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www.thevillagenews.co.za
14 October 2020
MY ENVIRONMENT
For the love of chameleons
E
verybody loves chameleons. I’m not sure what exactly attracts people to these little reptiles. Perhaps it’s their resemblance to dragons or precious relics of the dinosaurs that fascinate every child. Chameleons are slow-moving so that we can get close to them. They are predators, and we can watch them hunt. Add to these their bright colours, which change in response to their mood or the temperature (no, not to match their background), and you have a winning formula. Older people who had the privilege of growing up in the Western Cape had Cape Dwarf Chameleons right there in their gardens. They fondly remember going round with a chameleon on a finger, hunting for flies it would catch. Nowadays, it’s a rare privilege to see even one chameleon in our gardens. The truth is that they increasingly fall prey to habitat transformation, pesticides and domestic cats. There are still pockets of undeveloped stands in the Hermanus suburbs, where chameleons make a last stand. But these, too, will eventually be cleared for construction. Fortunately for chameleons, during 2020 the construction of new houses was delayed by the pandemic, giving Whale Coast Conservation a chance to prepare for chameleon rescues before development picks up again. Our immediate target is to establish a chameleon sanctuary on the Whale Coast Nature Reserve between Vermont and Hawston. The sanctuary area was historically infested with thick stands of alien vegetation. The large trees were felled, chipped and the stumps poisoned – a hugely labour- and capital-intensive exercise. But all this effort would be in vain if new growth is not constantly removed. The challenge is to uproot every new alien plant that grows back in the
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sanctuary to allow the natural fynbos to re-establish. It is important that this follow-up is done in the first year after the initial clearing, because it is still possible for volunteers of all ages to do this with simple hand tools. The restoration is helped along by also planting some fynbos shrubs.
small children, teenagers and adults are removing the alien Port Jacksons at the chameleon sanctuary. The alien plants' root systems are just plain scary. So never again underestimate the harmless looking little Port Jackson. Below the surface is a system of strong invasive roots!
Whale Coast Conservation’s chameleon rescue project relies on the enthusiastic involvement of dedicated teams of chameleon volunteers. Two such teams are the Hawston Cadets and The Homeschool Chameleon Monitors.
The collective efforts of the Homeschool Chameleon Monitors have removed so many Port Jacksons that they were dubbed “Poor Jacksons”.
During the winter months of 2020, the Hawston Cadets volunteered for two hours a week to clear invasive vegetation in the chameleon sanctuary. They were enthusiastic and hard-working, making a big impact. Through education and training onthe-job provided by WCC staff, they understood the importance of their work for conservation. Their credo was “Shut up and do it”. Now that the Cadets have returned to school, the work is being continued by the Homeschool Chameleon Monitors, led by Tertia Hendricks. The homeschool group has been involved with the chameleon project for some time. In 2019, Tertia received a small grant from WCC, funded by the Table Mountain Fund (TMF). The aim of the project was to find out how many chameleons still remain in the Hermanus urban areas that might require our help in future. “It was such a privilege to be part of the project, learning about chameleons and conservation issues right here on our doorstep, and being encouraged that even in small ways we can make a huge positive difference to our environment!” says Tertia. “This past year has been challenging, but now further work can continue on the chameleon sanctuary, battling the invaders.” From little saplings to bigger ones –
Although our online readership has grown exponentially since the lockdown, we have also been inundated with calls and messages from people who want to know where they can get access to a printed copy of our weekly newspaper. We are printing as many as we can afford to at the moment, but to keep up with the demand we need your help to print and distribute even more.
It is clear that the knock-on conservation benefits of the project funded by the TMF small grant is continuing beyond the lifespan of the small grant. It has tremendous ongoing benefits for conservation, education and sustainability. Presently the sanctuary is 7 hectares (70,000 m2). So far 1 900 m2 have been cleared of regrowth. Clearly a lot of effort is still required. The target is to double the size of the sanctuary in future, with the help of many more volunteers. The work will not let up. Port Jackson seeds can remain dormant in the soil for decades, and constant follow-up action is required. Many more keen bright eyes and eager busy hands are needed for an hour or two per week to assist in this outdoor conservation activity – suitable for volunteers of all ages, at a safe social distance. So take your family down to the Green House on Wednesdays at 10:00 and enjoy an interactive chameleon storytime, followed by an hour of outdoor teamwork as we prepare a safe home for our chameleon friends. If you are not able to join on Wednesdays, you are also welcome at any other time in the week that is convenient for you. Please contact Shirley Mgoboza of WCC if you would like to volunteer on 078 515 1078 / 028 316 2527 or shirleym.wcc@gmail.com. Please note that masks were worn and only removed for the photos.
little as R50 per month and help your proudly-local newspaper to continue bringing you the Good News every week. Contact Raphael on 062 837 3122 or on raphael@thevillagenews. co.za for more information. Alternatively you can get all the information you need by visiting our website, www.thevillagenews. co.za.
