This slide presentation was given by Kevin Winter at a public meeting to launch the Black and Vygekraal River Friends / Action group. What the Friends of Liesbeek have learnt over 20 years (file about 6.5Mbs!) It summarises some important lessons that shape the approach the Friends of the Liesbeek have taken over the years since the organisation was founded on the 28th November 1991. This approach is working well for the FoL, but the presentation was not intended to suggest that this is what the B and V Friends need to follow. Maybe they will need to form an Action Group rather than a Friends? The condition the Black River is serious – maybe a more radical approach is necessary. Kevin Winter
What the Friends of the Liesbeek have learnt over 20 years
July 20th, 2011City of Cape Town Spatial Development Plan and Environmental Management Framework
June 15th, 2011In 2008 the City of Cape Town initiated a process to prepare a Spatial Development Framework for Cape Town as well as 8 integrated Spatial Development Plans / Environmental Management Frameworks (District Plans) – one for each of the planning districts of the city.
The Friends of the Liesbeek committee has participated in this process. Of interest to us are the regulations concerning the 50- and 100-year floodlines, and the restrictions concerning activities within these lines. We are also concerned with urban densification occurring in the catchment areas of the Liesbeek, for example the proposed Fernwood development off Paradise Road. Hardening of surfaces causes added run-off and increases the water flow in the Liesbeek considerably. We also need to be aware of the proposed development of the Newlands Swimming Pool and motivate for the setting back of any structures from the river bank. These and numerous other issues can be raised in your comments on the Plans.
On the basis of the public comments received, the City has finalised the Cape Town Spatial Development Framework (CTSDF) and is in the process of submitting this to the Provincial Government: Western Cape for approval.
The revised draft District Plans technical reports and summary brochures, including a summary of the public comments received on the first drafts and the City’s response to these, are available for public inspection at your local library, subcouncil office and your Planning & Building Development Management district office. The summary brochure is available in English and Xhosa/Afrikaans. You can also find this information and more background and supporting information at www.capetown.gov.za/en/sdfhttp://www.capetown.gov.za/en/sdf or by phoning 021 400 9412.
If you have any questions or comments on the final drafts of these District Plans for Cape Town please e-mail to: futurecapetown@capetown.gov.za
or send a fax to: 021 425 6495
or write to: PO Box 4511, Cape Town 8000
The closing date for comment is 30 June 2011.
Peninsula Paddle Video
June 9th, 2011Peninsula Paddle
May 30th, 2011
Here is the link to the website http://peninsulapaddle.wordpress.com
More on SUDS
May 27th, 2011Professor Neil Armitage’s talk on SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) raised so many important points that I want to expand on the topic. In the UK much research has been done, and one very interesting report available on the Internet is the CIRIA report on social impacts of SUDS (http://www.ciria.org.uk/suds/pdf/social_impact_summary.pdf).
They found that new and innovative drainage technologies must be designed to be accepted by the public. Poor public perception of SUDS may be a deterrent for developers in using them at new sites, as it can negatively influence buyers’ decisions to acquire property within the development. In contrast, positive attitudes towards SUDS can attract house-buyers and raise property values in developments where these systems are applied. The report stressed that unlike conventional drainage, SUDS are likely to form part of public open spaces. This promotes interaction between communities and their local environment and can also result in amenity benefits.
The report used a survey questionnaire to determine what people who lived near SUDS sites thought about the systems. Contrary to US results, people in the UK survey (92%) were aware of how their actions influenced catchment pollution, but there was a lack of awareness of SUDS specifically. People were more positive about ponds than swales, stating that “the attraction of wildlifento the ponds, the increase in the amenity and recreational value of the surrounding areas, the improvement of the landscape, and the environmental nature of the drainage methods, all played an important role in achieving positive attitudes towards the systems.” The people in the survey all thought busy roads were more of a danger than a pond, and a pond was considered safer than a river or a landfill. They understood the benefits of SUDS in reducing flood risk, and how SUDS generally improved the landscape.
The recommendations the report makes can be applied to the Liesbeek. People wanted ponds or in our case the river itself, to be as “natural” as possible, with planting of native species on the banks and slopes. The slopes should be gentle and deep water signs should be used. Benches should be introduced and picnic tables, walkways and children’s play areas considered. Land based and aquatic species should be encouraged to colonise the system. Litter and silt removal programmes should be given a high priority and clearing of inlets and outlets should be regularly undertaken. Marginal vegetation should be maintained. The report suggests that educational campaigns should be set up for local communities and interpretation boards should be introduced. These all have been recognised to be important on the Liesbeek, it only needs time and effort to implement – the Friends of the Liesbeek are definitely on the right track!
