Invader plant control. With the support of Wollie Alheit of the Departement of Agriculture, a leaflet had been prepared and distributed. Copies are available and an urgent appeal is made to property owners to free their gardens from Manatoka.

Halfjaarlikse nuusbrief. Bykomend tot die November nuusbrief, is begin om 'n halfjaarlikse brief uit te stuur aan alle lede met 'n e-pos adres. Die hoë tariewe maak dit ongelukkig onmoontlik om dit per gewone pos aan alle lede te stuur. Ons wil u graag op hoogte hou van wat die vereniging gedurende die jaar doen en daarom word u versoek om seker te maak dat ons die korrekte e-pos adres het.

Mayor's Award. One of our members, Heilie Mostert, was one of 5 finalists for this award for conservation in the Overstrand. She was nominated for her role in the establishment of the herbarium. Although she did not win, the Society gained a lot of positive press coverage.    <<Back

Losloperhonde. Die Vereniging het talle klagtes ontvang oor losloperhonde op die strandgebied asook in die fynbosveld, waar hul jag maak op bokkies, dikkoppe en fisante. Hierdie probleme moet gerapporteer word aan die Senior Wetstoepassingsbeampte, Marius Hendriks, by selno. O72 372 7366.

Pearly Beach Caravan Park. The appeal against the proposed rezoning and subdivision of the Caravan park was only upheld in part. Several further conditions have been imposed, additional to those imposed by the Overstrand Municipality and the former Chief Directorate: Environmental Affairs. A Monitoring Committee was appointed to oversee the process and as this Society is part of this committee, we shall make sure that all conditions are enforced.

Fynbostuin. Die Vereniging het toestemming van die Overstrand Munisipaliteit verkry vir die vestiging van 'n inheemse fynbostuin op 'n gedeelte van Erf 1780, waar die Hengelklubsaal geleë is. Skaars en bedreigde plante sal hier hervestig en vermeerder kan word.    <<Back

Development of 2 hotel sites. We have not rejected the development of erven 162 and 332, but have ensured that environmental impact studies were done, as well as promote Eco sensitive planning.

Rioolsuiweringswerke. Die Vereniging het ten sterkste beswaar gemaak teen die jongste voorstel om gesuiwerde rioolwater in die Klein Hagelkraalrivier te stort. Ander opsies word tans ondersoek, maar die Vereniging sal sorg dat almal ingelig word voordat finale besluite geneem word.

Frontal dune area. One member of the committee and a labourer did the enormous task of clearing the frontal dune area as well as the adjacent public open spaces of alien vegetation. It took almost three weeks at a cost of ± R1000.

Groenstrook. Sodra die konsep Ruimtelike Ontwikkelingsraamwerk (Spatial Development Framework) deur die Raad goedgekeur is, sal ons hopelik vordering kan maak met hersonering van die groen strook voor die dorpsgebied van openbare oopruimte na privaat natuurreservaat sone 3. Hierdie proses is reeds in April 2002 begin.    <<Back

Seawatch. The Society supports the local branch of Seawatch. Please report any irregularity on the beach (vehicles, divers, people & behaviour) to Rob Nothnagel: 028-381 9666 or 082 890 5803.

Voertuie op strande. Dis kommerwekkend dat, weens die gebrek aan wetstoepassing, die aantal
4x4 voertuie en motorfietse op die strande en in die duine vinnig toeneem. Dis steeds onwettig. Die skade wat aangerig word aan voëlneste is onnoembaar en moet vermy word.

Eradication of alien plants. A big thank you to all members who have already committed themselves to eradicating aliens by adopting the nearest public open space, as well as picking up litter in their immediate neighbourhood. More volunteers are urgently needed.

Way forward. We publish monthly press reports in the Gansbaai Courant on conservation minded issues and trust that the publicity will benefit our work. Please contact any of the committee members with your own proposals on ways to promote the work of our Society.

