granaat NEWSLETTER September / October 2011 Hot off the Press!! GRANAAT HAS A NEW HOME!

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1 granaat NEWSLETTER September / October 2011 FOR MEMBERSHIP & GENERAL ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT THEUNS EKSTEEN AT Hot off the Press!! In just a matter of months, and through the determination, dedication & selfless efforts of some of our members, a new lapa has sprung to life behind the Offices of the Camdeboo National Park. The site is very accessible, has a lovely view over the Nqweba Dam and is surrounded by natural veld abounding with game. We could not have asked for a better spot ~ with sincere thanks to the Park Manager, Peter Burdett. GRANAAT HAS A NEW HOME! P a g e 1

2 Features DIE WONDERLIKE AALWYN Aloe Ferox Gedurende die wintermaande blom sowat ses verskillende aalwyn-soorte in die Oos-Kaap se ruig vetplant plantegroei streke, wat n snaterende hoeveelheid voël bestuiwers aantrek. Baie van hierdie aalwyn-soorte het die potensiaal vir kruis bestuiwing en dit kan aanleiding gee tot die droewe konsekwensies in die lang termyn vir verbastering van hierdie plantspesie. Wat verhoed hierdie bedreiging? Hierdie vraag is ook deur wetenskaplikes van die Nelson Mandela Metropolitaanse Universiteit in Port Elizabeth en die Universiteit van Kwa Zulu Natal gevra. Die navorsers het gevind dat alhoewel die plante nie presies gelyk blom nie, hulle wel so na aan mekaar blom dat daar nie genoeg tyd tussen die verskillende blom fases is om te verhoed dat voëls net een spesie alleen besoek wat verbastering sal keer nie. Toe die blomme egter van naderby bekyk is, is baie interressante verskille gevind. Sommige spesies Aloe pluridens en A. lineata het verlengde buisvormige blomme wat onderstebo aan lang stingels hang, met hul voortplantingsorgane binne in hierdie kelkvormige buise. Ander soorte soos A. speciosa en A. ferox het kort buisvormige blomme met hul voortplantingsorgane agter in die buis. Die verskillende vorms en strukture van blomme trek dan ook verskillende voël bestuiwing sisteme aan. Aalwyne met die lang buisvormige blomme produseer relatief soet nektar, maar in baie klein hoeveelhede. Hierdie blomme trek veral spesialis nektareters soos Jangroentjies en groter Swart- en Kleinrooibandsuikerbekkies. Hul lang, krom snawels is goed aangepas om die soet godedrank op te slurp. Hierdie suikerbekkies klou aan die blomstingels vas terwyl hulle eet. Wanneer die voëltjie se tong die lang blombuis binnedring, kleef stuifmeel aan sy snawel en gesig en word so van blom tot blom oorgedra. Die aalwyne met die kenmerkende korter blombuise produseer volop en baie groter hoeveelhede van n meer waterige nektar. Suikerbekkies geniet glad nie hierdie waterige nektar nie en besoek dus nie hierdie blomme nie. Feit is dat hierdie blomme ander soorte voëls aantrek, byvoorbeeld vinke, muisvoëls en spreeus. Met hul kort snawels is hulle perfek aangepas om hierdie nektar uit die stomp blomme te bereik. Hul benadering is baie minder elegant as die van suikerbekkies. Wanneer hulle hul snawels in die blomme druk om die P a g e 2

3 nektar by te kom, word n dik masker van stuifmeel op hul gesigte gevorm. (Ons sien dikwels ook apies met rooi gesigte!) Muisvoëls is nog meer morsige eters en stuifmeel word oor hul bors en maag gesmeer as hulle oor die blomme klouter. Kruisbestuiwing tussen aalwyne is skaars vir twee redes : Eerstens, twee soorte voëls is in die proses betrokke. Hulle word deur verskillende tipes aalwyne aangetrek met stuifmeel van die lang buisvormige blomme wat selde die kortbuis blomme bereik en anders om. Hierdie reëling help dat meer soorte gedurende die kort blomseisoen blom, wat n gemeenskap van aalwyne tot gevolg het wat wêreldwyd ooreenstem. [Bron : Africa Geographic Nov. 2008, Vol. 16, Nr. 10 ~ soos vertaal deur Wilke de Jager en deurgevoer deur Roy Stauth.] Aloe Striata Tweedens, verskillende aalwyn-soorte blom om die beurt en alhoewel langen kortbuis spesies tegelyk mag blom is daar nie oortollige bestuiwers nie. REHABILITATING DESERTS AND DUST BOWLS In various parts of the world, desertification and deforestation have been taking place at an alarming pace ~ partially ascribed to climate change, but mainly due to mankind s indiscriminate use of land and destruction of our planet s natural resources. In many countries, intensive rehabilitation programmes have been implemented to counteract the damage done, and one hopes that the rest of the world will wake up before it is too late. But, as the saying goes : Prevention is better than cure. Here in the Camdeboo, signs of bad land management are evidenced by the poor state of commonage ground, where the invasion of alien vegetation, soil erosion and degradation of grazing veld is all too visible. Camdeboo National Park has taken the lead in addressing some of these problems, with the initiation of programmes aimed at restoring the veld and halting erosion in areas prone to flooding, as a result of inadequate ground cover. Rehabilitation programme in Camdeboo National Park, south of Graaff-Reinet. P a g e 3

