Mtunzini Conservancy Newsletter December 2015 https://www.facebook.com/MtunziniConservancy/ Dear Members and Supporters, Many thanks to Jim Chedzey for compiling another lovely newsletter and for all the contributions that make up the 5th edition of the year. As 2015 melts away and 2016 dawns it is with excitement and some trepidation that we welcome the holidays and anticipate what the New Year holds! Most weather models are predicting the continuation of a strong El- Nino episode during the summer season with the expectation for it to start gradually decaying during late autumn and the early winter seasons. Thus the rain that we have recently experienced along the coast and inland towards Hluhluwe- Imfolozi has been most welcome as the continuation of dry conditions towards the mid- and late-summer season is forecast. Let’s all do our bit to conserve water by using it sparingly and installing water collection and recycling systems in our homes and businesses. The Conservancy held its year end function on Friday the 4th December at Twinstreams and it turned out to be a most enjoyable and entertaining evening. Special thanks to Kim and Wayne for sharing your Karoo expedition with us – the presentation was artistic and energetic and we would recommend anyone who would like their photos and videos put into a similar dynamic format contact Kim Steinberg on 0799832641. Many thanks also to our gracious host Steve Untiedt who always make us feel at home – and staff Nomusa and Khululiwe and Nonhlanhla for preparing the salads and Ray, Matthew, Ntokhoza and Kevin for the firewood. Thanks also to Daff Untiedt for all the preparation that went into making the evening a success. With the silly season on our doorsteps we would like to thank and support the MRA and concerned residents’ initiative to assist Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife instil a more peaceful and tranquil atmosphere in the uMlalazi reserve so that the lagoon and beach can be enjoyed by everyone over the holidays. The donation of CCTV equipment at the gate by the Tourism Association and a guard in the main parking lots paid for by members of the MRA are all greatly appreciated initiatives! Anyone experiencing problems can contact the security guard or the iMvula Response Vehicle 076 830 8277. Please note that the settlement with Tronox report that features below was compiled by Barbara Chedzey and mining sub-committee who we thank for the selfless time, effort and resources that everyone have put into this campaign over all these years. It is also worth mentioning that honorary membership will be awarded to Mr Norman Brauteseth who legally represented the Conservancy during this time. Special thanks to all the supporters of this campaign including the late Stan Whitfield who passed almost a year ago – we salute you for the worthy fight you all fought! I wish everyone a very happy Christmas and peaceful New Year. Kind regards, Dr Neil Evans Chairman Mtunzini Conservancy 082 936 2370 [email protected] ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY GARDENING An illustrated talk by Charles and Julia Botha To celebrate Spring, Mtunzini Conservancy hosted a most informative talk by Julia Botha, of the well- known author duo of Charles and Julia Botha. The Botha‘s books ―Bring Nature Back To Your Garden‖ and ―Bring Butterflies Back To Your Garden‖ are a ―must have‖ handbook for all gardeners. Julia‘s well-attended talk, held on 12 September at Mtunzini Country Club, highlighted the importance of planting endemic indigenous plants, which will bring a huge variety of birds and butterflies to your garden. Amongst all sorts of interesting and humorous facts, Julia emphasized how serious the ―invasion of alien species‖ is, and how it is the responsibility of everyone to help combat the onward march of these invaders. There is a difference between ―alien‖ species, which are gazetted into different categories by law, and exotics such as roses, pansies, camellias etc. After a delicious tea, there was a visit to two very different indigenous gardens at Zini River Estate with Charles and Julia in attendance to answer any questions. The first garden visited was that of Marie-Lou Sugden, a riot of indigenous colour with a lot of species variety. It is a beautifully laid out and manicured garden, emphasising that indigenous gardening can be any style you, the gardener, wish to choose. This garden is only 7 years old, but already well- established with a large number and variety of trees, showing the speed with which indigenous plants can grow, if the right ones for the right areas are used. Neil Evan‘s garden was the next one visited, and is planted in a very different style to the first. Neil has chosen a much more informal layout, using beautiful indigenous trees as the backbone of his garden. It has a ―game reserve‖ atmosphere to it, and he is lucky enough to have the shy water otter as visitor! One truly