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TRANSCRIPT
VENUE: Totties Farm Kitchen, Rheenendal DATE: 19 March 2015 TIME: 9:00 a.m.
SCLI / NMMU: SRU Seminar Report
Attendance Register | APOLOGIES PRESENT: BRENTON BLUE
TRUST: Dave Edge
CAPE NATURE: Benjamin Walton CAPE PINE: N. Mavins; Francois Du Plessis
COMMUNITY IN MOTION: Samantha Lingela; Prier Du Plessis; Gordon Thompson; Llewellyn
Appleby
DAFF: Karel Jacobs DEA (WfW): Godi Pitseng; Jakobus Vaas; Zinceba Peter
ESKOM: Derek Schoeman; Mike Thompson; Adri De Vries GAMTOOS IRRIGATION BOARD: Rienette Colesky; Andrew Knipe KILL-‐A-‐BUG: Daniel Nel; C. Beverly
KNYSNA CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT FORUM: John Stanwix KNYSNA FIRE AND RESCUE: Clinton Manuel
KNYSNA MUNICIPALITY: J. Fearon
MTO FORESTRY: JJ Christiaan Smit
MILLWOOD FORESTRY SERVICES (PLETT): M. Barends MY FOREST CONSERVATION SITE: Uschi Schultz NIS Rozanne Steyn
NMMU (SRU): Samantha McCulloch; Rosie Gerolemou; Kei Heyns PRIVATE: Geoff Ochse; Ina Engelbrecht; Chris Isherwood; Dennis & Alwina
Jones
SANPARKS: Walter Mzimba; Karin Cruywagen SCLI/NIS: Cobus Meiring; Luami Zondagh
WORKING ON FIRE: Arnold Swart (WoF Commercial Ops); Marius Peters (High Altitude
Teams); Buyile Matokane
APOLOGIES: CAPE PINE: Braam Du Preez; Cassie Carstens
CONSTANTIA-‐ KLOOF CONSERVANCY: Marie Callanan DAFF: Paul Gerber
DEA: Guy Preston, Wessel Wentzel
EDM: Radie Laubscher; Vernon Gibbs-‐Halls FUTUREWORKS: Myles Mander
GEORGE HERALD: Pauline Lourens
NMMU: Prof. Christo Fabricius; Adv. Willie Olivier PRIVATE: Cassie van der Westhuizen; Bruce Jackson
SANPARKS: Johan Baard, Maretha Alant; Tineke Kraaij; Nicholas Cole TMF: Dr. Cliff Dlamini
WESSA: Dr. Steve DuToit
Timetable | REPORT INDEX
Time Speaker Organisation Presentation 08:30 Tea and coffee 09:00 Jacobus Vaas DEA Welcome and Introduction 09:05 Zinceba Peter DEA Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) – Welcome
and Working for Water (WfW) presentation and Legislation
09:30 Cobus & Luami SCLI Opening address: Setting the Scene 09:45 Samantha
Mc Culloch NMMU: SRU / KTT The Kaaimans to Touws River (KTT) Restoration Forum
10:05 Walter Mzimba GRNP: SANParks Overview: Challenges of Invasive Alien Plant control in the GRNP
10:25 John Stanwix Knysna Catchment Management Forum
Brief overview of the Knysna Catchment Management Forum
10:35 Christo Strydom NIS Overview of NIS and the work being done 10:45 Marius Peters WoF (HAT) Working on Fire (WoF) Commercial Operations: WoF
Southern Cape Operations and Projections 11:05 Tea and coffee 11:25 Arnold Swart WoF General overview of Working On Fire 12:05 Mike Thompson Eskom Eskom / Working for water corridor application 12:25 Lunch 13:30 Rienette Colesky Gamtoos Irrigation
Board Gamtoos Irrigation Board brief overview and history
13:50 Samantha Lingela & Prieur Du Plessis
Community in Motion
Waboomskraal Project: Overview
14:10 Dave Edge Brenton Blue Trust Butterfly conservation in the Southern Cape 14:50 Tea and coffee followed by visit to the furniture factory 14:30 Herman
Jungbauer NRMP Secondary Industry Development
Furniture Manufacturing from Invasive Alien Plant Material
Welcome and Working for Water (WfW) presentation and Legislation
Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) | Jacobus Vaas and Zinceba Peter
SCLI: Opening address -‐ setting the scene The Southern Cape Landowners Initiative (SCLI) | Cobus Meiring and Luami Zondagh Initial SCLI Projects
• Producing articles for the media • 2014 -‐ SCLI’s 1st Seminar on IAP’s was held at Far Hills Hotel. • In November 2013 a working committee meeting was held in Knysna:
o It was comprised of all entities that are directly involved in IAP clearing. o This was the first official attempt by SCLI to consolidate all these entities into a more
focused approach. SCLI Past and Present Deliverables SCLI has achieved several deliverables since its inception:
1. Established a working group on high-‐risk fire areas through collaboration with a. Eskom b. Eden Disaster Management c. FPA, SANParks and Cape Nature.