Maintenance of Bird Hides
April 26th, 2011The Liesbeek maintenance Team and personal from Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area recently completed cutting a path in the reeds in front of the bird hide situated in the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) and varnishing of the hide. An additional three perches (dead trees) were also installed to encourage better sightings. This was done in preparation for the upcoming winter months that will see +- 50 bird species visiting the Raapenberg seasonal wetland.
Fig. Team cutting the reeds.
Fig. Team varnishing the hide.
From May 2011 monthly bird counts will be conducted at Raapenberg, the Liesbeek and other surrounding wetlands. If you would like to join us for these counts please contact James Cooper no: (021) 700 1843 or 078 031 6749. Arrangements for groups to visit the hide can also be made, groups may not be larger than 20 people and arrangements must be made at least two weeks in adnavce.
Herbicide application course
April 26th, 2011Herbicide application course
From the 9 – 11 February 2011 the Liesbeek Maintenance Project Team attended a herbicide application course facilitated by Invader Plant Specialist cc at the Environment Centre situated in Valkenberg Hospital. The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), who has been working with the Maintenance Project on the control of Purple Loosestrife, kindly covered the costs of the course and provided catering for the three days.
During the course the team learnt about different herbicides, their active ingredients, mixing ratios, methods of application, target species, plant transport systems and health and safety regulations while applying herbicide. All team members, who thoroughly enjoyed the course, passed with flying colours and are now qualified to legally apply herbicide to alien invasive plants found on the Liesbeek. Well done guys.
This will increase the scope of work the team can achieve on the river and will provide them with future job opportunities. Huge thanks to Ernita Van Wyk (SANBI) for organising the course and for the continuous support of the Maintenance Project. We look forward to the partnership with SANBI growing in the future.
Figure from left to right: Malibonwe Mzinanda, Mneceleli Klaas, Ntobeko Dyani, Sivuyile Zwide and David Nyalethele receiving their certificates.
Liesbeek Mud Pollution
April 24th, 2011How does this…………………………………………………….
get into the Liesbeek?
The reality is that the storm water drains vent into the Liesbeek and for a long time city engineers have treated the Liesbeek as a storm water drain itself, opting to canalise and channelise the river over a large part of its course.
On 26th March, 2011, a concerned member of the public who had noticed that the river was running brown and murky at Kildare Road Bridge, reported the problem to the city but it was only much later, when the source of the pollution was found, that the problem was addressed.
James Cooper, Friends of the Liesbeek River Warden, along with City officials, discovered that a developer working on a building site on Herschel Close had been pumping mud straight from the building site into the street, to flow down the gutter into the storm water drain.
When we checked on 11th April the damage was already extensive as the storm water drain had still been used to dispose of the mud until 7th April . Under Kildare Bridge, where the storm water drain vents, a layer of mud about 30cm deep was covering the river bed. A mini SASS survey done on 11th April revealed that effectively all life had been smothered in the thick mud, in contrast to the abundant small animals present just metres further upstream and further downstream.
Now the problem was to get the mud removed. What was complicated about simply removing the mud? As we have come to realise, nothing is simple, and here we were faced with what the developer, the city departments and even government bodies saw as needed to be done – mostly in terms of paper being pushed around – before any work could commence.
We held our breaths while a light rain fell on 20th April, washing some mud downstream. Luckily Thursday remained dry and finally pumping could start. It was hoped that the procedure would be completed by Saturday 23rd April without too much mud floating downstream. It has rained again on Sunday and we would appreciate any feedback on mud being washed downstream.
It took almost a month before the pollution was stopped and remedied – is this acceptable? What if the mud was contaminated? Residents walk along the Liesbeek every day, their dogs often enter the water, and it is difficult to keep children out of the enticing shallows. There are a large number of homeless people living on the Liesbeek, for better or worse, and they use the Liesbeek for their ablutions. Homeowners and businesses also pump water from the Liesbeek to water their gardens – they run a serious risk if the water is polluted.
It is very important that the City, under whose responsibility the Liesbeek falls, should have a prompt and effective disaster response plan in place that is well advertised and in working order. The Friends of the Liesbeek urge all residents to demand this.
