VOL 3 • NR 5 • April 2013 www.sanparks.org

Earth Day ~ 22 AprilForty-three years after the first Earth Day, the world is ingreater peril than ever. While climate change is the greatestchallenge of our time, it also presents the greatestopportunity – an unprecedented opportunity to build ahealthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for thefuture. The 43rd anniversary of Earth Day will be celebratedin 2013 with the theme The face of climate change. This daymarks an opportunity for volunteers to initiate actionstowards a sustainable future. On 22 April 1970,approximately 20 million Americans supported andcelebrated the first Earth Day and today it is celebratedworldwide with more than 17 000 groups in 174 countriesforming a global network that works towards environmentalprotection in communities, regions and around the world.More than a billion people around the world participate inEarth Day activities. In 1990 Earth Day had an enormouseffect on recycling efforts worldwide and assisted in leadingthe way to the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. EarthDay is a global attempt for international co-operation toaddress issues such as global warming, toxic waste,destruction of rainforests, expanding deserts and oceanpollution. Individuals and organisations are encouraged touse Earth Day to take environmental action in their area.(SOURCE: A Year of Special Days 2013 published by WESSAShare-Net)

Dirt: the erosion of civilizationsAn interesting review of a book by anAmerican geologist, David R. Montgomery,was spotted in the Landbouweekblad of 11January 2013. The title is Dirt: the erosion ofcivilizations. He is of the opinion that variouseconomic activities still exist which use soil asa replaceable resource and which are sodestructive that the thin soil layer of earth isbeing skinned, so to speak. He describes howmany old civilizations and communitiesdisappeared because they did not use theirsoil (environment) sensibly and the way theytreat their soil shows their standard ofcivilization. Most of the book describes howsoil fertility and erosion determined thecourse of the history of communities. Thebook is however more a plea for lesscultivation, crop rotation, less use ofchemical substances and other positiveactions. (Review by Amelia Genis). This bookshould thus be very useful during themapping process of the cultural landscape ofa national park or conservation area, tounderstand man’s impact on the naturalenvironment over millennia and decide onpossible rectifying actions.

Cultural landscapes give us a sense of placeA cultural landscape is a geographic area that includescultural and natural resources associated with a historicevent, activity, person, or group of people. It can be seen asthe cultural layer that was built up through ages over thenatural environment since the beginning of man. Culturallandscapes can range from thousands of acres of rural land tohomesteads with small front yards. They can be man-madeexpressions of visual and spatial relationships that includegrand estates, farmlands, public gardens and parks, collegecampuses, cemeteries, scenic highways, and industrial sites.Cultural landscapes are works of art, texts and narratives ofcultures, and expressions of regional identity. They also existin relationship to their ecological contexts. (Dr Robert DeJong, 2008)

Agulhas Working on Land projectWorking on Land is a new initiative of the Expanded Public Works Programme. The Objectives are Job creation,Poverty alleviation, Skills development, Biodiversity conservation, Infrastructure development and is very labourintensive. In Agulhas the groups concentrate on the demolishing of unused structures, removing unwantedfences, clear, rehabilitate and secure historical sites. Some of the groups harvest thatching reed for theinfrastructure development in the Park, while others are building board walks at the Southernmost Tip. The teamsare managed by Arnold Viegeland and Eugene Mitchell. Three groups were originally appointed. When two moregroups were appointed they worked under the Working for Wetlands project for a while. In September 2012 twomore groups were appointed as Heritage site rehabilitation groups. Their contract ended in February 2013.

Robert Greeff and team

Freddie Africa and team

Peter Thomas team

Sime Twalo and team

Ernest White and team

Working on Land

K. Groenewald and team T. Diop and team

Working on Land Heritage Rehabilitation Infrastructure Development

Opportunities available for ‘field monitors’Capacitating rural communities to become involved in fynbosmonitoring and conservation – that’s the aim of a newproject on the Agulhas Plain. The Agulhas Plain FynbosMonitoring Project is being implemented by Flower ValleyConservation Trust, in conjunction with fynbos industryplayers. It will see 32 individuals from local communities onthe Agulhas Plain upskilled as field monitors. They willundergo specific training that will help them monitor theeffects of fynbos harvesting, and offer basic training oninvasive alien plants and clearing, as well as firemanagement. The project is being funded in part by theGlobal Environment Facility/Small Grants Programme, whichis implemented by the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme. According to Roger Bailey, ConservationManager at Flower Valley, the project will address the area’sconservation and social challenges. “On the environmentalside, fynbos is threatened by invasive alien plants,uncontrolled fires and in some cases, poor landmanagement. At the same time, the opportunity exists tocapacitate those living in the rural community to becomeinvolved in conservation.” The Agulhas Plain FynbosMonitoring Project will be rolled out over the next two years.Service providers are currently being sourced to develop theappropriate curriculum for the trainees. Following this, fieldmonitors will be selected and enrolled for training. Landusers and community groups who would like furtherinformation are invited to contact Roger Bailey:rbailey@flowervalley.co.za.

Wine, birds and FynbosThe Agulhas Honorary Rangers will be hosting their secondwine auction on 4 May 2013 at the Bosheuwel Precinct inAgulhas National Park. The starting time is 9:00 with a veryinteresting programme of birding and walking through thefynbos with wine tasting afterwards. The auction will startat 13:00. For more information contact Flip van Staden at082 378 1245 or email drflip@phildi.com and AngelaAltendorfer at 072 283 5282.

Cape Agulhas Lighthouse restorationThe Transnet Restoration contracting group was waiting fora final decision from Heritage Western Cape to continuework at the Lighthouse. They received notification fromHeritage Western Cape on 12 March 2013 that the Stopworks Order has been lifted and commenced immediatelywith the preparation work to the weathered limestoneexterior masonry in order to accept the new plaster. Thework will commence from the top and will be worked downto the building plinth. The contract for the construction ofthe verandah was also awarded. For exploration andinvestigation purposes the embankment on the southernside of the building, more or less in line with the dummyentrance, will be excavated from the embankment to thebuilding, 1,5m deep by 1m wide in order to expose anylayer of works or dumped material to determine thenatural topography of the hill. This is also to expose oldfoundations of demolished South side additions forexploration and mapping purposes. The black day markerboards on the sea side of the building will be removed andthe recesses re-plastered and painted black to representthe day markers.

Southern Tip Day progamme

Bosheuwel programme:11 May 2013: Southern Tip-Zoetendals Vallei Relay Race & Walk

Stalls, Kiddies programme, Canoeing, Other (jukskei,etc.)

L’Agulhas programme:17 May 2013: Southern Tip Talk & Meal, Suiderlig Dienssentrum

The Bredasdorp Shipwreck Museum – a treasure chestfull of memories…

11-19 May 2013: Southern Tip & Shipwreck Art Display, Ocean2Ocean Art 18 May 2013: Southern Tip Historical walk; Shipwreck Display in

conjunction with Bredasdorp Shipwreck Museum to commemorate International Museum Day Opening of new Lighthouse Museum display