31 The Sanctuary, off Pollsmoor Road. Kirstenhof, 7945
Tel +27 (021) 7011397
Fax +27 (021) 7011399

Regional Manager: Sharon Bosma
Regional Chairman: Louis de Villiers
Acting Chairman: Richard Timms 

Please note Western Cape staff's e-mail address changes:
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Patrick Dowling - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Philippa Huntly - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Mandy Noffke – This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Catherine Ritchie – This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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Steve Du Toit - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel: 044 874 7097
Fax: 044 874 6119
Fax to e-mail address: 088 044 874 6119
31 Progress Street, George, 6530

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Wildlife & Environment Society of South Africa, Western Cape (George office)
Incorporating Garden Route Environmental Education Network
Outeniqua Nature Reserve
Witfontein State Forest
GEORGE
6529
Tel/Fax 044-8707 038
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Office premises kindly provided by CapeNature

THE CAPE ENVIRONMENT NEWSLETTER- 2009

Download the LATEST Cape Environment newsletter volume 4  (809kb)

  Cape Environment newsletter volume 3  (513kb)

Cape Environment newsletter volume 2

Cape Environment newsletter volume 1 

2008

Cape Environment newsletter volume 4/08

Cape Environment newsletter volume 3/08

Cape Environment newsletter volume 2/08 (248kb)

Cape Environment newsletter vol 1/08 (331kb)

LINKS:

The Economics of 350 - Benefits and Costs of Climate Stabilization, click here to read more [1.5MB]

E-waste Association of SA (EWASA) www.ewasa.org -  Click here to read their newsletter [2MB] 

NEWS

EVENTS, WORKSHOPS AND FUN THINGS HAPPENING WITH WESSA WESTERN CAPE

  Sundowners at Perdekop, Bracken Nature Reserve.  Bring your own picnic

Call Thea Weyers (Chairperson) - (021) 982 3654 / 083 564 1106 or Jo Hobbs (secretary) on (021) 981 1275

FRIENDS OF SILVERMINE NATURE RESERVE – WALK – 26 NOVEMBER  (08h00 – 12h30)

Walk – St James Peak, Bailey’s Kloof, Ou Kraal

Convenor – Sue Windo (021) 715 1708 (please phone the convenor to book)

Meet at Godfrey Road, Kalk Bay (At the end of Boyes Drive)

All walks undertaken at own risk. Bring something to eat and plenty of fluids.

SIMONSTOWN FLORA CONSERVATION GROUP – HACK - WOODLANDS – 28 NOVEMBER  (09h00 – 12h00)

Meet:  off Dido Valley Road, Simons Town.  Tel: (021) 786 1620 (Peter Salter)

FRIENDS OF LIONS HEAD – SIGNAL HILL/LION’S HEAD WALK – 28 NOVEMBER  (08h30 – 12h30)

Meet at Fresnaye Sports Club, top of Avenue Normandie.  Fitness - Moderate

Members – Free.  Visitor – Donation. 

Contact:  Annabel Kryiazis (021) 439 7786 (after 7pm)

FRIENDS OF THE LIESBEEK

Guided River walks by arrangement.  Five people or more at a minimum of R20 per head.  Children with an adult are free.  Dogs with poop scoops welcome.

Contact Liz or Dave on (021) 671 4553

SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK – DEADLINE –  30 NOVEMBER

Media release: 

The City of Cape Town has endorsed a set of draft policies that aims to put Cape Town firmly on track to become a low-carbon city.   Known as the Draft Cape Town Spatial Development Framework (SDF), this city-wide policy aims to replace the outdated guide plans and spatial plans that are currently being used to guide land use decisions. The Draft SDF is complemented by eight integrated (Draft??) District Spatial and Environmental Plans, which will provide resolution to the City SDF at district scale, all of which are now available for public discussion and the submission of comment.

“The SDF will also ensure that growth in the city will now be managed in such a way that the phasing of development and infrastructure provision and upgrading are aligned,’ said Ald Watkyns. The SDF aims to indicate areas that are best suited to urban development, areas that should be protected, and areas where development may occur if it is sensitively managed. In so doing the SDF will provide public and private investors with a clear idea of where they should invest. It will be used to assess applications submitted by property developers and will therefore guide changes in land-use rights.

