the guineafowl newsletter no 1

www.nacsa.org.za
THE GUINEAFOWL NEWSLETTER NO 1 – 2011
Message from the Editor
I accept full responsibility for the lateness of this
number one edition of the e-newsletter of 2011. I
have been on the election campaign, with weekly
targets, for the last five months and unfortunately
my voluntary community work had to be put on
hold. I am back so will be in Durban for the next 3
or 5 years depending on the date of the next local
government elections.
In our urban areas our parks and Public Open
Spaces (POS) are coming under serious threat as
they are being used by the criminals to hide
themselves and their stolen goods. In Durban
some residents would like the grasslands to be
mowed, the undergrowth manicured and even
trees chopped down in forests. While we accept
that is is very easy to hide in a forest with stolen
goods, it is even more difficult to placate angry,
traumatized residents whose homes have been
burgled and their privacy invaded. This is proving
to be a very difficult problem to solve.
Jean Lindsay
Johann Vermeulen,
eThekwini DCO
Message from the
secretary and co-editor
Our 30th AGM came and went without us even
noticing that we could have made it a really special
event. The last 30 years has seen many changes in
the political landscape and no less so in our
advisory body, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. They have
been in a state of flux for a number of years now
and the Association committee constantly meets
the challenges this offers. Going over the minutes of
the last six years I hear us repeating ourselves
again and again as we appear to stumble forward
in our efforts to get Ezemvelo to formally recognise
the conservancy movement. Just as we think we are
just about there, a new challenge rises. We have to
acknowledge some real champions in this cause:
people like Pandora Long and Darlene Bond of
Lower Mpushini Conservancy and Cecil van
Heyningen and his dedicated team from
Umtumvuna. Both these conservancies won the
Certificate of Recognition at the AGM. And I know
there are more of you out there! Write or phone and
tell us about your conservancy. Also get to know
your DCO – invite them to your meetings. They also
help us to recognise you.
Alison Young
I am delighted to announce that Johann Vermeulen was the co-winner of
the eThekwini municipality’s Mayoral Biodiversity award for 2010. This
nomination was proposed by the eThekwini conservancies and seconded by the Krantzkloof Honorary Officers. We as citizens have been
extremely fortunate to have Johann as our District Conservation Officer
(DCO) in eThekwini for the past 8 years.
The success and sustainability of the many eThekwini conservancies is
because of Johann’s support, assistance and motivation. He attends
many evening AGMs and is always available for Saturday workshops.
He is constantly on call and responds to call-outs relating to many
wildlife issues and illegal conservation activities.
This dedicated, honest, hardworking person is making a most valuable
contribution by promoting the stewardship of our natural resources at
a community level.
Jean Lindsay
20 Years of Urban Conservation
diary is booked months in advance.
In certain areas, invasive trees have been felled, and we have
established a new garden at one entrance to Everton. Indigenous trees on all our verges now sport WESSA tree labels.
After many months of negotiations with the Municipality and
following all the correct procedures, we still await permission
to erect new signs at various D’Moss sites. This is to make
people aware that, for example, dogs are not allowed in the
conservation areas and that our grassland is not an overgrown
wasteland!
Everton Conservancy Garden Party 2011
Everton Conservancy – the first urban conservancy in South
Africa - turns 20 this year. Events to mark the occasion kicked
off on March 12th with our first Talk in the Park, our speaker
being author of Getting to Know the Neighbours, Pat McKrill
who not only educated the many ophidiophobes in the audience but even made us laugh. Pat released two house snakes
into the park - but we won’t tell the neighbours.
Despite the whole of Everton being a Conservancy where large
natural areas support viable populations of wildlife, there are
people who seem unable to appreciate how fortunate they are
to live here. One resident whose property abuts a riparian area
has informed us that he intends to set traps for genets because
they’re eating his chickens…
There is much work to be done!
Our ever popular Garden Party will be on June 5th this year and
promises to be the best yet. Phone Andrea (031 7671383) if
you’re planning to attend and would like tickets as we anticipate they will be sold out early this year.
