The Residents Association of Dana Bay Conservancy We care about our environment

Wednesday, 2 September: 
Arbour Day at 10h45, Danabaai Garage.
2009 Trees:   Monkey Thorn, Acacia galpinii,  Tree Fuchsia, Halleria lucida and Round-leaved Teak, Pterocarpus rotundifolius. Unfortunately the Department could not supply us with these trees but we have managed to secure: Burchellia bubalina (Wildegranaat), Cussonia spicata ssp. spicata (Kiepersol), Dais cotinifolia (Pompon) en Podocarpus elongatus (Breeriviergeelhout).  Please collect your trees after the Tree Planting ceremony.
(More information?  Contact:  Japie Krige:  076 682 5846)

Now here’s a Thought: The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere right now is at its highest for at least 650,000 years. Photosynthetic plants are crucial for converting CO² to oxygen and regulating the climate. Much of this carbon dioxide has been released in the last 150 years from "carbon-sinks" in the form of the fossil fuels gas, oil and coal reserves where ancient atmospheric carbon dioxide was trapped and sequested millions of years ago. Burning the fossil fuels combines the carbon they contain with atmospheric oxygen to produce carbon dioxide. Recently tree-planting schemes have been touted as a way to become "carbon-neutral". In other words, if you emit carbon dioxide from a flight you went on, by driving your car or just by being a 21st century citizen, you can neutralize that amount by planting trees (or rather by having trees planted on your behalf) that will absorb the same quantity of carbon dioxide that you caused to be produced. It is important to remember that mature forest can soak up the equivalent of 440 tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide per hectare in the 50-100 years it takes to reach maturity - that's a one-off total - not per year and will take several decades at least to get there.

This is why the young trees being planted during this Arbor week of celebrations need to be looked after, maintained and treated with care. 

Friday, 18 September:
Beach Clean-up at 8h00.
Residents wishing to join in the activity please assemble at 1sr or 2nd Beach, whichever is suits you, at 8h00! Sao Bras lstudents will accompany us and they are assembling at 1st Beach.  This is good exercise and it’s amazing to see the amount of  garbage collected.  Plastic is deadly to our marine life. It is perceived as jelly fish in the water and causes tortuous and death. Fishing line will also be recovered from the rocks. Our sea birds are regularly entangled and drown in the next incoming tide.  Anglers and beach users are kindly requested to remove all litter from the beach!  Broken bottels are dangerous to our children and they are also ingested by See gulls!  
(More information?  Contact:  Ilona:  044-698 1880)

Photo Competition NO 2!

The DANA BAY CONSERVANCY is once again offering a PHOTO COMPETITION for our residents.

Naturally the theme is “DANA BAY” and the two categories for the competition are:
 
1. Endemic flora (plants & flowers) 2. Exotic flora.
 
Two first prizes of R200.00 are sponsored by MITCHELL COASTAL ESTATES.  Entries close on 19 September 2009 at 12h00
Entry is absolutely FREE. The competition is open to all Dana Bay.
Take a photo in and around Dana Bay, print it postcard size and hand it in, together with your contact details at MITCHELL COASTAL ESTATES before 12h00 on 19 September 2009. It must be your own effort.
Dana Bay residents can view and vote for the best photo in each category on the 21, 22 and 23 September 2009. The photos will be exhibited at MITCHELL COASTAL ESTATES.   The winning foto's will be elected at the Fynbos Walk-about on 24 September 2009, at the Community Hall.

Thursday, 24 September:
'"Fynbos Walk-about" at 9h00 from the Dana Bay Community Hall. This walk-about promises to be entertaining and educational.  Everyone is invited to join in!  Penny Deacon will introduce us to Fynbos in our Conservancy and the hike should not last longer than 2 hours. Fynbos grows here naturally, it needs little water and is evergreen.  Let’s plant more Fynbos in our gardens!!!!
(More information?  Contact:  Ilona:  044-698 1880)

LESSE UIT DIE NATUUR OP DANABAAI - BOBBEJAAN AGTER DIE BULT

Maandagoggend 10 Augustus 2009

'n Klomp tarentale hardloop onder in die straat fluks teen die steil bult uit. Een steek skielik vas en kyk die ander hardlopendes vertwyfelend agterna en dan kyk hy weer terug asof iets skort. Hy staan behoorlik en wik en weeg. Dan besluit hy. Hy hardloop doelgerig alleen terug terwyl hy aanhoudend roep en tussen die bosse in die oop erwe soek. Later die dag loop en pik hy en die verlore wyfie tevrede saam. So loop hulle rustig saam die hele week – net hulle twee.

Vrydagmiddag 14 Augustus 2009

Die twee loop in die groen gras reg langs die lae vensters van die pomphuisie toe al die vrede vir die mannetjie skielik versteur word. Hy sien in die een vuil venster van die pomphuisie wasig 'n ander mannetjie ewe parmantig langs hom loop. Seker oppad na sy wyfie! Hy pik na die mannetjie en sowaar dié pik terselfdertyd  parmantig terug na hom. Toemaar, hy sal hom by die volgende venster bykom. Daar is hy sowaar ook weer! Nou weer haastig terug na die vorige venster – daar is hy weer! Nou vinnig verby albei vensters dan kry hy hom om die muur behoorlik by. In sy vaart verby die venster sien hy die ander mannetjie ook in volle vaart saam met hom in dieselfde rigting hol. Om die hoek van die huisie steek hy vas want daar is geen teken van die ander mannetjie nie.

Nou hol hy in volle vaart na die wyfie wat onsigbaar verder tussen die bosse in is. Gelukkig is sy nog alleen. Dadelik, onrustig, moet hy weer gaan kyk waar die ander mannetjie is. Sowaar, daar loop die ander mannetjie alweer saam met hom in die venster verby en daar is hy alweer net so vinnig in die volgende venster.  Hy pik na hom en die ander een pik net so driftig terug. Hol weer verby die vensters na die hoek van die huisie. Weer geen spoor van die mannetjie nie. Na die wyfie – sy is nog alleen! Onrustig terug om die ander mannetjie onder oog te hou - - -. So hardloop hy hom gedaan en merkbaar opgepof agter 'n denkbeeld van 'n bedreiging, terwyl hy op 'n sonnige Vrydagmiddag, in vrede en ongestoord, die hele middag saam met sy wyfie kon geloop het.

Saterdagoggend 15 Augustus 2009
  
Weg is die romanse - die wyfie het nie die vreemde gedrag van die mannetjie verstaan nie - - -.

Corrie Claassen.