Shame of Stellenbosch fire
13
Jan 2021

Lees meer in

Dave talks directly about the neglect of a reserve that is close to his heart.

Allow me to speak straight.

The Idas Valley Nature Reserve is located to the right of the road leading to Rustenberg. I have lived in this area for 22 years, and know this area like my hand. It used to be a municipal plantation, with pine and eucalyptus trees planted throughout the area.

But for the past 20 years, this area has simply been allowed to decay, even more so: nowadays it has been taken over by invasive plants, the erosion of the dilapidated roads is frightening, and littering has an open gate and book. Furthermore, firewood is collected illegally, and hunting takes place at night.

On several occasions I have approached all the Municipality to do something about this nightmare, but my requests simply elicited no response or interest. Can one draw conclusions from this? I think so.

I find it tragic that Stellenbosch, one of the most beautiful towns on earth, has a perfect inner city, which is surrounded by ecological disorder. One gets the feeling that as long as the historic streets are neatly swept, that things are going well with the town. No, it does not work that way: one cannot establish a sustainable economy in a bankrupt environment.

And now a large part of the reserve has burned down.

Bad news?

No, not at all, because fynbos and the associated renosterveld must burn to remain vibrant and dynamic. So this fire was the right thing to do, for the wrong reasons.

My request, anew, is that Stellenbosch Municipality is now given the opportunity to make a correct start to the ecological restoration of this precious natural area. Now is the time to take stock of the entire reserve, compile a short-term management plan, and implement it purposefully.

All the expertise to do it well is available in our town. We have Botany and Zoology at the University, as well as the Center for Invasive Biology; exactly the expertise required.

A helicopter douses the flames. Photo: Dave Pepler

I will take up this matter again with the Municipality, because, go check out their website a bit:

Green & Sustainable Valley
1. Explore waste to energy initiatives.
2. Bokhasi – Recycling of food waste.
3. Re-designing the six primary entrances into Stellenbosch.
4. Greening informal settlements.
5. Sustainability through food security projects.
6. The only B-Municipality that has an impressive 4 nature reserves.

Impressive?

The brutal answer is no. Without politicizing the matter, I begin to wonder if Idas Valley is sucking at the back teat when it comes to their environment.

This right is enshrined in our constitution, that of access to a healthy environment. What’s good enough for Die Braak is good enough for Idas Valley.

Let us take full advantage of this accident, and start repairing our irreplaceable environment. If we do it together, and right, I can guarantee the streams of water of yesteryear, will flow clear again.

I stand ready to help where I can.

An aerial photo: Google Maps

Sondagtafel: Vroeë paasfees

Sondagtafel: Vroeë paasfees

Dave kook ter herinnering aan sy ma met eenvoud as sy riglyn. ‘n Vroeë paasfeestafel is gedek in die tuin.

Dave se Sondagtafel

Dave se Sondagtafel

Vandag kook ek met aspersies in pruscuitto, wortels en aartappels by persie-boud, en vir nagereg klassieke Engelse fool.

VRA VIR DAVE

Die dag as ‘n Springbok jou tuin invaar…

As jy nou wel Springbokke in jou agterplaas aanhou, dan is hier raad. Lees hier…

How to get rid of cockroaches in an ecologically friendly way

Follow this advice if you want to get rid of cockroaches without any unnatural poisons.

Reader asks: Can you identify this awfully ugly bug?

This little bugger is not what it seems to be.

HERINNERINGE

Vergete resepte – nes jou ouma dit sou maak!

Almal het ‘n ouma of ma wat ‘n dis kon gaarmaak en optower – en wat ons nooit meer vandag maak nie – maar wat ons vir altyd sal onthou.

Dave onthou kinderdae, die ritueel van blomme pluk en sy geliefde Ouma

Ou, bekende reuke neem Dave terug na sy kinderdae en sy geliefde Ouma Lily.

Hoe ons aardsheid ons wyse bepaal

Ek het in trane uitgebars, want in my geil verbeelding het daar ’n dooie hondjie gelê in elke bos riete, biesies en ruigte…

VERKENNINGS

Die disrespek en boewery van ons begraafplase

Die skending van ons begraafplase is iets wat aandag moet kry.

Beleef die natuur en die reukruim met Dave

Dave reël gereeld uitstappies met groepe wat belangstel om hul eie wilde sampioene te versamel asook praatjies oor parfuum.

All the photos from the coldest night of the year

Judging by these photos, it was indeed a cold night.