The aim of this was to determine where IAPs pose the biggest wild fire threat and how to address it.
2. A proposal was put in to NRMP to manage their WfW budgets in the Southern Cape – it was from this effort that NIS was born. NIS is a not-‐ for profit and fully representative entity which acts as implementing agent for local conservation entities and Working for Water.
3. SCLI put forward a proposal to the Table Mountain Fund (TMF) for additional funding as work increased – this funding was awarded to SCLI in 2014, and has helped allow for the hosting of more frequent workshops and seminars such as this one.
4. The Registered Care Taker Initiative was developed, which is aimed at involving willing landowners in a basic land stewardship model.
5. SCLI has hosted many public participation workshops aimed at: a. introducing landowners to key role players and b. enhancing methodology in controlling invasives
6. Published regular articles in local media on landowner response to IAPs.
7. Opened channels of communication between key government stake holders, for example:
a. Cape Nature
b. DAFF c. DEA d. DOA e. ESKOM f. NMMU g. SANParks h. SANRAL i. Transnet etc.
SCLI deliverables achieved since the last Seminar
1. Various workshops and stakeholder meetings defining the barriers and opportunities regarding IAP’s have been held. It was from these workshops that the Kaaimans to Touwsriver (KTT) Forum was established.
2. The establishment of the KTT forum (through which the designated area between the Duiwerivier and the Swartrivier is to be used as a test site of sorts for the implementation of a holistic environmental rehabilitation – including, but not limited to IAP clearing, vegetation rehabilitation, socio-‐economic analyses etc.
3. A stakeholder database has been developed and is continually expanded upon.
4. Promote the weed-‐ free and plant migration corridor concept in partnership with Eskom
Future SCLI deliverables
1. Assist authorities in simplifying legislation for public consumption and getting the message across.
2. Act as a channel of assistance to landowners where they need input or information regarding IAP clearing and management on their property.
3. Establish and implement the weed-‐ free and plant migration corridor concept in partnership with
Eskom
4. CAREtaker campaign roll-‐out – constant awareness creation through the media
5. Develop partnerships such as that with TMF and with private landowners and managers
6. Coordinate and consolidate efforts to control IAP’s
The Kaaimans to Touw River Ecological Restoration Forum (KTT)
SCLI and NMMU : SRU | Samantha McCulloch
It was suggested to do a “social study” in the KTT area (Samantha McCullough of NMMU:SRU is already fulfilling many social functions through the SRU stakeholder engagement).
Garden Route National Park (GRNP) IAP Challenges SANParks: Garden Route National Park | Walter Mzimba
Knysna Catchment Management Forum: Brief Overview an History and A Private Landowner’s Perspective
Knysna Catchment Management Forum | John Stanwix General:
The Knysna Catchment Management Forum focuses on the Goukamma River, Knysna. It includes all interested and affected parties, including but not limited to: Eden District Municipality, SANParks, Wessa and so forth. Makes use of information from the research-‐based Knysna Basement Project (Cape Pine). Function of the Forum:
Monitor freshwater supplies in the catchment. It is a monitoring forum – it does not have management power, but can assist with lobbying. In addition to data the Department of Water Affairs, the Forum pooles and monitors the results of studies on the catchment from the Local and District Municipalities, and SANParks, etc.