Our battle with invasive plants continues unabated. We have
trained teams working on verges throughout Everton as well as
on D’Moss areas and streams. One of our members runs a
project to assist landowners to clear their properties and her
‘Green Scorpions’ – what are these elusive creatures
Ask most folk who the “Green Scorpions” are and one can
expect a number of dubious responses! Most notable is the
assumption that these are a squad of highly trained eco-“Judge
Dredd’s” that sit…somewhere in the Republic! Sadly, this is not
so.
“Green Scorpions” is a fancy nick-name for officials from a
number of government departments and agencies who have
been appointed as Environmental Management Inspectors
(EMI’s) in terms of Chapter 7 of NEMA. There is no single,
consolidated department sitting up in Pretoria who will jump
into glossy black 4 x 4’s and race off after you have lodged your
complaint on the 24 hour hotline. The reality is much more
mundane.
Officials undergo rigorous training in general enforcement and
investigative techniques as well as being given a good grounding in how environmental and criminal law functions at the
coalface. Such course last up to 6 months and are a mixture of
theory and practical sessions. After passing an exam, the
aspiring EMI’s must then be delegated formal powers by, either
their Minister, Director General or the MEC. NEMA sections 31
(B) & (C) allow for the delegation of enforcement powers to any
competent official from all 3 spheres of government (national,
provincial and local) as well as, in some instances, parastatals, such as EKZN Wildlife. The proviso being that they are
mandated to perform an enforcement function under NEMA or
one of the SEMA’s (specific environmental management Acts,
e.g. the Biodiversity Act, Protected Areas Act, Waste Act, etc).
EMI’s are not restricted to dealing solely with “green” crimes,
such as rhino poaching and cycad smuggling. They are also to
be found in the “blue” sectors such as those who regulate the
sea fisheries sector and the “brown” sectors who regulate and
enforce issues such as air, water and general pollution, unauthorized development and waste disposal.
In the next issue we will take a closer look at who is doing what
and how effective EMI enforcement is on the ground.
T.H.H.Petterson
Endangered Wildlife Trust Congratulates
‘Rhenosterspruit Four’
Punitive Costs Order for Unsuccessful SLAPP Suit
The North Gauteng High Court yesterday handed down a
punitive costs order against Wraypex (Pty) Ltd, developer of the
Blair Atholl Golfing Estate, for its unsuccessful R170 million
lawsuit against four members of the Rhenosterspruit Nature
Conservancy. The case was dismissed with costs in December
2010.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust would like to congratulate
the “Rhenosterspruit Four” and their legal team for this victory
and for the precedent it will hopefully set in future should other
developers be tempted to use bullying tactics to stifle public
participation and members of the public from acting to protect
our environmental rights.
“South Africa’s progressive environmental legislation and
our Constitution, which affords protection of the environment
for every single citizen, will only become meaningful when we
see all people fighting to defend these rights and to uphold the
principles of equitable, sustainable development and freedom
of public participation in the decision-making process,” said
Yolan Friedmann, EWT Chief Executive Officer. “It is therefore a
major victory when we see that those who bravely expressed
their concerns have been vindicated, and that the legal system
has upheld the principles of a free and just democracy.”
The judgement was handed down in what is commonly referred
to as SLAPP suit or Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation. SLAPP suits use litigation to intimidate civil society
organisations to such an extent that they refrain from actively
participating in public participation processes where they
oppose developments. This case is one of South Africa’s first
SLAPP suits.
Costs were awarded on an attorney and client scale,
amounting to significantly more than would ordinarily be the
case when costs are awarded against an unsuccessful plaintiff.
Judge Stanley Sapire’s decision was influenced by the “belligerent style of Wraypex’s attorney’s letters which were calculated
to intimidate and create enmity” and “the extravagant amount
claimed by Wraypex”. Wraypex’s institution of actions against
the Conservancy members at a time when the company had
already obtained approval for the establishment of the township, and the Record of Decision had already been issued by
the Gauteng’s Department of Agriculture, Conservation and
Environment, further influenced the judge’s decision.
