WOLWEKRAAL CONSERVATION & RESEARCH ORGANISATION
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Held at 09.00 on 2013-04.26
At Renu-Karoo Nursery Shed, Wolwekraal Part 2, Prince Albert
Operations Report
Wolwekraal management plan
No changes to date but the plan needs updating and is due for review by CapeNature.
Fencing
A 1.5 m stock proof fence comprising 12 strands (5 plain, 7 barbed) has been constructed along 590 m of the 1442 m boundary of WCRO with the District Road (R353). The work started on 21 January 2013 and is supervised by the Chairperson, and led by Renu-Karoo foreman Wilfred Luttig. Four (three) temporary workers were employed throughout February and March to carry out the fencing work. The costs of fencing 590 m averaged R 54.97/running metre and comprised R25.72 in materials and R29.25/m in wages (Table 1). Labour costs exclude time spent on fencing by the Renu-Karoo foreman Wilfred Luttig – who interspersed fencing with work at Renu-Karoo nursery. Most of the fencing materials for the two kilometers of the Nature Reserve that border on the R353 were purchased (R34,000) in December 2012 using a loan from Renu-Karoo. Time required to complete the 1.4 km fence, and costs of fencing were thus under-estimated in the previous operation report.
Fencing component / Supplied as / Unit cost / Cost per metre / Number per 6 m / Number per 100 m / Cost per 100 m / Cost/m / Phase 1 (590m) cost / Phase 2 (954 m) estimatedPoles (1.8 treated) / each / R 44.00 / 1 / 17.67 / R 777.33 / R 7.77 / R 4 586.27 / R 7,415.76
Cement / bag / R 88.00 / 0.25 / 4.15 / R 365.20 / R 3.65 / 2154.68 / 3484
Droppers (1.2) / each / R 5.30 / 4 / 66.67 / R 353.33 / R 3.53 / R 2,084.67 / R 3,370.80
Barbed wire (7 strands) / 880 m / R 908.00 / R 0.41 / 42 / 700 / R 288.91 / R 2.89 / R 1,704.56 / R 2,756.19
Plain wire (5 strands) / 2200 m / R 1 070.00 / R 0.49 / 30 / 500 / R 243.18 / R 2.43 / R 1,434.77 / R 2,319.95
Binding wire / R 0.30 / 5 / 83.33 / R 25.00 / R 0.25 / R 147.50 / R 238.50
Transport (42 trips x 3 km for 600 m) / km / R 3.00 / R 0.63 / R 63.00 / R 0.63 / R 371.70 / R 601.02
Labour (193 mandays per 590 m @ R100) / R 2,925.30 / R 29.25 / R 17,259.27 / R 27,907.36
TOTAL COST / 5041.25 / 50.402 / 25157.15 / 48093.58
Fence Patrols
A fence patrol in the week of 18th March revealed that the fence had been undermined at the mat in the Dorpsrivier on the Wolwekraal boundary with the Municipal garbage dump. The fence was repaired in the same week. Wilfred Luttig chased goats off the reserve on 25 March 2013.
Trail Camera
It is intended that a trap (or trail) camera be purchased and set up in the river bed to document corridor use by mammals and trespassing by people and goats. A suitable camera could be obtained from Camera World in Bellville. Prices range from R2,295 to R4,000. The camera indicated below may be suitable.
Bushnell Trophy Cam Digital Trail Camera (Price R3,150.00).
- Captures 8 MP Interpolated Files
- 32 Infrared LED Night Vision Flash
- 2" Color Image LCD Display
- Infrared Motion Sensor
- Extended Battery Life
- Compact Design
- SD Card Slot
- Trigger Interval - 1 Sec. to 60 Min.
- 720 x 480 Resolution Video
Alien Clearing
No progress. The Tamarix ramosissima population continues to spread downstream.
Erosion Control
The heavy rain (23 mm) of the 27th March exacerbated soil erosion along the circular nature walk path on Wolwekraal Nature Reserve. Soil movement was particularly severe where trampling had destroyed the lichen crust on the slope between the stony levee and the Dorprivier. No progress has been made with erosion control. The following erosion control options have been considered: (1) cover soil with a pebble or woodchip mulch, (2) spray soil with a soil-binding polymer, or (3) build a broadwalk on the most sensitive sections of the path.
