MILNERTON RACECOURSE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MONTHLY REPORT JULY 2014 COMPILED BY: LANDI LOUW SITE MANAGER

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1 MILNERTON RACECOURSE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MONTHLY REPORT JULY 2014 COMPILED BY: LANDI LOUW SITE MANAGER Report number 81 for the period 18 June 22 July FIELD WORK / CONTRACTS Path Maintenance: 16 July 2 INVASIVE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT 3 FIRE MANAGEMENT 4 REHABILITATION 5 INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT Stormwater outlets are all open and functioning. Path maintenance was done in the Northern Area on 16 July. The interpretive sign at the entrance of the Northern Area is due to be replaced according to the Environmental Resource Management Department s criteria. The wording and most of the photographs of the new sign will remain the same as the current sign. The new sign will however be re-designed on the Department s template and will have the updated logos of the various parties. A rough draft of the new sign has been completed by the Site Manager. This will be edited by the Communication staff of the Biodiversity Branch. Figure 1: A rough draft of the new signage template. Figure 2: The current signage template. City of Cape Town MILNERTON RACECOURSE MONTHLY REPORT 18 June July

2 6 FAUNA MANAGEMENT AND OBSERVATIONS A frog survey was held on the evening of 21 July. Four CPUT students and two of City of Cape Town s Conservation Compliance staff members assisted with the survey. Two species of frogs were recorded. These included the Clicking Stream Frog and the Cape Sand Frog. The Cape Sand Frog mostly occurs in open sandy areas and is not often found in gardens. They spend most of their time underground and can burrow rapidly. Eight Cape Dwarf Chameleons were also found during the survey. Figure 3: The frog surveyors, listening intently. A monthly avifauna census was conducted on 14 and 15 July by Helm van Zijl in the Northern and Southern Areas. 22 Species were recorded in the Northern Area and 20 in the Southern Area. A pair of Spotted Thickknees was seen in the Northern Area. The Biodiversity Database was used to record all fauna and flora sightings for July. Additional fauna observations for July can be seen below: Figure 4: Cape Grysbok Figure 5: Cattle Egret Figure 6: Unidentified caterpillar Figure 7: Unidentified moth 7.1 BIOPHYSICAL MONITORING VEGETATION Figure 8: Flora species observed during July are as follows from left to right 1) Lachenalia reflexa 2) Salvia africanalutea 3) Disphyma crassifolium 4) Orphium frutescens A review of the plant species list at Milnerton Racecourse was done by the Site Manager during July. The Biodiversity Database automatically assigns all species a status, namely: Present - species sighted and recorded in the last 10 years; Previously Known - species sighted and recorded between 10 and 15 years ago; Extinct - species sighted and recorded more than 15 years ago. At Milnerton Racecourse, 212 species are currently classified as Present, 18 species as Previously Known and 18 species as Extinct. 21 Red Data species are currently classified as Present, 5 as Previously Known and 6 as Extinct. A complete list of the Red Data species of Milnerton Racecourse can be seen as Appendix A. For more information on Red Data species, visit 28% 19% 38% Figure 9: Proportions of red list classifications of listed species present at Milnerton Racecourse. LC DD NT VU EN CR City of Cape Town MILNERTON RACECOURSE MONTHLY REPORT 18 June July

3 7.2 BIOPHYSICAL MONITORING WATER Figure 10: Fixed point photography of Wetland 2, taken on 15 July. Figure 11: Fixed point photography of Wetland 2, taken on 15 July. Figure 12: Fixed point photography of Wetland 1, taken on 13 June. Figure 13: Fixed point photography of Wetland 1, taken on 15 July. Figure 14: Fixed point photography of the Dam, taken on 15 July. Blue-green algae were found to be present in the Dam in the Southern Area during January Results showed that a number of blue-green algae species were present in the Dam with the most abundant being Anabaena. Water from the Dam was tested three times since January. The results provided by the City of Cape Town s Scientific Services are as follows: 22 January Anabaena cells/ml. 25 February Anabaena cells/ml. 27 May Anabaena 98 cells/ml. Table 1. Monthly records for water-levels, measured at the calibrated measuring points in Wetland 1 and 2. Mnth Wetland 1 - Southern Area( cm) Wetland 2 - Northern Area (cm) Mnth Jan Jan Feb Feb Mar Mar Apr Apr May May Jun Jun Jul Jul Aug Aug Sep Sep Oct Oct Nov Nov Dec Dec City of Cape Town MILNERTON RACECOURSE MONTHLY REPORT 18 June July

4 Table 2: Monthly rainfall records at Milnerton Racecourse, since Rainfall Data (mm) Year JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC TOTALS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND OUTREACH A School Holiday Programme called Angry Birds was held at Milnerton Racecourse on 9 July. A total of 29 children, aged between 8 and 12 years attended the day. The programme consisted of games such as Hawk and Chicken, Duck and Goose, a treasure hunt, a questionnaire, a word search, a bird count and memory games. The aim of the programme was to teach the children more about the different bird species at Milnerton Racecourse, what these birds eat and how their beak and body shapes are adapted to suit their diet. After the games, the group mixed their own salt dough. Each child was allowed to make a bird figurine of their choice, which was baked and painted afterwards. Some photographs of the day can be seen below: 9 GENERAL INFORMATION / OBSERVATIONS / MEETINGS Two holes in the fence between the sand track and Bridal Way was found by the Site Manager on 15 July. Kenilworth Racing has been informed of the holes in the palisade fence. The holes are large enough for a Cape Grysbok to be able to move through. The iron bars of the fence seem to have been bent. 10 ITEMS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE UPCOMING MONTHS Fauna Management Procedures Manual - in progress Frog Survey done Environmental Education Holiday Programme done Research on aquatic invertebrates August 2014 Springwalk September 2014 CREW and Lepidopterists Society visit September 2014 Set-up of trap array September 2014 SA Spider Club visit Summer 2014/2015 Reserve signage 2014 Grysbok introduction 2014 City of Cape Town MILNERTON RACECOURSE MONTHLY REPORT 18 June July

5 APPENDIX 1. RED DATA PLANT SPECIES AT MILNERTON RACECOURSE Abbreviations: LC Least Concern; DD Data Deficient; NT Near Threatened; VU Vulnerable; E Endangered; CR Critically Endangered; Ex Extinct in the Wild Present Lachenalia reflexa - LC Lampranthus calcaratus - DD Lachenalia contaminata - NT Lampranthus sociorum - VU Aspalathus ternata - VU Babiana tubulosa - VU Ferraria crispa - VU Gnidia spicata - VU Lachnaea grandiflora - VU Lampranthus glaucus - VU Lampranthus filicaulis - VU Lampranthus reptans - EN Lampranthus leptaleon - EN Pseudalthenia aschersoniana - EN Spiloxene canaliculata - EN Cliffortia ericifolia - EN Cliffortia hirta - EN Muraltia satureioides - CR Leucadendron levisanus - CR Cotula filifolia - CR Hermannia procumbens - CR Previously Known Acrolophia bolusii - NT Calopsis rigorata - VU Elegia verreauxii - VU Psoralea repens - VU Lampranthus stenus - EN Extinct Thamnochortus punctatus - NT Aspalathus acanthophylla - VU Phylica harveyi - VU Lampranthus explanatus - EN Disa lungens - EN Watsonia humulis - CR City of Cape Town MILNERTON RACECOURSE MONTHLY REPORT 18 June July