CIRCLE: Chameleon illustration by Margo Crossman TOP: The Hawston Cadets with WCC’s Sheraine van Wyk (left), Cadets leader Noël Dreyer (third from left) and Shirley Mgoboza (second from right). PHOTO: Denfred Bruintjies MIDDLE: A group of Homeschool Chameleon Monitors at work. PHOTO: Tertia Hendricks ABOVE: The collective efforts of the Homeschool Chameleon Monitors have removed so many Port Jacksons that they were dubbed “Poor Jacksons”. PHOTO: Tertia Hendricks
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This atmospheric photograph by Mark Jago was recently taken at sunset at Onrus Beach, a popular spot for local surfers and body boarders. The water quality of the Onrus Lagoon however has again come under the spotlight as high levels of bacteria necessitated the closure of the estuary on 11 September. Find more of Mark's photos on Facebook and Instagram by searching for 'Jago Photography'.
The Hermanus Waterfront was buzzing with visitors and locals enjoying the beautiful weather on Heritage Day last Thursday. The air was filled with the sound of children laughing, music and muted chatter as people enjoyed drinks and meals at the Waterfront’s restaurants. Providing the music for most of the day was Ilitha Lelanga Marimba Ensemble, a vibrant marimba band from Cape Town. PHOTO: Taylum Meyer
Long weekend a success Writer De Waal Steyn
B
y all accounts, the Cape Whale Coast had a highly successful long weekend with thousands of out-of-towners enjoying all the area has to offer. “Most accommodation establishments reported good occupation numbers, with self-catering establishments leading the way. It seems that groups of visitors from over the mountain opted to make use of the option to rent holiday homes for the weekend,” said Frieda Lloyd, Tourism Manager of the Cape Whale Coast. According to her all the markets along the coast did brisk trade on Saturday, with the Farmer’s Market in Gansbaai reporting that goods at some stalls, including the Clivia booth, were sold out by the afternoon. The first Sunset Market in Stanford since February also attracted scores of shoppers and at the Harold Porter
Botanical Garden the plant sale was a huge success. The garden also reports that bookings for free guided tours have been received all the way up until the end of October. All the major towns in the area reported remarkably busy roads leading up to and during the weekend. The weekend also saw several accommodation establishments and restaurants opening their doors for the first time since the lockdown began. The Arabella Hotel and Spa reported that they were fully booked during the long weekend and forward bookings for the rest of the year were picking up, especially over weekends. Despite the inclement weather on some days, many visitors took part in outdoor activities. Both whale-watching and shark-cage diving boat operators said they were busy and that although they were still some way off from the normal number of passengers, there was a marked increase over the weekend as locals took to the water with them.
Brenda Walters from Marine Dynamics in Gansbaai said they undertook a number of trips during the weekend. “On some days the weather did not play along, but we are happy that people are coming to see the whales and sharks. We are offering special deals to locals and due to Covid-19 restrictions cannot accommodate as many people as before. This does have an impact on our business, but we are certain that we will bounce back. While we are looking forward to international travellers returning to our shores, we invite locals to make use of our special discounted rates,” she said. According to Brenda, their Great White House restaurant had a busy weekend with many visitors from across the mountain. The popularity of our wine farms was also evident, with scores of people visiting for a meal and a wine tasting. Carolyn Martin of Creation said they were busy during the course of the whole weekend. “We unfortunately had to show
some people away as we have limited capacity due to the lockdown restrictions. We urge visitors to make reservations, especially over weekends, to avoid disappointment,” she said. According to her the restrictions in terms of mask wearing and social distancing bring with them new challenges. “Especially on days when the weather is not so good, it is difficult to seat everyone and still ensure safe distancing between people. But we are learning to adapt every day and we keep on improving. We are happy that tourists are returning, and we can start seeing business increasing.” Sebastian Beaumont of Beaumont Family Wines in Bot River echoes her sentiment. “It is great to see our tasting room full again and it is heartening that so many locals are buying local wines. We look forward to many busy weekends in the near future,” he said. Continues on P3
Pollution causes a stink of the water.
Writer De Waal Steyn
A
public outcry followed the decision once again to close the Onrus lagoon for recreational use, after a sewage spillage resulted in high levels of E. coli and Enterococci bacteria. According to Ward 13 Councillor, Jean Orban, the decision by the Overberg District Municipality (ODM) to close the lagoon was not taken lightly. “There was a sewage leak into the lagoon on 19 August during a power outage. Due to the outage, the pump station was disabled and the backup generator did not kick in because of a technical fault. This led to a build-up of sewage in the system and the resultant spill,” he said. Shortly after the high levels of bacteria were detected a notice board was erected next to the lagoon, warning members of the public of the dangers and requesting them to steer clear
According to Liezl de Villiers, Senior Environmental Manager of the Overstrand Municipality (OM), a second water sample was taken as prescribed by the legislation. “While the results of the test are awaited, the lagoon must be closed for recreational use,” she said. But, according to the Onrus River Estuary Forum (OREF) the problem runs much deeper than just this spill. In a statement, OREF said since its inception it had been in consultation with the municipality to address the problem. “We have repeatedly raised the alarm about shortcomings in the management of the municipal sewerage system and previous sewage leaks into the Onrus Estuary, resulting in high bacteriological test results. Responsible action by the municipality would have avoided the need to close the estuary on 11 September,” reads the statement.
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But while on the face of it, the management of the estuary should be a straight-forward task, it is in reality so fraught with bureaucratic redtape that it makes the head spin.
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