Biodiversity Surveys and Research
No progress to date.
Reptile Releases
Athol Loppnow released a number of cobras, boomslags, puffadders, monitor lizard Leopard tortoises and one rare Namaqua Chamaeleon on Wolwekraal in February and March 2013. The Namaqua Chamaeleon was seen and photographed on the path along the river a few days after its release and immediately before the storm of 27th March (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Namaqua Chamaeleon on Wolwekraal Nature Reserve
Restoration Research
WCRO is covering the traveling and accommodation expenses for one MSc student, Willem Matthee, registered through NMMU. Additional funds for the research were obtained through an NMMU bursary. The research involves an assessment of restoration projects in the Karoo and some rehabilitation experiments. To date he has visited 8 sites (Oudtshoorn 3, Loxton 1, Calvinia 1,Tanqua Karoo 1, Prince Albert Road 1, Jansenville 1). In January 2012 he established field rehabilitation trials to determine effects of hollows, mulch and fertilizer on establishment of Karoo vegetation in Oudtshoorn and Prince Albert. He is also running trials to establish the optimum germination season for a variety of Karoo shrubs and grasses. The completion of the thesis, originally planned for November 2013 will be delayed for a year as Willem has taken a part-time lecturing position at Saasveld. Results of the research will be made available via publications and the internet and in this way contribute to improve rehabilitation practice for damaged land in the Karoo.
WCRO has received a request from the Endangered Wildlife Trust for a contribution towards the support of a student carrying out veld rehabilitation trials in Loxton. The request does not specify an amount.
Environmental Education
WCRO and Renu-Karoo together presented a short course on propagation of indigenous plants for veld restoration and other purposes. This was presented, free of charge, to three community groups on 12th and 13th February at the Renu-Karoo farm nursery (Figure 2). Participants included a group of five from Merweville, two entrepreneurs from Namaqualand supported by the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), two staff of the ARC office at UWC, and the manager of the Cape Flats Nature Reserve. A positive outcome is that one of the participants, a one armed youth from Merweville was given a 3 week internship at the Cape Flats Nature Reserve, and appears to be in the running for a job at the new “Working for Land” nursery at Karoo National Park. The SANParks “Working for Land” project at Beaufort West has requested that we provide training for their potential nursery employees in late April or May this year. We have quoted them R80 pp/day for a two day course.
Figure 2. Participants in a short course on plant propagation and veld restoration (left and center), and the EPWP group learning about plants and propagation (March 2013)
On 6th March Sue Dean presented a lecture on local ecology to 9 senior learners at the Albert College private school in Prince Albert and took them for a two hour guided walk the following morning to illustrate points made in the lecture. These activities were offered pro bono. Over a three week period in March, trainers from the Extended Public Works Programme had free use of the Renu-Karoo nursery facilities and staff to provide horticultural training for environmental management teams based in Prince Albert (Figure 2). These teams will eventually be responsible for management of the infrastructure and tourism facilities on the Swartberg Pass.
Tourism
During the period February to the end of March Sue led 9 walks (45 people) on nature walks at Wolwekraal. These included local and overseas tourists. Funds (R2,925) generated from walks were paid into the WCRO account for fence maintenance. Walks at special rates (R60pp) are being offered on three occasions over the Olive Festival weekend.
Funding
In the November 2012 report to Rufford Small Grants Foundation (UK) we explained that a public Benefit Organisation (WCRO) had been established and that R50,000 had been moved to that account for use in environmental education, training and research.
In January 2013, Sue Dean received a gift from a relative that makes it possible for her to donate R50,000 to WCRO. The donation will be made once WCRO has registered with SARS. These funds will be used toward materials and labour required for fencing of the western boundary of Wolwekraal Nature Reserve (estimated R84,823.29)
Following a guided walk, Christian Doll of Stiftung Bienenwald (Bee forest Foundation in Germany) has indicated that the Foundation may be willing to fund the remaining 950 metres of boundary fence along the R353 (see under General on the Agenda).
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WCRO operations report 2013.04.26