It's a Good life...
Outramps CREW Diaries
Tuesday
26th February 2019
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Here is the ALBUM 26th Feb 2019
For captions or info click on i on the top right-hand side. A good way to go - the Slideshow is found at the top of the page on the rt hand side by clicking on the 3 dots. Featured this week – Fern Foraging for GRBG, Whites Rd Circular, Giant Kingfisher, "In the Loop" meeting, Natures Valley Trio of Brakrivier, Saltriver and Robberg.
For names and captions of the photos used on this version of the Reportback - see the Album.
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Fern Foraging for the GRBG
A long-term plan to create a Fern Walk at the Garden Route Botanical Garden is being fulfilled. On Thursday afternoon at about 4pm, Prix and Corné arrived at Strawberry Hill with sacks and trowels. I had previously earmarked ferns that could successfully be transplanted. The forest is looking wonderful, after fairly consistent rains during the last couple of weeks. The rivers are running high, so we were restricted to the western side of the Silver River on the Fern Trail. Once these ferns are established, we will add to the list.
Pteris cretica
Polystichum pungens
Adiantum aethiopicum
Asplenium protensum
Asplenium rutifolium
Asplenium gemmiferum
Dryopteris inaequalis
Blotiella natalensis
Athyrium scandicinum
Blechnum capense
Blechnum australe
Blechnum attenuatum
tanniedi
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Whites Road Circular |
When Evie suggested that we walk up Whites Road with a circular descent through the forest, I wasn’t at all sure. We’ve lived here for 50 years and we’ve driven up and down Whites road many times. It has spectacular views to the east across the lakes and the gradient is gentle – but walk if you can drive? In fact, the walk up turned out to be very pleasant, although fast-moving cyclists tended to be something of a hazard.
Crassula orbicularis was the standout plant, tumbling down the granite rocks that are a feature of this area. Some exquisite Bromeliads in full flower in a garden along the way proved to be a crowd-stopper. It wasn’t long before we found Dioscorea mundii (Near Threatened. We are not 100% sure of the id, as it seems as if it could be confused with D. sylvatica (Vulnerable). Some educated help here would be very valuable. It was scattered sparsely along the length of the road. The danger of aliens engulfing the indigenous plants on this stretch is significant. Amongst other nasties , we saw
Plectranthus barbatus var. grandis
Anredera cordifolia – Madeira Vine
Pines
Acacia mearnsii – Black Wattle
Acacia cyclops – Rooikrans
Lantana |
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As the temperature rose to the early 30’s we walked into the forest, which was deeply shady and cool. Here we found 2 populations of Ornithogalum rogersii (Data Deficient), so the day was reasonably productive.
On returning to Wilderness, we discovered that Evie’s timing was split-second accurate. We arrived at Locals in the Milkwood forests behind the Spar at exactly 11.30 for our first “In the Loop” meeting. It had been decided that we should have these at roughly 6 week intervals, so that Outramps members can be kept in touch with new developments and each other. With the Group being split into LOT, SIM and HAT, these meetings will contribute to a united front, where we are all on the same page. Lunch was enjoyable and it was great to catch up with everyone.
tanniedi
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The Real Valentine – Giant Kingfisher Trail, Wilderness
Walking to the waterfall was blissfully peaceful and the swim glorious. This trail bears heavy traffic and the last section is a boarded walk, wisely so and certainly something to consider for the first section where the ever widening path and little paths off into the forest are becoming more and more evident. At least, this is my take after more than a handful of decades walking here.
On my return it becomes a highway. Mainly tourists, but I am happy to see a friendly team of parks’ staff on their way to do invasive alien plant clearing. At first glance I thought I see one holding a rifle (having heard baboons earlier), but thank goodness, no! We have a little chat and no, monkeys or baboons are not a problem at the Ebb & Flow camps, though the bush pigs were, during the two or three consecutive dry years experienced in recent years.
Highlights are Afrocarpus falcatus (yellowwood, geelhout, kalander), Calodendron capense (Cape Chestnut, Kaapse kastaiing), Vepris lanceolata (white ironwood, witysterhout), Trimeria grandifolia (wild mulberry, wilde moerbei), Searsia chirindensis (bush currant, bostaaibos). It is really unfair to only mention these obvious gems! In profuse flower is the can-never-remember-the-name all over sprawler Gymnanthemum mespilifolium and way above my head the yellow bells of Hibiscus ludwigii, orange – reds of Scadoxus puniceus on the forest floor and soft pretty pink of Hibiscus pedunculatus in the under-shrubs. To assume or piggy back on given information can backfire, which happens all too often with plant names too! Ethereally beautiful, a twisted, gnarled, hollowed out trunk stands out. The SA Tree number 513 for Olina ventosa (Hardpear) is nailed into it. When I ask Mike Cameron, our forester, later if he can confirm the identity of the tree off my photos, his comeback is a chuckle. "Not really", says Mike, he needs to see the leaves - but the crushed leaves and live, soft bark tissue smell of marzipan!
Alien invasive plants noted: Wattle (Acacia mearnsii) above the waterfall delivering seeds to the Touw River, Bugweed (Solanum mauritianum) and Phytolacca octandra off a side path just before the pontoon crossing. Newly felled Bugweed and Phytolacca - no doubt work done by the friendly team. Some Australian tree fern (Cyathea cooperi) in the streambed of the Touw River. Is anyone paying attention to our input re this fern? It does not have a good track record in other parts of the world and is extremely popular as a garden subject in our area.
I am reluctant to leave the forest, not entirely sure where I’ll meet the rest of the Outramps, but with split second timing we all meet up, just as they join the trail close to the very end. Whew! Not in trouble….
Sandra
15 Feb2019
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"In the Loop Meeting
The Outramps are divided into 3 Groups - LOT, SIM and HAT. In order to keep in touch with each other, it was decided at the start of the year, that we would have an informal meeting at roughly 6 weekly intervals. After a pleasant combination of Wilderness hikes, we met at Locals in the Wilderness Village. The main discussion centred around our evergreen problem of petrol and transport costs, which can become crippling.
It was good to see everyone again and we will certainly continue these meetings for the rest of 2019 to cement the cohesion of this hardworking CREW Group. Members come from Plett, Knysna, Brenton, Wilderness, George and Mossel Bay with a node in Stellenbosch.
Tanniedi
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