Helen Duigan, Chairperson for the Rhenosterspruit Nature
Conservancy says: “This case has reaffirmed the role of civic
associations and community-based organisations as watchdogs for their communities. The publicity that was generated by
the favourable outcome of our case has also highlighted other
issues. Many people across the country are fighting lone
battles against the destruction of the environment. This creates
the opportunity to establish a community coalition of support
among such individuals. Besides support, such a network can
provide information, pass on experience and build critical
mass for community-based conservation. The case has also
highlighted the growing concern and support in the media for
environmental issues. We are most grateful to our legal team of
Van den Bogert Göldner Inc and Advocates Rudolph Jansen and
Adrian Vorster.”
For more information on how members of the public can
participate in all forms of development in South Africa, and
how you can enforce your right to a healthy environment,
please visit the EWT’s Environmental Impact Assessment toolkit
on http://www.eiatoolkit.ewt.org.za.
Giant Mexican Reed – Arundo Donax (Poaceae)
This huge grass which tends to
invade the edge of rivers, dams
and wetlands was probably
first introduced into the
country from Asia as an
ornamental. It is particularly
popular in its variegated form.
All around the world that the
plant has invaded it has many
uses which include making
trellises, baskets and wind
instruments. It is eaten by
livestock and is highly flammable resulting in copious regrowth.
Arundo can grow to 6 metres or more. The grass stems only flower
after their second year of growth and it does not flower above an
altitude of 1000m. It spreads by underground rhizomes.
Arundo is sometimes confused with the indigenous
Phragmites australis. However Phragmites sometimes grows in
water whereas Arundo never grows in water. The flowers also
look different, those of Arundo being much more compact and
darker in colour.
Treatment
Ferdie Jordaan (Zeneca Agrochemicals) has been doing experiments near Brits and he advises the following treatments. It is
best to cut the stems down with a brush cutter to between 5 and
15cm from the ground. Within 15 minutes a herbicide must be
applied – he uses Kilo (active ingredient: glyphosate 3%) with a
colourant in it otherwise it is impossible to see what you have
already treated. If the patch of Arundo is small then he suggests
snapping the stems to bring the leaves down to a level you can
reach and then foliar spray the leaves.
Follow up applications are essential
Ferdie found that 4 follow up applications four to six weeks
apart were necessary to completely eradicate the grass. To
make sure that this vacuum is not re-invaded sow indigenous
grass seed. Usually, however, the local Cyperus and Typha will
re-establish.
Dendrophobia
I am concerned about an insidious virus that is spreading
steadily through our urban areas. It isn’t new, but alarmingly,
attacks are becoming more frequent. It is difficult to detect in
the early stages but soon manifests itself in the need for a
‘clean’ environment. On a daily basis the carrier attacks and
bundles leaves into blue bags. As the virus matures, the attack
goes right to the source, and whether this grows in the garden
or on the verge it has to go. I wonder whether other readers
have witnessed the effects of Dendrophobia and the resultant
loss of magnificent trees.
The virus appears to distort the understanding of the cycle of
life and the central role played by trees. Not only do they
provide a life-support system for us, but also for myriads of
birds and insects - perching, resting, nesting and feeding in its
branches. Moreover, is it possible that there are people in the
twenty-first century who do not understand the relationship
between rotting leaves and soil regeneration; and, soil regeneration and life on earth?
Within the Padfield Manors and New Germany suburbs some
ten large, magnificent trees have been felled during the past
five years. If the life of these trees ranged between 50 to 100
years and, conservatively, we take 60 years as the average, then
within this period 600 years of growth have been destroyed.
And, the destruction took a total of only ten days! It is so easy
– yet global warming alarm bells should be ringing loudly. Is
there anyone out there who is unaware of the connection?
In advance of the 2010 soccer, the Ethekwini Municipality
planted thousands of trees to cover the anticipated ‘carbon
footprint’. This is what they have to say in their publication
‘Climate Change’,
The average South African emits about 7.8 tons of CO2 each
year. One would need to plant 38 trees every year to take in all
this carbon! (In Durban, the average indigenous tree stores
203kg of CO2 in its lifetime.) It is important to remember that
trees can take 30-50 years to grow to maturity and take in all
that carbon, which you emit in a single year and less.
Perhaps some strict laws should be implemented, after all, if
you remove a tree and thereby choose to remove your lifesupport system, then whose oxygen are you planning to use for
your survival? Let’s impose an oxygen tax for those who have
no garden trees and a heavy fine for those who recklessly
destroy our life-support system.
