, interns and volunteers planting different species of plants at Zeekoevlei Rehabilitation Area (Photos: R Murovhi 2019) List of plant species Genus species Origin QTY Carex clavata Fynbos Nursery 250 Carpobrotus acinaciformis Kapteinsklip 83 Chironia baccifera Westlake 20 Chrysocoma coma-aurea Kapteinsklip & Westlake 50 Ehrharta villosa Zandvliet 250 Geranium incanum Pelican Park 18 Geranium incanum Zandvliet 87 Helichrysum dasyanthum Kapteinsklip 200 Helichrysum patulum Kapteinsklip 100 Hermannia ternifolia Kapteinsklip 15 Ifloga repens Kapteinsklip 7 Isolepis sp. Zandvliet 276 Metalasia muricata Zandvliet 179 Monopsis lutea Zandvliet 83 Muraltia spinosa Zandvliet 1 Orphium frutescens Zandvliet 153 Otholobium bracteolatum Zandvliet 60 Pelargonium betulinum Fynbos Nursery (Westlake stock) 62 Pelargonium betulinum Unknown (FBNR) 2 Phylica ericoides Kapteinsklip 480 Phylica ericoides Pelican Park 100 5 City of Cape Town Quarterly Report – 01 July to 30 September 2019 False Bay Nature Reserve | False Bay -natuurreservaat | ULondolozo lweNdalo False Bay Plecostachys serpyllifolia Rondevlei 500 Psoralea repens Fynbos Nursery