Herbarium. Heilie Mostert en haar span vrywilligers word bedank vir hul werk gedurende die jaar om te sorg dat die herbarium elke dag oop is vir besoekers. Die herbarium is die vertoonvenster van die Bewaringsvereniging. Indien iemand belangstel om op enige wyse behulpsaam te wees, skakel asseblief met Heilie of 'n komiteelid.    <<Back

Conservation Village Idea. The Management Committee has received a presentation from Rob Fryer of the Overstrand Conservation Foundation on the idea of having Pearly Beach declared and registered as a conservation village with Cape Nature. We are of the opinion that this is the way forward for the Conservation Society and we trust that all our members will support this idea. Rooi-Els is already registered as a conservancy, while both Pringle Bay and Betty's Bay are busy registering as such. Once these two towns, as well as Pearly Beach are registered, it will lend more credibility to the attempt made by Rooi-Els to get the Overstrand Minicipality and Council to recognize the area as requiring different treatment and to have this formalized in a management plan. The management plan will set out how all aspects of the town's services, roads, private and public open spaces and facilities will be managed to take account of the need to preserve the town's biodiversity as far as this is possible in an urban area.

Bedankings. Die Bestuurskomiteelede word bedank vir hul getroue bywoning van vergaderings op Saterdae en hul insette. Hartlike dank ook aan alle lede vir hul ondersteuning, daar word gehoop dat almal weer sal aansluit vir 2006 sodat ons saam die unieke karakter van Pearly Beach vir die volgende geslagte sal help bewaar.    <<Back

8.1 Sean Privett, Grootbos. The speaker introduces GREEN FUTURES, a horticultural and life skills college built on Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. It provides annual, practical-based training programs for unemployed people in the fields of fynbos landscaping, horticulture and ecotourism. Green Futures is a non-profit organization, established through funding from Grootbos Nature Reserve and the German Investment and Development Company (DEG). The college will become self-sufficient in the future through the sale of plants and provision of landscaping services, which are re-invested into the Green Futures Education Trust Fund. Students growing plants and working on landscaping projects help pay for the tuition of the next year's students. The college has been going for three years and its students are all working in plant-based related jobs. They come from previously disadvantaged backgrounds and although they often know the medicinal value of plants, they are not naturally inclined to appreciate them. South Africa is one of only six floral kingdoms, of which the Cape Floral Kingdom has the biggest biodiversity. Sadly, it is also the most endangered one. Rainfall patterns are changing and as a result many of the Cape fynbos is disappearing. Species are often endemic, sometimes growing on only one farm, and once destroyed, are gone forever. Now flower pickers are educated to leave half of the flowers on a plant to form a new seedbank in case of a veldfire.    <<Back

8.2 Rob Fryer, Overstrand Conservation Foundation. Mr Fryer explains that a Conservancy is a voluntary agreement with landowners. It makes a statement to the general public and authorities about responsible management of the town's ecological heritage. There are certain steps to be taken to establish such a conservancy and then a management plan needs to be formed in co-operation with the municipality. The overall idea is to unify the development of the Overstrand coastal area. (See 5: conservation village idea)    <<Back

• Mev. M. Welgemoed vertel dat sy studente van die Green Futures Kollege gebruik het in haar tuin op Pearly Beach. Sy is hoogs tevrede met hul werk.
• Mnr. Ron Pederson verduidelik dat indien Pearly Beach as 'n bewarea gevestig sou word, die PB Bewaringsvereniging daarvan deel sal vorm.
• Mnr. P. McCullam doen 'n beroep op die inwoners om meer betrokke te raak by hul omgewing: self hande uit die moue te steek in plaas van sit en wag (tevergeefs?) dat die owerhede iets doen.
• Mnr. Mike Ravenscroft spreek sy kommer uit oor die steeds toenemende aantal veldbrande. Plante wat saad moet versprei vir die volgende seisoen, kry geen kans nie en uiteindelik sal ons dit wat nog oorbly, ook verloor. By die volgende komiteevergadering sal dit bespreek word.
• Me. Linda Harris verduidelik dat die kusstrook voor PB verkeerdelik as landbougrond gesoneer is by die vergadering oor die konsep Ruimtelike Ontwikkelingsraamwerk, asook hoe dit ons dorp nadelig raak. Sy vra dat die teenwoordige persone die petisie daartéén sal onderteken.
• Daar word gemeld dat erwe in Oranjestraat "skoongemaak" word dat daar niks oorbly nie. Die Vereniging sal weer hierdie probleem met die Munisipaliteit opneem.
• Mev. A. Henrici noem dat daar op Gansbaai 'n herwinningsdepot is in die industriële gebied.
• Etlike klagtes oor seebamboes op die strand, losloperhonde en gebreekte versperrings wat voertuie van die strand moet hou, word geopper. Die waarnemende voorsitter verduidelik dat hierdie sake liefs direk aan die Overstrand Munisipaliteit gerapporteer moet word; hoe meer, hoe beter.     <<Back