The forum came about due to water shortages in Knysna, and has since it’s inception continued to look at ways of rectifying the water shortage (including dams). The forum also addresses pollution in the catchment area. By and large the estuary is in good health. Fortunately large areas of the catchment are under control by SANParks. Forestry is unfortunately not contributing significantly. The municipality also needs to take more control. IAP Clearing – A Private Landowner’s Perspective
Has found that the experience of the contractors’ varies. In some cases very good results have been yielded. In other cases very bad results have been yielded which have made it very difficult for him as the Land Owner to do follow-‐up work. In general the beast teams have been from SANParks. In some cases there has been bad mapping and cutting corners (in the quality of work) in order to come under budget. The example was used of the areas on his land that needed to be burned: Clearing work was done that was to be followed-‐up with burning. However it was very difficult to get the permit to burn (even though conditions were safe) and this caused a delay. The process was held up so long that the burning period finished, and he (the landowner) and the contractors had to now wait approximately 6 months until April/May 2015 for burning to be permitted – by which time the areas had become re-‐invested and needed to be cleared again.
Natural Infrastructure Services (NIS): Overview Natural Infrastructure Services (NIS) | Christo Strydom • Started off with Natural Bridge Communications (NBC) and The Southern Cape Landowners Initiative
(SCLI) • Natural Infrastructure Services was created as the implementing body for environmental rehabilitation. • At present the primary role of NIS is as an Implementing Agent (IA) for invasive alien plant (IAP) clearing
in the Western Cape (secondary functions in environmental communications and awareness campaigns)
NIS Senior Management
NIS is comprised of individuals with an extensive amount of experience and knowledge in conservation and restoration projects. NIS personnel have a collective core professional history with Working for Water and related poverty relief programmes spanning approximately 100 years
• Rosegirl Jaxa -‐ Project Management, contractor management and quality control.
• Mabotha Solomon Manyaka – Director -‐ interior regions • Cobus Meiring – Project Management, contractor management and quality control.
• Christo Strydom – NIS Director, Senior Project Management, contractor management and quality control.
• Luami Zondagh – Company secretary, general project administration, financial administration.
NIS key roles and objectives
• Implementation: the implementation of restoration projects are carried out through three functional divisions, namely:
·∙ Project Management ·∙ Field work ·∙ Administration
• Strategic positioning and planning of projects: projects are planned according to defined prerequisites, such as maximum increase in water security and poverty alleviation. For example, a project area will first be established based on a community or area with the greatest need for water security (which IAP removal would increase) and thereafter which communities have the greatest need for job creation.
• Target group identification and stakeholder engagement: throughout all the facets of NIS work there
are specific groups which either benefit or are affected by the processes of environmental restoration. NIS undertake to establish and communicate accordingly and where necessary with stakeholders, and to promote stakeholder engagement. Relevant project planning and decision-‐making will take into consideration the effects on target groups.
• Publications and the media: NIS is committed to increasing public awareness about environmental
conservation and rehabilitation, and will do so through existing connections in the local media and community. NIS also aims to support and grow research in the field of environmental rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation and water conservation through IAP removal At present NIS’ largest contract is for Invasive Alien Plant removal in the riparian areas of major river systems in the Southern Cape, spanning from Knysna to Groot Brak. The primary outcomes of clearing of IAP’s in these areas is: • Increased ecosystem services – mainly water security • Restoration ecology – removal of IAP’s allows for regrowth of the natural vegetation. The restoration
of these ecosystems therefore also has the by-‐effect of increasing and conserving natural biodiversity.
