The ‘Hackers’ Club

• January 13, 2021April 8, 2021

UPDATE APRIL 9th

The Hackers’ Club is still managing alien invading trees such as blackwattle & Port Jackson. We also follow up by pulling out the small trees. We are literally a handful of volunteers, doing this for the benefit of all citizens of our town – to promote the beauty of Fynbos, to be enjoyed by all recreational activities & groups like the Cycling Club & their trails, all Friends of Marloth, all dogwalkers, all lovers of nature & keen to conserve our most precious commodity for tourism: Fynbos!
However, illegal dumping still continues, making our work much harder, hampering this unselfish cause. We are not there to pick up other people’s wood, simply chopped off & left – the WRONG WAY to manage alien invasives & smothering fynbos. AND, of course, THE GARDEN REFUSE ( allowing non-indigenous to the WC  plants to start growing & multiplying); the building waste, black bags full of household waste…IT IS HEARTBREAKING. And, it dampens the Hackers’ Club enthusiasm.Yes, the muni’s new law of paying to dump at the Bontebok dump is of course, making this worse!! But, the muni has a valid reason – the official dumpsite is overfilled, & affordable alternatives are being investigated. I will not comment any further.Please, you selfish illegal dumpers & choppers, consider what you are doing! Seriously undermining a good source of tourism income to our town, which benefits ALL OF US!!
Suggestion: create groups of 4 to contribute to the dumping license, & take turns to dump all 4 participants rubbish per dump at the muni site, while we still can?
Or, consider putting up a garden refuse dump in the industrial area, where it can be recycled to compost & woodchips, to sell at profit to gardeners? An SMME venture, with possible financial aid by government. And job-creation as well!PLEASE??

UPDATE January 20th

Many thanks to those who have come on board since the post below. Again – the invitation goes out to EVERY CONSERVATION MINDED PERSON, to show support & interest in what a small group of volunteers are doing for the sake of our community. A small beginning which will become an avalanche of trained citizens who add their own efforts, according to the rules of Cape Nature & Alien Management. But please, first come & get practical experience before you set off on your own.

FRIDAYS, 5-6 PM , at the moment still Steil str. 

If you wish to join, whatsapp me 0825645911 so I can add you to the Whatsapp group, so you keep abreast of where & when.

Fynbos is screaming to come back when aliens have departed!

Willemina

Dear Swellendam citizens:

So many of you are still in the dark about what this group is all about. I shall explain it once more: we follow the example of CREW (Custodians of rare & endangered wildflowers), groups of volunteers working in various cape floral areas & biomes, as citizen scientists, aiding SANBI & BOTSOC (Google them!!). Not only do we study flowers, but biodiversity in general, as everything works together to keep a balance in Nature. Man however, has become the in-balance. Our municipal green areas have been taken over by alien invaders, not just trees but plants as well. People dumping garden refuse are becoming part of the problem. Plants that are not locally present in nature, are not welcome here, as they encroach other species, upset the pollinating insects, birds, rodents. The pebble in the pond reaction.

Ignorance is no excuse anymore. There are groups like us that have the knowledge to share & educate Nature lovers. This club is there for the same reason: a group of volunteers, starting, trying to make a difference, waking you up to learn & join us, for a group of fifty volunteers can clear /manage a large area of aliens, to return our local fynbos & certain endangered Endemics (found only in this area). Our mountain is being threatened by the spreading of Beefwood, Hakea (2 species), blackwattle, pine & port jackson, and now we have even discovered bottlebrush on the east side of Swellendam!

Please stop saying this is the Municipality’s job – yes it is – but we, ourselves, are also dependent on our recreational green zones, & the beautifying & greening of our town, to entice visitors to enjoy it & SPEND THEIR MONEY HERE. Now, in Covid times, it is 100% MORE IMPORTANT.

The Swellendam Cycle Club have set a wonderful example, but they are merely making trails, not clearing scientifically. We want to work together with all organizations who aim to promote our nature. We beg you to become involved, or just supporting us, so that this 250 year project can take off & be perpetuated by our progeny for generations until the battle is won. The Club works on Fridays, 5-6 pm, in a group & some also carry on individually. Join us on Whatsapp or on Fridays, even if you just want to have more info or observe & learn.

Willemina de Wet-v/d Harst Follow this link to join my WhatsApp group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Dt5QIN60V8q54sGc7KOOQW

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