Pat Olivier
Padfield Manors Conservancy
Is a listed protected tree planted by a human still a protected tree?
Greening the South Coast in 2011
ALL things green and beautiful on the South Coast are in good
hands, thanks to the many dedicated conservancies and
environmental groups in the area. All groups said they would
continue to fight the never-ending battle against invasive alien
plants (IAP’s), which represented one of the greatest threats
against the South Coast’s ecological integrity.
Southbroom Conservancy recently sponsored an Honorary
Officer to do IAP eradication training. They will expand their
beach clean-up project. Rolls of refuse bags and signage,
explaining the dangers posed by plastic and other litter to
marine life, have been posted at entry points to the beach.
Walkers are invited to take a bag with them and pick up any
litter they find. They also plan to establishment a trail through
Frederika Reserve.
Umtamvuna Conservancy will help develop the Red Desert
Game Reserve once its rezoning is formalised. They will work
with Port Edward Primary School to rehabilitate a wetland on
the school property.
Karkloof – Pat Cahill
South Coast WESSA would continue to support local green
organisations and act as an environmental watchdog. They
hope to give Bendigo Nature Reserve, used as an illegal dumping site, conservancy status.
Honorary Officers will establishing a resource centre at Skyline
Nature Reserve, create cycle and walking trails at Mbumbazi
Game Reserve and provide new braai facilities at Oribi Nature
Reserve.
The Leisure Bay Conservation Group will establish a nature
trail, with information boards, from the beach into coastal
forest. They will also rehabilitate eroded dunes and promote
the use indigenous plants in their gardens.
Ramsgate Conservancy will be working on a beachfront walkway, the Ramsgate Marine Ramble, and develop the whale
watching platform project further.
Kongweni Conservancy is the ‘new kid on the block’. Their
biggest achievement this year would be to rezoned from Public
Open Land to Conservancy status. They will keep the Kongweni
River litter free, thereby keeping pollution off Margate beach.
Ivungu River Conservancy will maintain the Ivungu River
Reserve, with Coast Care clear IAP’s along Saints’ Walk and
upgrade Voigt Park, near St Michael’s.
Umtentweni Conservancy will run educational programmes on
IAP control. They will be monitoring the state of Mtentweni and
Mzimkhulu rivers.
Umzumbe conservancy will carry on with its war against
poaching.
South Coast Herald, Judi Davis
E-mails are not as green
as you might think
For years, we’ve been encouraged to send e-mails rather than
use paper in order to minimise our carbon footprint. But a
study has found that the energy used to send a single e-mail
generates 19g of carbon dioxide. So if you receive the daily
average of 58 and send 33, you produce 136kg of carbon
dioxide a year - the equivalent of flying from London to
Amsterdam and back. Group e-mails or those with photos
waste four times more energy.
A company with 100 employees generates 14 tonnes of
carbon dioxide a year - the equivalent of 13 return trips from
Paris to New York – just surfing the internet.
Aloes along M13 - Mark Liptrot
Perhaps an old-fashioned face-to-face conversation might be
the greenest option.
Daily Mail.
CONTACT LIST OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Malcolm Stainbank (Chairman) Eston
031 781 1691 083 781 1130
[email protected]
Trafford Petterson (Vice-C): Durban
031 311 2011
[email protected]
Secretary
Treasurer
Alison Young: Pmb South
033 260 5154, 082 4065638
[email protected]
Tony Wint: Durban
031 765 2112 083 326 6716
[email protected]
Committee members
Rosanne Clark: Southern ‘Berg
033 702 1061
[email protected]
Rob Crankshaw: Durban South
031 702 6053 082 900 9593
[email protected]
Ralph Dobeyn: Zululand
035 550 4142
[email protected]
Jean Lindsay: Durban
031 705 5448 082 550 4427
[email protected]
Fokko Fokkens: North Coast
032 551 3260
[email protected]
Cecil van Heyningen: Umtumvuna
039 311 1216
[email protected]
Johan Vermeulen: Durban
082 931 8335
[email protected]
Doug Burden: Midlands Conservancies
033 897 4034
[email protected]
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