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| Diep River Walk - 10
June 2007 |
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Sunday
10th
June
was
a
typical
Cape
winter's
day
-
the
day
was
cold
and
there
were
rain
showers
throughout
the
morning.
But
early
afternoon
the
rain
stopped
(for
a
while
at
least)
and
the
weather
was
quite
pleasant
for
our
walk;
except
for
a
rain
shower
later
in
the
afternoon.
The
walk
took
us
from
Parklands
into
the
natural
area
on
the
western
shore
of
the
Diep
River;
we
walked
to
the
railway
line
and
onto
the
bridge
crossing
the
Diep
River,
and
then
back
along
the
edge
of
the
wetlands.
We
were
fortunate
to
be
accompanied
by
Sandiso
Kraai,
the
Conservator
who
was
recently
appointed
to
look
after
this
important
area.
The
proposed
Diep
River
conservation
area
is
an
important
part
of
the
conservation
corridor
which
it
is
hoped
will
be
established
between
Rietvlei
Conservation
Area
and
Blaauwberg
Conservation
Area.
The
concept
of
conservation
corridors
to
link
the
conservation
areas
in
the
greater
Cape
Town
area
is
extremely
important
for
conservation
and
to
enhance
biodiversity
- we
are
proud
that
the
Diep
River
Conservation
Area
is
the
first
such
corridor
site
to
be
surveyed
and
managed.
Pictures
of
our
afternoon
walk
appear
on
the
next
pages.
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We
met
at a
nearby
service
station,
everybody
was
dressed
warmly
and
eager
to
go! |
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Striding
out
along
a
service
road. |
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The
view
northwards
-
the
conservation
area
is
to
the
right
where
a
lot
of
alien
vegetation
has
already
been
cleared. |
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The
reeds
in
the
background
is
in
drainage
ditch
draining
stormwater
from
the
Parklands
area. |
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Sandiso
explaining
to
us
how
they
treat
Port
Jackson
to
prevent
regrowth. |
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The
Port
Jackson
in
the
background
is
regrowth
from
seeds
coming
up
after
clearing
the
area. |
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Natural
vegetation
is
gradually
returning
after
clearing
the
Port
Jackson. |
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The
view
from
the
railway
line
with
the
Diep
River
floodplain
and
Parklands
in
the
distance. |
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The
Diep
River
floodplain
filling
up
after
the
rains. |
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The
Diep
River
at
the
railway
bridge. |
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The
Diep
River
from
the
railway
bridge
southwards. |
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The
Diep
River
floodplain
north
of
the
railway
bridge. |
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The
Diep
River
was
flowing
quite
strongly
with
the
recent
rains
-
the
floodplains
north
of
the
bridge
is
holding
quite
a
lot
of
water. |
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Extensive
reedbeds
on
the
west
bank
of
the
Diep
River
is
home
to a
large
variety
of
birds. |
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The
area
of
natural
veld
in
the
background
had
not
been
invaded
by
Port
Jackson
and
is
an
indication
of
what
the
area
can
look
like
once
the
veld
has
regenerated. |
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The
western
bank
of
the
Diep
River
looking
southwards. |
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The
view
across
the
Diep
River
with
the
container
terminal
on
the
opposite
shore
and
Tygerberg
Hills
in
the
background. |
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