Happy New Year -- let us hope that the awful fire will soon be over. But oh dear what will all our animals live on in the coming months. Some parts of the 12000 ha that have burned were in need of fire. But much was not and in those areas the endangered fynbos could see many species lost. And for the animals having so little of the Biosphere Reserve survive the fire is going to mean real hardships in the coming months. But it is amazing how resilient nature can be - and Rooielsers can be counted on to give a helping hand. The Fire
Overstrand Traffic Update Thursday 10.01.2019 @ 16:30 Unfortunately the R44 Clarence Drive between Rooi Els and Gordon's Bay will remain CLOSED due to active fire conditions in the area, which have now burned 11 500 hectares. The Blog Below has some details on the fire and the implications for the fynbos and was written on Weds 9th. You can continue to get updates from Greater Overberg FPA. The Breeze – the 2018 Breeze has been put onto the Website and so you can send the link to friends and family and they can see it all. The 2017 Breeze is also there. Be sure to learn all about our wonderful environment in the Nature section of the website – particularly the Leopard and the Other Animal Camera Trap Blogs. Don’t forget to also check out the Rooiels Wildlife Facebook page. There is a really delightful video (The Penguin Song – Alison Scott on U-Tube) you should be sure to access. Ali and John worked with children in Kleinmond, Mooi Uitsig and Pringle Bay to produce artwork and dance to illustrate their song about the importance of minimising the use of plastic and saving our penguins. It is a treat. Be sure to listen and watch. Just click any of the links above (where it is underlined and in blue) and you will go directly to the photos, articles, music etc.
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There is a range of information on the fire but it is not always easy to get the latest. You can get updates on the Fire from the Greater Overberg FPA facebook page. Or on the Overstrand Municipal Facebook page. There is usually a post each day around lunchtime with information given on the extent of the fire, the current R44 status and the organisations involved in fighting the fire. Occasionally there are some interesting extracts on what has happened while working on the fire and the significant difficulties faced with the wild wind shifts in both direction and speed and then in some places the fire creeps underground in the spongy turf and then pops up elsewhere when the crew had thought it was controlled. The crews have been magnificent, worked together tirelessly and have managed to save the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens but much of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve has been devastated. To give an idea of the scale of operations, on Tuesday 8th January there were 92 firefighters, 6 Helicopters (3 City of Cape Town and 3 Overstrand and Cape Winelands) a Working on Fire Spotter plan and 2 fixed wing bombers. The agencies involved included: Overstrand Municipality, Overberg District Municipality, City of Cape Town, CapeNature, Working on Fire, NCC Environmental Services, Volunteer Wildfire Services, Greater Overberg FPA, Limitless Fire and Winelands FPA, Cape Winelands, Betty’s Bay Community Volunteer Fire Fighters, Pringle Bay Community Volunteer Fire Fighters, as well as various NGOs and other public support organisation. Earlier support was also given by the Helderberg Fire Watch, Overberg Wildfire Volunteers, Gordon’s Bay Fire Watch and WSAR To give an idea of the scale of operations, on Tuesday 8th January there were 92 firefighters, 6 Helicopters, a Working on Fire Spotter plane and 2 fixed wing bombers. The agencies involved included: Overstrand Municipality, Overberg District Municipality, City of Cape Town, CapeNature, Working on Fire, NCC Environmental Services, Volunteer Wildfire Services, Greater Overberg FPA, Limitless Fire and Winelands FPA, Cape Winelands, Betty’s Bay Community Volunteer Fire Fighters, Pringle Bay Community Volunteer Fire Fighters, as well as various NGOs and other public support organisation. Earlier support was also given by the Helderberg Fire Watch, Overberg Wildfire Volunteers, Gordon’s Bay Fire Watch and WSAR There are some interesting posts including a timeline series from Sullivan Photography with their description of what one crew was doing above Harold Porter Gardens: "High up in the mountains with no additional resources, crews use special Beaters and Rake hoes to work the line - Some refer to this as ‘High Speed Gardening’... It is one of the most gruelling tasks of any wildland firefighter, facing dangers of falling rocks in steep terrain, localised wind shifts, ash pits, fatigue, dehydration, all the normal dangers of fire phenomena and one of the most unexpected but common factors - Cold! It gets cold when the sun drops and after resting for a few moments, the chill of the wind and altitude set in. This particular Hotshot crew from the NCC spent 24 hours on the mountain that night - 05/01/19 A BIG THANK YOU to all of the Firefighters and their support teams, Law enforcement, the Volunteers who kept everyone fed and to the public who continue to show their support by both donating and assisting where possible. " There is also an interesting article in the Daily Maverick written by Tony Weaver on how their house survived the fire The Kogelberg Nature Reserve complex incorporates the critically endangered Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos. This Kogelberg Nature Reserve Fynbos should burn every 17 years. The Fynbos burning now is only between 8 and 12 years old. This is devastating for Fynbos species, and their ability to recover.