felt the serenity of ―being in the bush‖ in this garden. Mtunzini Conservancy sincerely thank Charles and Julia Botha for so generously giving of their time, Mtunzini Country Club and Zini River Estate for being such gracious hosts, and to the gardeners, Marie-Lou Sugden and Neil Evans for sharing your own beautiful spaces with the public. RECYCLING: Zini Recycling Co-operative Contribution by Neil Evans In our last newsletter we reported on the formation of the Zini Recycling Co-operative and the recycling buy-back and separation centre at the Mtunzini Transfer station — we are happy to report that this project was successfully started in October by Local recycler and waste-preneur Enoch Msweli together with help from Mpact and the Mtunzini Conservacy and approval by the uMlalazi Municipality. The project had already recycled 5 tons of materials in October and employed a local community member Teresa to assist with recycling of the contents of the orange bags diligently put out by Mtunzini residents and businesses. P.S. A reminder that Mtunzini recyclers can collect a year‘s supply of orange (and black) bags free of charge from the Municipal offices next to the Library but please use the orange bags for their intended purpose and not for general or garden waste. UMZIMBEET (Millettia grandis) – Tree of the Month. Pictures and text contributed by Doggy Kewley. Millettia grandis is a legume in the Fabaceae family. The name Umzimbeet is derived from the isiZulu name umSimbithwa. It grows in forests and on forest margins and occurs in coastal regions from the Eastern Cape as far north as Ngoye Forest to KwaZulu-Natal. It is a semi deciduous tree up to 25 m tall with a spreading crown in good conditions, but much smaller in shallow soils. Bark is smooth and grey brown on younger branches, flaky when older. Compound leaves have 3-7 pairs of opposite, lance-shaped leaflets and are up to 250mm long overall; glossy dark green or blue green on top with fine silky hairs on the underside. The tree is semi- deciduous. New leaves and petioles are reddish and velvety. In spring rusty brown buds develop and the attractive flowers emerge in summer are pea-shaped, mauve to purple and held in an upright inflorescence on the ends of the branches. The fruits are flat, woody pods up to 150 x 40mm and covered with a velvety layer of reddish to golden brown hairs. The pods split (often with a loud popping noise) when dry to release flat, brown oblong seeds Umzimbeet grows very well in Mtunzini and are an attractive addition for larger gardens, as street trees and in parks. It is also host to four species of butterfly larvae. The tree produces good timber, yellow sapwood and very heavy, hard and reddish to dark brown heartwood with its attractive coloration is valued for the manufacture of furniture and small domestic implements. Today it is used for making tough, bicoloured walking sticks which are sold to tourists The powdered root can be used as a fish poison, but fish must be boiled before consumption. The ground seed soaked in milk is used as a remedy for roundworm, but with caution as consuming too many seeds is poisonous. FILM AFRIKA – ROOTS Contribution by Dr. Neil Davies Evans At the end of September this year Film Afrika approached the Mtunzini conservancy to endorse their proposed fern forest location needed for the remake of the film ROOTS — based on our study of the Environmental Management Programme (EMPr) that was produced by Green Scene this was given. During the interaction we were also able to solicit work and experience on the ‗film scene‘ for Sbu Mhalangu who also assisted in the rehabilitation of the affected footprint post production to ensure minimal impact to the environment. Prior to this Sbu had proposed starting the S‘thandimvelo environmental programme in the Obanjeni rural community. Now thanks to the kind donation of Film Afrika to the Mtunzini Conservancy we are going to assist Sbu with his environmental education by helping him use Visual Problem Appraisal (VPA) — a film-based methodology that aims to encourage and support professionals and students engaged in the facilitation of processes of change within communities and to sharpen their analytical competencies by actively observing the explicit communication of the various problem and or solution perceptions encapsulated in filmed interviews of the stakeholders concerned. These problems could involve issues like water, alien vegetation, the conservation of ecosystems etc. The Conservancy will assist in providing the necessary multimedia technology to teach VPA as well as fund the environmental education school visits. Fairbreeze Mine Site Visit Contributed by Barbara Chedzey On 7th December Mtunzini Conservancy committee members, Mike Butler, Barbara Chedzey, Bruce Hopwood and Daff Untiedt and Steve Untiedt of WESSA were taken on a site visit by Tronox to see the Fairbreeze mine and in particular the slimes dam redesign.