Newsletter, July 2022

NEWS

J U L Y 2 0 2 2

Van Riebeeckshof

H O M E OW N E R S A SS O C I A T I O N

IN THIS ISSUE

City of Cape Town – Home

Composting Programme

Wildflower “steppingstones”

project – Van Riebeeckshof

New stores opening at Majik

Forest Shopping Centre

In memoriam

VAN RIEBEECKSHOF

page 2 TRUSTEES FOR 2022/23

Wildflower “steppingstones” project At the AGM held on 21 June 2022, the following trustees were nominated and appointed to serve during the 2022/23 financial year:

• Mr. Emil Scheepers – Chairman & Legal

• Mrs. Talana Crous – Environment

• Mrs. Thelouise Van der Merwe – Architecture

• Mrs. Nicolene Van Niekerk – Finance

• Ms. Erina Veldsman – Communication

• Mr. Johan Bester – Security (NEW)

• Mr. Gavin Riley – Security (NEW)

A special word of thanks to Mr Andre van Blommenstein for his long-standing involvement and contributions in managing the security portfolio.

page 3

City of Cape Town – Home Composting Programme

WILDFLOWER

“STEPPINGSTONES” PROJECT

Why is this project important? Did you know that our remaining versus applying this to entire parks not to be mowed seasonally, patches of locally indigenous wildfl owers growing in Van is presently the best option. This ensures user friendly parks Riebeeckshof are amongst the most threatened habitats on creating opportunities for reading nooks, play areas, bird earth? watching, educational spaces etc.

Many people associate renosterveld with grey-looking, hardy It is a misconception that these cordoned off conservation areas shrubs, not knowing it includes the most beautiful wildfl owers. are the reason why the surrounding grass and weeds are not Swartland Shale Renosterveld forms part of the fynbos biome mowed timeously. The City of Cape Town schedules the mowing and is known as the richest bulb habitat on earth! These bulbs of parks at approximately 6-week intervals. fl ower at different times throughout the year.

An awareness of how precious and irreplaceable our local

wildfl owers are, will go a long way in protecting the little that is left. More than 95% of this unique vegetation type, has already been destroyed. The fact that some wildfl owers and orchids are occurring naturally in our parks is a miracle. To propagate our local orchids successfully for example, remains an extreme challenge.

Eco restoration

In 2021 the United Nations declared a DECADE OF ECO RESTORATION to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation and extinction of ecosystems and to combat climate change. Conserving and restoring our local indigenous vegetation aligns with this goal.

According to South African scientist, professor T. Rebelo – fynbos, renosterveld and strandveld are very effi cient at storing carbon.

The process

Our challenge A small group of dedicated individuals are removing weeds from Unfortunately, due to disturbance in soil and relentless mowing these sectioned off areas. They are also ensuring that the poles over the years, invasive grass and weeds have taken over our and twine are kept in place. Hopefully a sense of community will parks. All our local wildfl owers are on a knife’s edge of survival as be rekindled, should more residents get involved. mowing prevents them from seeding.

Outcome

The solution A Steppingstone (island of wildflowers) creates an interesting Using poles and twine, we are sectioning off areas in the parks educational space for the community. It has an invaluable where bulbs, orchids, annuals and shrubs have been found to environmental impact supporting butterflies, bees, birds and protect them from mowing and to allow them to flower and seed. biodiversity in general. This has a positive impact on mental Creating small islands of wildflowers (called “SteppingStones”) health as it adds to the enjoyment of being outdoors.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED:

• Take photos of insects, animals or plants growing in the

Wildflower Steppingstones and upload images

on iNaturalist, a free conservation App.

• Get to know your neighbours by joining our restoration

sessions. (Removing invasives which are basically suffocating our own indigenous plants within the conservation areas). • Are you a keen gardener, landscape designer or engineer?

Volunteer your skills and knowledge.

• Book a place to join the Wildflower Spring walk in September 2022

For more information, please

contact: Van Riebeeckshof MHOA

OR send a message via Facebook:

Wildflower Stepping Stones Project

CITY OF CAPE TOWN NEW STORES OPENING

– HOME COMPOSTING AT MAJIK FOREST

PROGRAMME SHOPPING CENTRE

COCT recently rolled out you’ll place the container)

their Home Composting and a minimum of 30 m²

Programme – providing free covered by vegetation.

home composting containers

to residents to encourage all To apply, you will need to

of us to start composting at bring the following to the

home. Instead of throwing venue: at Majik Forest Shopping Centre is now open. For bookings, away your household organic • A copy of your municipal please call: (021) 000 5406 / 7 waste, including fruit and account; and vegetable waste, eggshells, • Your identity document or tea bags, leaves, etc. you can use them to generate passport. IN MEMORIAM compost for your garden. Distribution points for our area (please note, one To qualify for a free home can ONLY apply during the composting container: specified dates and times):

• You need to be a • Morning Star Community

homeowner or Hall: 12 October 2022

tenant of a single between 14:00 18:00

residence (sectional title • Durbanville Library:

fl ats are excluded). 15 October 2022

• Your property needs to between 09:00 & 13:00

include a secure garden

or yard area. A limited number of

To generate healthy free home composting

The chairperson of Boschendal Terrace, Dexter Leite, sadly

compost, your secure containers will be issued passed away 16 July 2022. Our hearts go out to his family. garden or yard should per day. Containers will be ideally include a minimum provided on a first-come- The new chairperson of Boschendal Terrance is Amy Da Cruz – of 1 m² of open soil (where first-served basis. we wish her success.