SUMMER has transformed the grassy sections of Saints walk into colourful flower gardens.
If you are in the area, it would be worth your while to take a stroll along this popular shoreline pathway. Be sure to take notice of all the wild flowers now in full bloom.
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Mother Nature really has the knack of creating interesting colour schemes. The purple flowers of the fig-leaved ipomoea (Ipomoea ficifolia) and various pea family ground covers really look fabulous next to all sorts of yellow-flowering plants. The dune vygie or Carpobrotus dimidiatus (I’ve also heard it called ice plant) is adding a cheerful pink to the pretty summer scene.
Unfortunately, some not so welcome plants have arrived to take advantage of the plentiful summer rain.
Alien invasives like lantana and triffid weed are popping up here and there and the hard-to-evict sword fern continues to be a menace.
Fortunately the Ivungu River Conservancy looks after the pathway, dealing with environmental matters like alien invasives. Thanks to the efforts of the members, all dedicated volunteers, the aliens are kept under control although it is a constant battle to keep them at bay.
The good news is that the South Coast is well served by a number of conservancies whose members work hard to keep all our local beauty spots as pristine and weed-free as possible. It is hard work and also involves a great deal of fundraising as caring for the environment is quite an expensive business.
As a 2018 project, please make an extra effort to support our local conservancies. They are all run by very small groups of dedicated volunteers who would be thrilled to welcome new members this year.
Contact the South Coast Conservancy Forum’s chairman Alex Skene at 078 5087290 for information about conservancies in your area.
The local branch of the Wildlife and Environmental Society of South Africa (Wessa) also does great work regarding environmental concerns in our area. To find out more about this organisation, contact Paddy Norman at 039 6952827.
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