Project 200: reflecting on our area
Project 200 kicked off recently to mark the historic milestone of 200 years of existence for the city of Grahamstown.
Project 200: reflecting on our area
Project 200 kicked off recently to mark the historic milestone of 200 years of existence for the city of Grahamstown.
The invitation by Mayor Zamuxolo Peter to reflect on our histories and use this project to heal the sorrows of the past and write a new chapter in our history provides a perfect opportunity to reflect on our catchment area – which played an important role in the choice of Grahamstown as a military settlement 200 years ago.
It was in fact the supply of water by the headwaters of the Blaauwkrantz River — the so-called Kowie ditches — that clinched the deal. (Ironically, the town has struggled with water supply as its population has grown.) A catchment is the entire area which drains into a river and Grahamstown is at the top end of the Kowie catchment. In 1812 the Kowie ditches would have been clear running streams, a far cry from the littered, stinking concrete channels in our city today.
The Kowie Catchment Campaign (KCC), now in its tenth year, has brought the community together from all sides of town, while striving towards a clean, healthy catchment. It aims to protect and restore the streams, as much as possible, to their original healthy state. For more see here – you can also download the history of the city’s water supply, by KCC champion Lorraine Mullins.
Snakes alive! (and let's keep them that way)
Michelle Griffith's letter in last Friday’s Grocott’s is a reminder that it is the time of the year when snakes are more active (particularly if their hiding places have been flooded after heavy rains). However, after two very close encounters with rinkhals (spitting cobras) both Michelle Griffith and the snakes are still alive.
This is thanks to Basil Mills, one of G’town's capture-and-release volunteers, who provides a great community service. Snakes are very useful in the ecosystem as they keep rats, mice, frogs and toads in check. It is important to remember that there are only four life-threatening species in our area and we should all learn to identify the Cape cobra, rinkhals, puff adder and boomslang.
If you are not sure of the species, you should call for snake removal, and keep watching it from a safe distance — usually three or four metres, but five metres is better for rinkhals or cobras. Numbers to call are Basil Mills (083 420 2633), John Midgley (072 854 2607), Martin Villet (046 603 8527) or Makana’s fire department (046 603 6000).
Thanks to those who provide this service and for acting as guardians of these splendid reptiles. For more info see www.ru.ac.za/environment/action/animalwise/snakes.
VG goes green
Victoria Girls’ High School recently started a Green Team, whose purpose will be to focus on raising awareness of environmental issues and streamlining the school’s environmental policies.
This term the team presented a slide show to the school during an assembly, which highlighted the role of wetlands in our environment. This coincided with World Wetlands Day on 2 February. Other dates that they plan to bring to the fore are National Water Week (19–25 March) and World Meteorological Day (23 March). Well done VGHS!
COP17 revisited
SciFest Africa (14–20 March) is almost here. One of the enviro-events in the programme will be the inaugural Christina Scott Memorial lecture entitled ‘The long, slow, gruelling walk to carbon freedom’ by well-known environmental journalist, Leonie Joubert. As we know, last year South Africa was the proud host of COP17, the annual meeting of the parties or countries that signed the Kyoto Protocol in 1997. But what is the Kyoto Protocol? What was COP17 all about? What were the key outcomes – why should you care – and what can you do to be a responsible citizen?
Joubert, who authored four books, will explore these questions, as well as the vital role that journalists, science communicators and teachers play in the public's understanding of information and policies, which is required before the citizens of a country can make informed decisions about their future.
The lecture is on Friday, 16 March, at 12am. For more info see italwww.scifest.org.za/ital. Also on the Scifest programme is the annual RU Green Fund Run on Sunday 18 March at 4.30pm.
For more info go to www.ru.ac.za/environment/committee/greenfund/funrun. Contacts for the Makana Enviro-News: Nikki Köhly: n.kohly@ru.ac.za, 046 603 7205. Jenny Gon: j-gon@intekom.co.za, 046 622 5822. Nick Hamer: n.hamer@ru.ac.za, 084 722 3458. Nick James: nickjames@intekom.co.za, 046 622 5757. Lawrence Sisitka: heilaw@imaginet.co.za, 046 622 8595. Strato Copteros: strato@iafrica.com, 082 785 6403.