• Job creation – job creation and skills development in the area of IAP removal and ecosystem restoration
• Landowner commitment to restoration – signed landowner agreements ensure continued and legally enforceable commitment from landowners to follow-‐up on IAP clearing on their land.
Present NIS Clients • The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) – Working for Water • The Department of Public Works (DoPW) • Cape Pine • Eskom • WWF • Private Landowners
Working on Fire (HAT) -‐ Southern Cape Operations and Projections Working on Fire High Altitude Teams (HAT) | Marius Peters There have been many challenges in the Southern Cape, including training. Mapping was a problem, as Nbals were made based on flat-‐land specs. They have 60 people in the Southern Cape: 20 in Tsitsikamma (SANParks); 20 in Knysna (SANParks) and 20 in George (Cape Nature). The high altitude teams are only going to concentrate on rivers this year (because the Working for Water flat-‐land teams can’t get to these areas). Marius played a short informative documentary on the training involved and the progress and challenges faced by the high altitude teams.
Working on Fire – Southern Cape and General
Working on Fire Commercial Operations| Arnold Swart The large fire that happened in Cape Town recently was because we have much more infrastructure in our cities than in the past (the urban interface has expanded). The risk is therefore doubled, because you have a combination of structural fires and wild land fires. The urban interface combines the two types of fires – this is very dangerous because both of these types of fires are managed very differently. The wild land / urban interface is the biggest problem – because there are no regulations / legislation governing it. How can you help? Make sure that your property can accommodate fire protection services (there are clear roads/ access points for fire protection vehicles etc.). Do not allow any electric cables on your property to hang on trees. Make sure that your buildings/dwellings are well insulated – any inlets of air aggravate a fire. Keep open spaces around your house and other buildings -‐ don’t let vegetation and trees grow right up against the buildings. FYI-‐ Invasive alien Plants create hotter fires! Heat (high temperatures), oxygen and fuel – keep fires going Therefore the best time to burn is at night when the heat is low, and the humidity is greater. If there is a fire in your area it is your decision whether you should abandon it or not. If your house is suitably prepared you have an 80% chance of saving it by staying.
Gutter debris is mostly what causes roofs to ignite -‐ if there is a fire in your area put tennis balls in your gutter outlets and fill the gutters with water. And remember to always keep your gutters free from debris. Do not leave debris lying around on your property! The most cost effective way is to do controlled burning of debris. If indigenous forest is wet enough, it will stop a fire. As a fire manager they have to adhere to legislation in their implementation – they cannot do burns outside of the specified burning periods. Firebreaks are there to divert or slow down a fire, however their primary use is to provide access for Fire Protection teams. They provide corridors from which the fires can be fought. Very few firebreaks will actually stop a fire. In terms of insurance etc. you need to prove that you were not negligent. Under the Fire Protection Act, if you are a member of your local fire protection association you are not negligent. However you still need to ensure that you were not negligent in other respects (refer to above section “How can I help”). If you have been negligent then you may end up having to pay out your neighbors’ losses. It is however not all “doom and gloom”, you just need to learn to manage your risk. Contact the Fire Protection Association (FPA) – they can train your staff, they have a training academy.
Eskom / Working for water corridor application
Eskom | Mike Thompson
Additional Notes: High Priority: is anything (growing) over the “safety clearance” line. Medium priority: is anything just under the “safety clearance” line. Low priority: normal low growth on the ground, far under the “safety clearance” line.
Gamtoos Irrigation Board (GIB) – Brief overview and history
Gamtoos Irrigation Board | Rienette Colesky The Main Purpose of the GIB:
• Managing water from the Kouga dam • Also DEA Implementing Agent (IA) since 1999 • Are a legal entity in terms of the old water Act • Have approximately 90 people working for them (in clearing teams)
• Started in the Langkloof
Have projects from Lesotho to Tsitsikamma. These projects include (but are not limited to):
• Clearing • Thatch planting (St Francis Bay) • Nursery • Forestry • Wetlands rehabilitation
Why is GIB successful: Most successful projects are where the private landowners contribute. Good administration (as learnt with the Dept. Water Affairs). Maintaining a good understanding between the GIB and DEA. Most importantly – making use of bridge financing: the work is continuous, never stops. The admin hub is in Patensie but they have strict control over all their projects (further afield).