“Growth that is managed in this way will also improve public transport systems and services,” he noted,” because it will ensure that industrial, commercial and mixed land uses, higher density residential development and community facilities are located on the major public transport routes, which will also improve the financial viability of these routes”.

Another important strategy in the SDF is encouraging a better distribution of economic opportunities and work places, shops and trading areas.

These strategies will mean that the City is better able to manage urbanisation and transform informal settlements and townships into suburbs, and develop a socially and economically integrated city.

The SDF does not give or take away zoning rights.

The afore-mentioned will be implemented through five key strategies:
1. Enhancing the accessibility and value of the natural and rural environment and open spaces for the people of Cape Town
2. Establishing an integrated grid-based movement system

3. Consolidating and intensifying development on the accessibility grid
4. Directing urban growth and promoting compact, integrated development
5. Developing more great people places

Copies of the full Draft Spatial Development Framework and the eight Draft District Plans, as well as the City’s Draft Densification Strategy and Draft Development Edges Policy are available in print and PDF format. For more information, please visit www.capetown.gov.za/en/sdf or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Comments should be submitted c/o the following addresses:

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

P O Box 4511, Cape Town, 8000

Fax: (021) 425 4327

The closing date for submitting comment on these draft plans and policies has been extended to 30 November 2009

FRIENDS OF SILVERMINE NATURE RESERVE – WALK – 3 DECEMBER  (08h00)

Walk – Last walk of the year.  Convenor – Heron Burger (021) 782 5079 (please phone the convenor to book)

Meet at Silvermine Gate 1

All walks undertaken at own risk. Bring something to share for a Christmas lunch after the walk.

SIMONSTOWN FLORA CONSERVATION GROUP – HACK - ELSIES PEAK – 5 DECEMBER  (14h30 - 17h30)

Meet:  At the top of Golconda Road, Glencairn Heights.  Tel: (021) 786 1620 (Peter Salter)

HOTTENTOTS HOLLAND BRANCH – OUTING – 6 DECEMBER

Picnic lunch in the mountains.  Outings should be booked in advance with Cecilia on 021 854 8011. 

ECO-ACTIVITIES – INTRODUCTION TO PRINCIPLES OF IDENTIFYING WETLAND PLANTS – 7-11 DECEMBER

Presented by Wendy Hitchcock

Dates :  Monday 7 to Friday 11 December 2009

Time:  9h30-16h00 (Friday till 13h00)

Pre-requisites: none

Venue:  WESSA  offices - 31 The Sanctuary off Pollsmoor Road, Kirstenhof

Cost:  R1500 per person (includes course notes, teas and light lunch)

Enquiries and booking:  Wendy Hitchcock  BSc(Hons)Botany HDE

tel: 021 712 3966 / e-mail : This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

This course is designed for anybody who works in wetland ecosystems and would like to be able to identify wetland plants. This course assumes that participants have some biological training but little formal training in botany. The course focuses on demystifying botanical terminology and understanding how plants are classified into groups based on characters mainly of the flowers.

Workshop sessions are informal and an ethos of asking questions and sharing information aims to allow individuals to learn in an unthreatening environment, consolidating and building on existing knowledge and skills. Participants will be required to actively engage with the theoretical information presented in the morning sessions and apply what they have learnt on the field trips in the afternoons and in sessions on the next day. This is not a course where participants sit back and the presenter tells them information, but rather the course develops along with the participants based on the questions asked and particular areas of interest of participants. Dissecting and drawing plants is an integral part of this course as is grappling with botanical terminology. The fine details of flowers can be seen under the dissecting video microscope and can be viewed by everybody on the TV screen.

FRIENDS OF LIONS HEAD –LION’S HEAD XMAS WALK – 12 DECEMBER  (15h30 – 18h00)

With Caroline Swift (084 303 6777).  Meet at Kloof Nek car park.  Fitness - Easy

Members – Free.  Visitor – Donation.  Bring eats.