The Vulnerable Marsh Rose (Orothamnus zeyheri) is just one of the species now threatened by the fire. Fynbos is a fire-adapted vegetation and is dependent on appropriate fires for its survival. Fire drives this cycle, and at appropriate intervals it stimulates re-sprouting and seedling recruitment which leads to better species diversity. However, an increase in fire frequency causes the structure and composition of fynbos to change and leads to the potential loss of species. The ideal fire frequency in the Kogelberg Nature Reserve Complex is 17 years. Not only is the flora compromised by these fires, but the fauna has been affected with loss of shelter and food. Furthermore the Boland Mountain Complex is classified as a strategic water source area, it provides good quality water for the Cape Metropolitan Area. Intense and too frequent fires can decrease the rate of infiltration by destroying the litter and organic layers in the soil resulting in run-off and less water entering the dams Not only are the ongoing fires a threat to the environment but there is a chance that they could spread to the agricultural area in the Elgin basin and to the Steenbras Dam plantation. The image below shows the fire in orange but taken on 5th January before the fire had spread throughout the reserve. The iconic, but now rather derelict, A frame in Rocklands Road is to be dismantled the first week of July. Please avoid dogs off leads when passing the A frame as the dassies will be rehousing themselves in the rocks!! All the legal permits and asbestos specialists etc are involved and the roof due to come down on 6th July.
We are so sad that there has been extensive damage to the cameras in the Cave. After all the hard work by Wolfgang, Jill, Duncan and others, and the generous donations from Rooielsers to assist with funds for the cameras that contribute to leopard research and allow us to get to know more about the wildlife we share this beautiful place with. It is very difficult to understand the motivation of anyone who would destroy lenses and bury cameras. PLEASE PLEASE if anyone knows anything about it, please can you let us know. We need to understand how to avoid this happening in future. See Rooiels Chat for a Call for photos of an Oyster Catcher for the Cover of Promerops, the Cape Bird Club magazine - deadline 10th May The Hack -- UPDATE - smallholdings hack not possible - meet up instead Camp Ground Road opposite Wonderlings at 08.30 on 5th May. See details on the REC News Please all try and be there - all hands contribute and a delicious tea afterwards too. Dr Mathew Small - a Wildlife Talk at the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens Sat 5th May 5-6.30 p.m. See Notice on the REC News
Red Tide - Pringle Bay Festival - Baboon and Leopard talks and... a new little baby boy in Rooiels22/4/2018 Go the Field Notes for some interesting notes on the Red Tide shared by Jenny Stark. There are also more articles in the section on Ecology and History of Rooiels Go to Rooiels Chat for the Full Programme at the Pringle Bay Festival - lots of music, stalls, fun and some interesting talks. Dont miss the talks on Saturday 28th by Wolfgang on the Leopards and by Joselyn on the Baboons Our best wishes to Monique and Wimpy on their gorgeous little boy.
The Hack, new email addresses for RERA and photos from the Camera - leopard, porcupine and more,8/4/2018 Thanks to Dick Lockley and all those who are hacking. Please try to join them on 5th May and also does anyone have small jars (old mustard or similar) and old paintbrushes for Dick. Read about the new Hack focus on the REC News RERA has new email addresses - [email protected] and [email protected] Go to RERA News of the RERA membership page Visits to the Cameras in the Cave in February. Go to the Rooiels Fieldnotes for photos of several leopard visits, as well as porcupine, baboons and also a klipspringer.
The next Eco-Walk on Saturday 31st March - all invited - Meet outside the Drummond Arms at 8.30 a.m. Guest visitor is botanist Amida Johns of Kogelberg Nature Reserve. A successful Hack was held on Saturday 3rd March - see the REC News for details - next Hack 7th April Also see REC News for notices of the Wildlife Research talks at the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens in Betty;'s Bay. The next one on 7th April is on Toads by Ellen Fedele.
And to the Social pages to see some photos from Monique's baby shower, and of Rooielsers raising their glasses to a "new dawn" at the beach. And also check in to the Rooiels Chat for some items for sale or news of events of interest. See notice of Golf day on Friday 27th April to raise funds for firefighting equipment and security. Call for people interested in stands or participation in the Pringle Bay Festival end of April ..................and more
Calling all Artists in Rooiels -- some of you were featured in the recent Breeze and Leeann is in touch with you directly. But........please would all the other artists in Rooiels be in touch with LeeAnn. It would be so good if we could include you all into the new Book that is being produced about Rooiels. So if you take photos, or paint, or sculpt or make music, or theatre, or videography, or have any other contact with the arts......please email Lee ([email protected]) or [email protected] PLEASE avoid feeding the baboons. Baboons get far more calories from our food and so they will always take the opportunity to take it. If you feed them then you make them think of us as food targets! For many years we have been walking close to the baboons with no problem, even with our dogs. But to keep that privilege and to ensure we reduce conflict between people and baboons, we need to avoid them getting food. Go to the Baboon page to learn about living with baboons in Rooiels. "The Human-Baboon Interface in Rooiels" a talk by Joselyn Mormile hosted by the Kogelberg Botanical Society Saturday 17th February at 1800 (6 p.m.) Harold Porter - Nivenia Hall Joselyn has some very interesting observations about our baboon troop; what they eat, where they go and their relationships. See the Poster on Rooiels Chat Go to the Field Notes to see some feedback from Rooielsers on the beauty that surrounds us. The seas have been wonderfully warm and the order of the day has been swimming and enjoying the beach while the south-easter took a break! The Hack has been really making a dent on all those Rooikrans seedlings, although we still need to keep on top of them and the Port Jacksons are a bit tougher to deal with. A big thanks from us all to Dick Lockley for his tireless efforts to co-ordinate weeding and the hack. Next Hack 3rd March and a notice will be sent out beforehand with details. It would be so good if more of our new residents came. It is a really great way to meet fellow Rooielsers at the Hack tea afterwards!
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