Waboomskraal Project: Overview Community in Motion | Prieur Du Plessis & Samantha Lingela Background Wabooms is one of the most critical agricultural nodes in the Southern Cape producing most notably export fruit and hops. It is a haven for the Cape floral and fynbos species, and the surrounding mountains form a vital catchment area for fresh water. Due to a near 100% infestation of invasive alien species, the valley now faces ecological collapse. As such, the WWF (World Wildlife Foundation) and NRMP joined forces with the landowners to clear the valley from invasive alien species in an all-‐ out effort to restore water flow in riparian zones, thereby protecting biodiversity. The project is financed jointly by the WWF and Working for Water Programme and has a 3-‐year timeline. Natural Infrastructural Services (NIS) is the implementing agent for the project and oversees Community in Motion. Scope of Work The Wabooms project has a 3-‐year span offering a unique opportunity to ensure success. We have been working in the area for 3 months to date and can see results and awareness growing. We are hoping to have the area cleared within the first 2.5 years leaving us with time for a follow up. We believe that this will be achievable with careful planning. Alien Species on Site Pine Trees (especially Pinus pinaster and Pinus radiata) form the dominant species on site, but we also have a wattle and hakea infestation to deal with. We are happy to report that the hakea biocontrol projects that have been launched in the Waboomskraal area over the past couple of years are really making a very positive impact and we are finding that the remaining hakea all have infected seeds. Clearing Methods We started clearing with general clearing teams, which included chainsaw operators. Due to the high density of the alien vegetation it is necessary to rely on chainsaws to do the biggest portion of the work -‐ there is often literally no space to use handsaws. Training Both the WWF and WFW have a strong emphasis on training and empowering workers to be able to educate themselves. The training provided plays a key role and we have been lucky in this regard to have mentorship from Bert van der Toorn and NIS. We have trained 8 chainsaw operators and are currently scheduled to train 8 more. Training has also been provided for 10 health and safety officers and 10 first aiders as well as 10 herbicide applicators. It has been a really positive experience for Community in Motion to be part of this process.
Community in Motion (CIM) Biomass extraction plan The Waboomskraal project has recently been given access to a chipper thanks to Jacobus Vaas, of WfW George. It is making a massive difference. We also have some timber companies involved who are extracting poles and droppers. So we have been able to deal with the high-‐density biomass in these ways. “Innovation and Hope is needed to fight the Alien Invasive Challenge” Prof C. Fabriciius 2014 I am here to tell you that the co-‐operation between NIS and our company, Community in Motion, has brought about such innovation. What if I told you that every kilogram of wattle is worth between R1.40 -‐ R1.60? And that the market for wattle is basically limitless, and that every 1kg of wattle can produce approximately 1kwh of electricity! Would that bring hope to the fight against Alien Invasives?
I need your input into this, you are the think-‐tank. Any ideas are welcome.
Butterfly Conservation in the Southern Cape Brenton Blue Trust | Dave Edge
NRMP Secondary Industry Development – Furniture Manufacturing from Invasive Alien Plant Material NRMP Secondary Industry Development | Herman Jungbauer SCLI members visit NRM furniture factory at Farleigh Making furniture from invasive alien wood, and creating jobs is a win-‐ win situation for the Department of Environmental Affairs’ Furniture Factories. SCLI visited the furniture factory at Farleigh plantation, near Karatara. Around 80 people are permanently employed at the factory, and the run both a wet and a dry mill, as well produce a series of furniture products. Most notably, the furniture factories produce school desks for the Department of Education. Said Herman Jungbauer (manager at Farleigh factory), ” Many of the children we deliver desks and chairs to have gone through 10 years of schooling and never had a desk, and they literally cry for joy when they receive them!”