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27 November 2019
www.thevillagenews.co.za
MY ENVIRONMENT The Village NEWS online has hundreds of articles to help you discover the very best that the Overberg has to offer. The Hemelen-Aarde Valley is one of the top tourist destinations with a wine route that is now the fourth most popular in South Africa. So if you want to plan that perfect trip, go online and check out all the stories about this beautiful valley between heaven and earth. Guide to the Hemel-en-Aarde Wine Route thevillagenews.co.za/guide-to-the-hemelen-aarde-wine-route/ The Walker Bay Wine District’s most important road, the Hemel-en-Aarde R320, winds its way through South Africa’s premium cool climate wine region. Not only does it offer visitors to the area the opportunity to experience world-renowned Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but also some of our country’s best Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz, as well as innovative blends. Our wine valley puts a spring in your step thevillagenews.co.za/our-wine-valley-puts-aspring-in-your-step/ A visit to Hermanus is simply not complete without heading up the valley to experience the Hemel-en-Aarde region. As residents, most of us have taken visitors to our award-winning wine estates, many of which have thriving tasting venues that not only offer wine tastings, but also innovative food and wine pairings, platters and picnics. Hemel-en-Aarde Valley: It’s time to specialise in Pinot Noir thevillagenews.co.za/hemel-en-aarde-valleyits-time-to-specialise-in-pinot-noir/ Would you choose a bottle of Hemel-enAarde Pinot Noir over Burgundy, Oregon or Central Otago when dining in London, New York or Hong Kong? Roland Peens assesses the Pinot Noirs of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. www.pressreader.com www.issuu.com/dwaal
083 700 3319 theagency@thevillagenews.co.za
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The fascinating world of spiders By Dr Anina Lee
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anywhere from fynbos habitats to near the sea. Some people even keep them as pets. While spiders might make some of us cringe, everyone finds them fascinating, especially when we learn more about them.
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like spiders. I especially like jumping spiders (Salticidae) because they are so cute, with many beady eyes and a whole lot of attitude. That they are way too small to sink a fang into me helps a lot too. They are always welcome in my kitchen where they jump on any flies that dare to enter. I am more ambivalent about rain spiders. I know they seldom bite and are not particularly venomous. I’m quite chuffed when one appears from behind a picture on the wall because I know that no mosquito will plague me while this spider guards my bedroom. But the same spider on the ceiling above my bed is a different matter. What if it should jump or fall down onto my face in the night? We have all run into more than a few spiders in our lives, perhaps hanging out in a web near the front door, or skittering across a plant in the garden. Spiders live in almost every habitat on the planet, so it’s quite usual to find them
Dr Vic Hamilton-Attwell and Whale Coast Conservation are providing an opportunity for young and old to go on an eco-adventure on 5 December to find out more about spiders living in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. And at the same time participants can contribute to our knowledge of the fauna of the reserve. Relatively little information exists about the spider species in Fernkloof and, with your participation, we can learn a lot more – and perhaps even find spiders that are unique or rare. ‘Citizen-science’ is the active public involvement in scientific research. Science is no longer restricted to academics but instead it has become a pursuit for the public in general. Nature lovers have been acting as data collectors for a long time, especially people who create lists of wildlife they see around them. Birdwatchers are especially keen on making lists of the bird species they see. Scientists have come to realise that these lists can provide useful information for monitoring animal populations. The mobile apps that are now available make uploading data extremely user-friendly. The Animal Demography Unit at UCT keeps
1. Rain spider PHOTO: Wikimedia Commons 2. Children often enjoy keeping spiders as pets. PHOTO: PetAssure 3. Jumping spider (Salticidae) PHOTO: Vida van der Walt extensive databases of thousands of records that are uploaded by both professionals and amateurs. Dr Vic will show you how it’s done. Citizen science thus enables participants to make a direct contribution to research, increase their own scientific understanding and learn about environmental issues. Additionally, citizen-scientists can help researchers to maximize the amount of data collected on a project. Why not join other citizen-scientists collecting valuable data about spiders in Fernkloof? It will be an experience to remember and you will upskill yourself. The Fernkloof spider hunt is on Thursday 5 December at 17:30 in the Fernkloof gardens. To book contact anina.wcc@gmail.com. The cost is R120 for adults and R60 for children. All proceeds go to environmental education.
Be on high alert for invasive species The Hermanus Botanical Society (HBS) has again highlighted an invasive species in our area. This is Senecio pterophorus season. It is a highly invasive weed from the Eastern Cape and KZN which has become a world-wide pest. It has spread alarmingly in the Overberg in the past 10 years. Worryingly, it is known to hybridise with indigenous species such as S. burchellii. HBS appeals to anyone who sees a manageable outbreak of this pest anywhere close to Fernkloof, or other sensitive natural areas, to take immediate steps to deal with it. It is easily identifiable by the narrow, coarsely serrated leaves, dark green above and silvery-grey below. It has dense, rather pretty, heads of small yellow daisies and can grow to about 2 m tall. It is in full flower right now (late November) but will start to seed very quickly. The first step is to deflower the plant by chopping off the head – both flowers and seeds. Put these in a plastic bag and dispose of it in the rubbish bin. Don’t put it in the compost! The rest of the plant can be pulled up and left to decompose.
SPIDER SURVEY
All proceeds go to environmental education Booking essential: Anina 083 242 3295 or anina.wcc@gmail.com
