September 2012, Volume 30 AGULHAS PARK eBULLETIN · September 2012, Volume 30 AGULHAS PARK eBULLETIN ... Pearly Beach and Struisbaai-North communities. ... Volume 30 AGULHAS PARK

September 2012, Volume 30

AGULHAS PARK eBULLETIN SANParks connecting to Society

Tourism & Heritage Month

September eBULLETIN

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Congratulations and Welcome to …

Bulelwa Msengi … For being appointed as the new Park Manager of Agulhas National Park. We all wish you a prosperous, happy and successful career at the Southernmost Tip of Africa. You are the first female Park Manager, and women, as Olga Jacobs said at the opening of Bosheuwel Training Centre, can let things happen. We know you are up for the challenge.

Southern Tip Society, who are they?

Opening of Bosheuwel Training Centre

On a glorious sunny winter’s day the newly upgraded Bosheuwel Training Centre was opened officially on 9 August 2012. Since it was also Women’s Day, a tribute was paid to all women and specially the women working for Agulhas National Park. Four hundred and sixty-nine (469) people attended this special occasion. Three hundred and ninety-eight (398) were project beneficiaries for whom this Training Centre was upgraded. Mr Barry Heydenrych (Agulhas Park Project Coordinator, 1998 - 2000), said, for Agulhas National Park to succeed, surrounding communities, municipalities and land owners must be involved in the establishment and development thereof. We are there now.

L’Agulhas Land Rover Fraternity

The L’Agulhas Land Rover Fraternity plans a coastal clean-up action for 8 September 2012. On 18 August they met with Agulhas Park, Cape Nature, NSRI, Struisbaai SAPS and other community groups to discuss and plan the day; an example of how a community should work together.

Agulhas Honorary Rangers Eddie Cassani and Angela Alterdorfer reaching out to Agulhas Park neighbours

On the weekend of 9 to 11 August 2012, Eddie Cassani and Angela Altendorfer (SANParks Honorary Rangers Agulhas) and members of the African Vision Foundation, Ian and Debi Schoeman (Bondiblu), Paul & Sandra Slabbert and daughters, Kara & Mia, and Jason and Robin Stonehewer, assembled at Rietfontein in Agulhas National Park from where they conducted their outreach programme with the Buffeljags, Pearly Beach and Struisbaai-North communities.

The African Vision Foundation was founded and sponsored by Edward Snell & Co. with the purpose of bringing environmental education and

other aids to disadvantaged communities living in the vicinity of National Parks and natural areas. It is co-sponsored by Bondiblu. The programme consisted of interactive lessons with children on the identification of fauna, birds in general and recycling. Each child present received a brand new football afterwards. Groups of elderly people were given a simple eye test and fitted with reading glasses (sponsored by Bondiblu). The visits ended with a good meal for all.

Agulhas Ereveldwagters sê dankie – Graham Pienaar, Agulhas

Ereveldwagter

Tydens die Augustus 2012 maandvergadering van die Ereveldwagters van die Agulhas streek is twee plaaslike persone bedank vir hulle besondere bydrae tot die werk van die Ereveldwagters van die streek.

Esna Swart is as ‘n Vriend van SANParke verwelkom en ‘n sertifikaat in die verband is aan haar oorhandig. Esna lewer al reeds vir ‘n geruime tyd diens aan die Ereveldwagters met die optrek van kaarte vir die staproetes wat hulle ontwikkel en in stand hou, asook ander ondersteunende dienste.

Aan Cecile Heine is ‘n blyk van waardering oorhandig vir ‘n pragtige skildery van die geboue op Rietfontein in die Park wat sy gemaak en geskenk het. Die skildery is op versoek van die Ereveldwagters gedoen en aan Ettienne en Aletta Fourie (die vorige Parkhoof en sy eggenote) oorhandig by die geleentheid van hulle aftrede.

Vir die Ereveldwagters is hierdie soort insette van groot waarde en beklemtoon dit die nut van skakeling met lede van die gemeenskap in belang van ons Nasionale Parke.

Agulhas Heritage

In the past, protected areas were readily seen as a means to protect only the natural environment and relatively little attention was given to cultural resources in many of these areas. This is particularly relevant in terms of direct management activities such as inventorying, physical conservation, tourism development and indirect activities such as financing heritage resource management, creating staff awareness, integrated planning for heritage resource management and involving interested and affected parties to help curate cultural resources.

September 2012, Volume 30

AGULHAS PARK eBULLETIN SANParks connecting to Society

Tourism & Heritage Month

The overall objective for Heritage conservation as defined in the Park Management Plan, is to research, support and sustain the significance, authenticity and integrity of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage resources associated with the park and surrounds for the enjoyment and benefit of all South Africans and of the world.

The Cultural Heritage Management Plan of Agulhas was finalized in 2010. Inventorying and mapping of tangible and intangible heritage associated with the park has taken place since 2007. The heritage programme, as described in the plan, now focuses on writing and implementing site and interpretation plans and to integrate it into the tourism offerings of the park.

(SOURCE: Agulhas National Park Management Plan, Draft 4.4 – 2012; Cultural Heritage Management Plan, 2010)

Heritage Month Programme

Heritage Art Exhibition: Huisgoed as Erfgoed, 17-28 September 2012, Agulhas NP.

Braai4Heritage, 24 September 2012, Bosheuwel Precinct, Agulhas NP.

Contact E. De Kock at 028 435 6078 during office hours for more detail regarding the activities.

Cape Agulhas Lighthouse

The contractors for the lighthouse renovations will be on site as from 3 September 2012. They will start renovating the interior and the sea side of the building at the same time and should be finished with the interior before December 2012. Restoration on the northern side will start mid-January 2013.

