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We appeal to all ordinary and
family members who have not yet
renewed their membership for
2009-2010 to do so now. WE NEED
YOUR SUPPORT. |
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Our AGM was held on 7 May 2009 at the Rietvlei
Education Centre. The new committee for the coming
year was elected – they are: |
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Nelis Visagie (Chairman)
Pat Titmuss (Treasurer)
Pauline Potton (Secretary)
John Herring (Membership)
Niel van Wyk (Newsletter & Website) |
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After the formal business of the AGM, Reserve
Manager Koos gave an interesting talk about the
Estuary Management Plan for the Rietvlei Wetland
Reserve. The new education intern, Conette Koorts,
gave an update on her work with school groups at
Rietvlei. |
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EVENING TALK |
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Please diarise THURSDAY 25 JUNE, AT 19h30 for 20h00
for a very interesting evening. We will be welcoming
the two students who are working at Rietvlei, Cleo
and Noxi. They are going to present their proposed
Research projects to you. Your input and comments
help them to improve their research. |
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We will also have a powerpoint presentation from
Niel Van Wyk on the dune dynamics of our beachfront.
There has been much discussion in the press and
amongst residents on the declining beachfront at
Table View. Niel’s presentation gives a much needed
focus on the natural processes that are occurring –
the talk will discuss the formation and dynamics of
coastal sand dunes, and describe how interference
with natural processes can result in severe future
problems. |
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As the night will probably be cold and wet we ask
you to brave the weather and join us for a glass of
warming sherry, in the RIETVLEI EDUCATION CENTRE,
off Grey/Sandpiper Roads, Table View ( next to
Milnerton Aquatic Club). Please phone Pauline on 083
255 2537 if you have queries. |
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Membership Fees |
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Thank you so much to those annual paying members who
have paid their subs and renewed for another year. A
strong membership is needed when we have our say on
activities that may impact Rietvlei and surrounding
natural areas. If you haven’t renewed please do an
EFT, or deposit at the bank, send a cheque to our
postal address, or pay your fees at the Evening
Meeting. Membership forms are available off the
website -
click here. |
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UPGRADE OF BAYSIDE CANAL |
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Actually, for those of you who have been watching
all the building works along the R27, you will
notice that it is the section of canal next to Pick
n Pay on the R27 that is being rapidly transformed
to a wider and flatter channel. The contractor,
Lancer Civils started work in late April. They are
at present cleaning out the old canal and relining
the walls and bottom of the canal in the portion
between Blaauwberg Road and where the canal enters
the reedbeds at the northwestern part of Rietvlei.
The work is being guided by a Construction
Environmental Management Plan and monitored by an
ECO. Another positive development with regard to the
canal upgrade is that the taxi ranks in Blaauwberg
Road will be replaced by the IRT bus station. This
should significantly decrease the litter problem we
presently have in this portion of Blaauwberg Road. |
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CAPE CLAWLESS OTTER Aonyx capensis |
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At the AGM a concern was expressed by Andre Swart
that the otters of the area might be vulnerable with
all the construction work happening for the new bus
lanes. On Monday 25 May at 09h30 Pat Titmuss was
driving along the R27 towards Blaauwberg Road and
saw a dead otter on the yellow line on the west side
of the road near the Waves Edge Pond. With the help
of the surveyors working the area it was moved
further off the road and marked with a beacon The
otter must have been recently knocked on the head
and killed. It was a beautiful specimen and not
badly damaged by the accident. The Reserve staff
rescued the body, which was a large male. He was not
badly damaged but there was no freezer space
available at the taxidermists. He was taken by Guy
Palmer of Cape Nature so that valuable information
could be collected about the animal. |
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NEW FENCING |
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Following the above sad news there is some good
news. The money for fencing 700m of the Rietvlei R27
road boundary was allocated at a late stage of the
City’s financial year. Koos Retief managed to get
the contractors on site at short notice and you will
see the new green mesh fence on the east side of the
R27 from the gate to the model aircraft field
northwards for 700m. It is hoped that the new
financial year, starting in July 2009, will provide
further fencing money to complete this section of
the reserve. |
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DIEP RIVER PROJECT |
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In 2007 Table Mountain Fund allocated funding to
Friends of Rietvlei to provide a conservator to
start with on the ground management of the “Fynbos
Corridor”. This biodiversity corridor will
eventually link the Diep River from north of
Blaauwberg Road to the Blaauwberg Conservation Area.
Sandiso Kraai was appointed in this position and did
pioneering work in the field for almost 2 years
until January 2009. The City of Cape Town and
Friends of Rietvlei have now signed a Memorandum Of
Agreement for the Management and Restoration of the
Diep River Fynbos Corridor Project. The City will
allocate R150 000 to friends of Rietvlei to continue
with the project. We are proud to be able to
continue with this exciting groundbreaking corridor.
It is hoped that other corporate donors might feel
encouraged to assist with this project. An advert
for a conservator to undertake work in the field
will go out shortly but if anyone knows a potential
candidate please ask them to send an email to
info@friendsofrietvlei.co.za |
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Friends of Rietvlei Membership Drive |
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1. The Rietvlei students will be hosting an
information table at Pick n Pay, Table View Mall on
Thursday 18th and Friday 19th June. This will be an
opportunity for shoppers to get some information on
Rietvlei. |
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2. We will be having a membership drive at The
Paddocks shopping centre in Racecourse Road,
Milnerton, on Saturday 20 June 2009. We hope to gain
more members from the new developments in Royal
Ascot as this lies within the catchment area of
Rietvlei and the Milnerton lagoon. |
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If you know of anybody living in that area of
Milnerton, please encourage them to visit our table
at The Paddocks and join the Friends. Any members
who would like to assist at the table would be most
welcome. Please contact Pauline Potton on 083 255
2537 if you can assist. |
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Energy Efficiency or Energy Reduction |
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We are again being made aware by
Eskom that the supply of
electricity in South Africa is
not enough to meet the demand.
What can we as ordinary citizens
do to reduce the demand for
energy? The answer lies in
applying the principles of
energy efficiency. |
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Energy efficiency is not about
reducing heat, light or power in
your house; it is about wasting
less energy. It is also not
about doing less to save energy,
but about doing the same or more
with less energy. This basically
comes down to using energy more
efficiently with less wastage. |
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Energy efficiency has been
described as a renewable energy
resource that is perfectly
cheap, abundant and immediately
available. It can reduce carbon
emissions and reduce our
dependence on imported energy
resources. It does not pollute,
and it does not depend on the
weather like solar and wind
power. |
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There are several ways of
improving energy efficiency in
your home – here is one of them: |
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Use compact
fluorescent
lightbulbs (CFLs).
Only 4% of the
energy used in a
normal lightbulb
produces light, the
rest is wasted as
heat. CFLs use 75%
less power than an
ordinary lightbulb
and most of the
energy it uses goes
into light. They are
more expensive than
ordinary lightbulbs,
but they last 8-10
times longer. |
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In our next newsletter we will
have more energy efficiency tips
for you. |
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| Thanks go to Chevron Refinery for
sponsoring envelopes for the posted newsletter. |