SIMONSTOWN FLORA CONSERVATION GROUP – HACK - WOODLANDS – 12 DECEMBER  (09h00 – 12h00)

Meet:  off Dido Valley Road, Simons Town.  Tel: (021) 786 1620 (Peter Salter)

SIMONSTOWN FLORA CONSERVATION GROUP – HACK – RED HILL – 19 DECEMBER  (09h30)

Meet at Pinehaven.  Tel: (021) 786 1620 (Peter Salter)

SIMONSTOWN FLORA CONSERVATION GROUP – WALK – 27 DECEMBER  (09h30)

A gentle ramble with time to look at everything

Meet place and venue depends on group size.  Take own lunch and always take suitable clothing (warm & waterproof) and sensible shoes.

Tel: (021) 789 1334 (Claire McCarthy)

SIMONSTOWN FLORA CONSERVATION GROUP – HACK - ELSIES PEAK – 9 JANUARY  (14h30 – 17h30)

Meet:  At the top of Golconda Road, Glencairn Heights.  Tel: (021) 786 1620 (Peter Salter)

SIMONSTOWN FLORA CONSERVATION GROUP – HACK - WOODLANDS – 9 JANUARY  (9h00 – 12h00)

Meet:  off Dido Valley Road, Simons Town.  Tel: (021) 786 1620 (Peter Salter)

FRIENDS OF LIONS HEAD – NEWLANDS FOREST WALK – 9 JANUARY   (08h30 – 13h00)

With Margaret Moore (021) 790 2617.  Meet at Newlands Forest Station.  Fitness - Easy

Members – Free.  Visitor – Donation. 

  SIMONSTOWN FLORA CONSERVATION GROUP – HACK – RED HILL – 17 JANUARY  (09h30)

Meet at Pinehaven.  Tel: (021) 786 1620 (Peter Salter)

FRIENDS OF SILVERMINE NATURE RESERVE – 23 JANUARY  (08h00 – 12h00)

Breakfast at Berties

Numbers are limited and booking is required.  Please phone Sandy Barnes to book (021) 785 1477

SIMONSTOWN FLORA CONSERVATION GROUP – HACK – RED HILL – 23 JANUARY  (09h30)

Meet at Pinehaven.  Tel: (021) 786 1620 (Peter Salter)

FRIENDS OF LIONS HEAD – ALPHEN/KLASSENBOSCH TRAIL – 23 JANUARY  (12h30 – 17h00)

With Ron Heath (021) 552 3637 / 083 459 9992.  Meet : Prior to Alphen Hotel.  Fitness - Easy

Members – Free.  Visitor – Donation. 

SIMONSTOWN FLORA CONSERVATION GROUP – WALK – 24 JANUARY  (09h30)

A gentle ramble with time to look at everything!

Meet place and venue depends on group size.  Take own lunch and always take suitable clothing (warm & waterproof) and sensible shoes.

Tel: (021) 789 1334 (Claire McCarthy)

CAPE BIRD CLUB –COURSE  - BIRDWATCHING FOR BEGINNERS (6, 13, 14 & 20 FEB)

This is an introductory course for first-time birders.   If you want to get involved with the fascinating hobby of birding, this course will show you how to get started.

Sat. 6 Feb.           An introduction to Waterbirds, covering 27 birds

                              - Adaptations of beaks and feet explained

                                 - Key identification points and interesting facts

                                How to choose and use binoculars and field guides

Sat. 13 Feb.         Observation methods - how to observe an unknown bird.

Sun. 14 Feb.       Field outing to Strandfontein

Sat. 20 Feb.         More on identification, introducing some passerines.

Time:      9 am to 1 pm (tea break 10.30am-11am)

Venue:   Lecture theatre - Rondevlei Nature Reserve, Fisherman’s Walk, Grassy Park

Course fee:  R170

Enquiries and Bookings: Heather Howell, 021 788 1574 (after 6pm), e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , or Gill Ford 021 531 4036.

KIRSTENBOSCH SUMMER CONCERT – “Goldfish”– 7 MARCH

WESSA to exhibit on the day

KIRSTENBOSCH SUMMER CONCERT –“Dirty Skirts”– 14 MARCH

WESSA to exhibit on the day

KIRSTENBOSCH BIODIVERSITY EXPO – 25–28 MARCH

http://www.sanbi.org/frames/whatsonframcurr3.htm

The program is being finalized – details on what to expect from the 2010 Biodiversity Expo to follow

WESSA Friends workshop – Saturday 14 March 2009:

The Friends workshop was a hive of activity on Saturday. The ceramic painting workshop was well-attended. The idea behind this particular workshop was to make an attempt at discontinuing the use of styrofoam and other forms of plastic containers, which is harming the environment.