Recapture the nostalgia

The nostalgia associated with Custos, the national parks and wildlife magazine, can now be recaptured. This magazine was an invaluable source of

scientific and historical information and carried interesting facts and figures about the parks’ fauna and flora. It also contained fascinating tales of wild and wonderful sightings, narrow escapes from the dangerous big five and amazing photography. A box set containing digitally scanned copies in pdf format of the entire collection of this magazine is now available. The magazine was published from December 1971 up to the final edition in September 1998.

Reminisce about days gone by and the memories that formed a large part of the last quarter of the previous century with this treasure of natural scientific information. Custos was a household name to many visitors and friends of our country’s national parks for many years. It was very much a part of any visit to the Kruger National Park, as each visitor received a copy as he or she entered the park’s gates. This project is an initiative of the SANParks Honorary Rangers, and funds raised will promote nature conservation activities in the South African National Parks. More information is available at www.sanparksvolunteers.org/custos.

(SOURCE: Louis Lemmer, SANParks Honorary Rangers, NEC: Public Relations & Communication, 0125675580)

Agulhas Biodiversity

Spotted between Waterford and Ratelrivier on the Wolvengat Road A Leucistic Crowned Lapwing (Kroonkiewiet, Vanellus coronatus) was recently spotted by Dr Wim De Klerk and Agulhas Honorary Ranger Chris Van Gass – a rare sighting. Leucistic describes animals and birds which display partial albinism. An interesting website to visit is BOP (Birds with Odd Plumages, http://vmus.adu.org.za), – a Virtual Museum project for more rare bird sightings and where you can view this sighting.

A good birding season predicted for 2012 After good rains the past winter months the Nuwejaars Wetlands are soaked which means good birding! Already hordes of Pied Avocet (Bontelsie, Recurvirostra avosetta) and Common Greenshank (Groenpootruiter, Tringa nebularia) have been seen, as well as the Yellow-billed duck (Geelbekeend, Anas undulata). The flamingos are also returning to the Saltpans after a long stay on Langpan on the Bredasdorp-Elim Road.

Nuwejaars Quagga chosen as best specimen

A Rau Quagga on the Nuwejaars Wetland Special Management Area (NWSMA) has been selected as the best quagga specimen in South Africa. Called Freddie, he most resembles the quagga that became extinct in the late 1800s. Two more quagga on NWSMA land also feature in the top ten. The NWSMA is partner in the Quagga Project. The project aims to re-establish a herd of zebra that closely resembles

September 2012, Volume 30

AGULHAS PARK eBULLETIN SANParks connecting to Society

Tourism & Heritage Month

the now-extinct quagga. It brings selected common Plains Zebra together with fewer stripes and a brownish colour, to concentrate these characteristics in one herd. Even though it was originally believed that the quagga was a separate species of zebra, DNA analysis now shows that it is, in fact, a subspecies of the Plains Zebra.

National World Wetlands Day 2013

With the United Nations declaring 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation, the Ramsar Standing Committee has decided that World Wetlands Day 2013 should focus on the theme: Wetlands and Water Management, with a specific focus on working with the water sector.

(FROM: The Gumboot: news from Working for Wetlands, June 2012)

Agulhas Tourism

Tourism Month at the Southern Tip

Southernmost Tip of Africa S34˚49’58”, E20˚00’12” Where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans officially meet as recognised by the International Hydrographic Organisation.

Cape Agulhas Lighthouse Installed 1849, built from locally quarried sandstone, range is 30 nautical miles, light flashes every 5 seconds, 7 500 000 CD; renovations to start soon.

Fish-traps: Cape Agulhas and Rasperpunt, old stone structures being good angling spots through the ages and walk along the rocky beach with its diverse marine life.

Hiking trails: Spookdraai, Rasperpunt and the new 2 Oceans Hiking Trail, from where you can view the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Indian Ocean in the east.

Accommodation in old Strandveld houses: Enquire about available accommodation at Rhenosterkop, Lagoon House and Bergplaas at the Park office.

Graveyard of ships: Many shipwrecks along the Cape Agulhas coastline; on display at the Bredasdorp Shipwreck Museum; wreck of the Meisho Maru 38 still visible.

Fynbos: Major vegetation type of the Cape Floristic Biodiversity Hotspot, comprises heathy fynbos, proteoid fynbos, rietveld and asteraceous (daisy family) fynbos.

Birding: Drive the Struisbaai-Elim road for significant bird sightings on the wetlands and pans, especially now after a good raining season. Drive to the Saltpans by turning off on to the Springfield/Brandfontein Road to see the flamingos.

Elim Village: Visit the historical village of Elim and experience life in a traditional missionary village. Visit the flower festival during the weekend of 21 – 24 September.

Struisbaai Harbour: Watch the “chukkies” arrive back from their fishing trips and experience the typical harbour culture. Have a bite at the local restaurant or blue caravan.

Wine Cellars: Taste our local Strandveld wines at Strandveld Vineyards, Black Oystercatcher, The Berrio and Zoetendal Winery.

De Mond Nature Reserve: The reserve lies at the mouth of the Heuningnes River between the villages of Arniston and Struisbaai. De Mond is a Ramsar site, ideal for birdwatching, hiking and angling.

For more detail information contact Agulhas Park office at 028 435 6078 and the Cape Agulhas Tourism office at 028 435 7185.

Events Calendar

September 2012 (Heritage & Tourism month)

1 – 7 National Arbour Week

8 International Literacy Day

14 Recycling Day SA

10 - 15 National Clean-up Week

16 International Day for the Preservation of

the Ozone Layer

12 - 15 Agri Mega, Bredasdorp

18 to

1 Oct Heritage Art Exhibition, Agulhas Park

22 - 24 Flower Festival, Elim

24 Braai4Heritage, Bosheuwel

27 World Tourism Day