4 There is also an ongoing partnership with the Department of Water Affairs and its Working-for-Water programme, which seeks to eradicate the alien and invasive plant species within the Park and adjacent to its borders. However, the Community and other landowners also need to contribute towards the more effective management and protection of our environment. A key roleplayer is the Municipality who, as the custodian of commonage land, should ensure that this land is properly used and taken care of. Another is the Department of Agriculture and we are fortunate to have an Extension Office here in Graaff-Reinet, but is it functioning efficiently enough? The missing link in the chain is the Department of Environmental Affairs or an Environmental Management Unit that should be monitoring the state of our natural environment, the usage of our natural resources and the extent to which conservation and rehabilitation programmes are being implemented and managed. Is it not about time that we start paying some serious attention to this matter? For some interesting reading on the topic, please visit : 3/6-prevention-desertification.htm Rehabilitation programme outside Alice Springs, Australia. Bydraes deur ons Lede FEEDBACK ON SPEKBOOM We have been reading up a bit and it seems that the claims made as to the ability of Spekboom to "mop up" carbon dioxide, are true. The carbon dioxide is converted to ATP, then to an aldehyde and eventually to glucose, which is then stored in the leaves, stems and root system of the plant. For further info, take a look at [Photo : cle.jpg] [Source: Prof. Jacob Steenkamp; submitted by Roy Stauth. Also refer to the article South Africa s Super Plant in the September/October 2008 edition of the Granaat Newsletter] P a g e 4

5 Food for Thought There is hope; though not for us. [Source: Kafka] I want to know the Mind of God. The rest is just detail. [Source: Albert Einstein] There is alchemy in sorrow. It can be transmuted into wisdom, which, if it does not bring joy, can yet bring happiness. [Source: Pearl S. Buck] We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. [Source: Winston Churchill] To love someone is to identify with them. [Source: Aristotle] An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. [Source: Mahatma Gandhi] I never make stupid mistakes. Only very, very clever ones. [Source: John Peel] Phrases that depict the Karoo : Part 2 Where your vision is forever Where Nature rules Where Time stands still Where the noise is Silence Where the wind blows free Where fire and ice are lovers Where people s faces tell it all Where the old still forges the new Where even the angels are rough, and sissies are not welcome Where the spirits die hard Where people are real Where Man and Nature co-exist Where Nature is King of the realm. [Source : Granaat member Paul Inman] Did you Know? September was unseasonably dry and also saw the Nqweba Dam s level drop to the point where it was no longer overflowing. Then our rainy season, albeit a month late, arrived with a vengeance during the night of 1 October It continued to rain heavily throughout the weekend and once again the water is thundering down over the dam wall! Mense sê dit gaan n lang en warm somer wees Die volgende totale Maansverduistering vind op 10 Desember 2011 plaas, maar sal net gedeeltelik in die oostelike dele van die land waargeneem kan word. Wil u n interessante storie of ervaring met ons deel? Voer gerus u bydraes deur sodat ons dit in die volgende Nuusbrief kan plaas. P a g e 5

6 Upcoming Events Please note that our ordinary meetings are held on the 2 nd Tuesday of each month and start at 6pm sharp. Bring along a chair and something for the braai afterwards. The meeting place has been moved back to the area behind the SANPark s Office, with the newly constructed lapa being taken into use on 4 th October Interested in Birdwatching? Why not join the Graaff-Reinet Bird Club? They have a monthly birding outing, followed by a sociable braai, on the 1 st Saturday of each month. Subs are only R30.00 p.a. Contact Judy Caryer at tel or caryer@isat.co.za for more information. Granaat Komitee Kontakbesonderhede PORTEFEULJE LID TEL / SELFOON E-POS ADRES Voorsitter Theuns Eksteen theunsdaf@telkomsa.net Onder-voorsitter Brian Charles Sekretaris Claud Arnott dustcon@quicksa.com Tesourier Christo Vorster VorsterinGR@telkomsa.net Nuusbrief Redaksie & Bemarking Leonie Fouché Roy Stauth fouchel@camdeboo.gov.za shirleyroy@mweb.co.za Please help us to keep our Members List current by paying your outstanding subscription fee. Only R50.00 per annum and you get to join us at our monthly meeting and sociable braai, receive an informative newsletter every two months and participate in any other events that are arranged during the course of the year. (Pay less for two or more.) Help ons asseblief om Nuusbriewe en ander belangrike inligting vinniger en meer doeltreffend by u te kry. Die Komitee rig n beroep op alle lede wie beskik oor n e-pos fasiliteit, om hul e- posadres aan die Klub Sekretaris (Claud Arnott) of Tesourier (Christo Vorster) te verskaf. Stel ons ook in kennis indien u kontakbesonderhede verander. Annual subs were renewable in May, so please remember to bring yours with to our next meeting ~ thanks! Onthou om u R2.00 bydrae vir die braaihout saam te bring na elke vergadering ~ baie dankie! P a g e 6

7 à Do you have something to contribute? Please let us have your interesting stories and events for inclusion in our next Newsletter. SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT : Cover Page image of Rhigozum Obovatum with the kind permission of USA photographer Michael Charters OTHER PHOTOS : Leonie Fouché or internet sources where indicated. P a g e 7

8 SUBSCRIBE TO and receive 11 issues of this beautiful glossy magazine per year, as well as their free fortnightly e-news Wild Idea. Pay less if you subscribe for 2 years PLUS other benefits!! For more information visit their website OR on Facebook OR your enquiry to subscriptions@africageographic.com Also of interest : (Updated reprints are available at Book Stores) P a g e 8