WESSA at the Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concert on Sunday 8 March 2009: 

Roberta Griffiths and her volunteers getting ready to entertain the young ones at the Kidz Zone		WESSA expo – informing the public about our activities and projects.

An interesting workshop on groundwater (facilitated by Dirk Versveld) and how to engage in legal processes (facilitated by Glyn Williams) was held at the Region. Representatives from the Department of Agriculture, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, SANParks and City of Cape Town – (Water and Pollution control) were present amongst our friends.

Armand Kleinschmidt, of the outdoor catering company, Braaibos, who kindly volunteered his services, and his assistant were responsible for the delicious snoek braai, which received rave reviews.

Attentive participants	Armand and assistant
Participants enjoying the weather in the garden

Joule talk

The talk on South Africa's first battery-operated electric vehicle, The Joule,  was attended by 110 people. Information not only on the vehicle, but climate change and social impacts were incorporated. For more information on this vehicle visit their website http://www.optimalenergy.co.za

Catering for this event was kindly sponsored by “The Business of Catering”, http://www.thebusinessofcatering.co.za

Two additional platters, kindly sponsored by Spar in Lakeside.

Kobus Meiring, CEO of Optimal Energy	Lee-Ann and Brenda of The Business of Catering

Water tour

WESSA and EMG organized a tour for young activist interested in water, where it comes from, who gets it at what cost, how it's used and where it goes afterwards. The tour included the Bergwater Dam (formerly Skuifraam), Faure Water Purification works, The Sustainability Institute near Spier and the Stellenbosch Waste Water Treatment Works.

Habitat Council Awards

The Habitat Council's  Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday 25 October at the Valkenberg Environmental Centre. Awards were presented to  Andy Gubb (WESSA), Angela Andrews (Legal Resource Centre), Hendrik Smith (Legal Resource Centre)and  Jacobus Pretorius (Marie-Lou Roux received the award on his behalf).

Contact Marie-Lou Roux on This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   for information on  the Habitat Council.

Friends of Bracken Nature Reserve:

Children enjoying the flowers and view at Perdekop.

Perdekop is a nine hectare portion of Bracken Nature Reserve, usually locked to protect the biodiversity found there, including several endangered species of wild flowers. The Friends of Bracken wanted residents from the area to see and appreciate this jewel, and so held an “open day” for all to come and enjoy.

In order to attract attention, teams from schools were invited to participate in “Boeresport”, organised by the staff of Bracken Nature Reserve. There were refreshments on sale, prizes for the kids, a lucky draw with prizes from local sponsors, djembe drumming, an herbarium displaying some of the flowers, as well as walks into Perdekop. A calendar for 2009 depicting pictures of some of the flowers found here, was launched. Bracken now receives items for recycling. A display of items such as paper, plastic, metal and glass encouraged folk to do this. The children from the old Everite hostel surprised us with a well choreographed dance to music.

In all the day was perfect! The weather was excellent, opening the flowers, and the crowds seem to have fun. Thanks to each and every friend who helped make it a success! We are hoping to have more such opportunities, and would welcome new members to join and participate.

Contact Thea Weyers to purchase the “Bracken Calendar”, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Southern Cape activities:

Van Reede Primary in Oudtshoorn celebrated International Day of Families by making a concerted effort to clean up the town. Groups of learners tackled different parts of the town so as to cover as many areas as possible. An enormous amount of litter was removed.

TO CONTACT THE BRANCH IN YOUR AREA:

Knysna Branch: Ian Withers (Chairperson)
Tel: 044 532 7732, Fax: 044 532 7763
P.O. Box 1204 , Knysna, 6570
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Plettenberg Bay: Godfrey Bass (Chairperson)
Plettenberg Bay: Godfrey Bass
Tel/Fax: 044 533 3695
P.O.Box 254
George
6539
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Hottentots Holland Branch: Freya Brett (Chairperson)
Tel: 021 851 6951
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Resource Centre: 852 8831

George/Sedgefield:   Alan Cook (Chairperson)
PO Box 9099
George
6530
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