Injasuthi Rehabilitation

Being Chapter 11 of my book "Catching the Light" published through the online company Blurb.

Sometime in the early 40’s, though it could have been in the 50’s, pine and eucalyptus forests were planted in sections of the iNjisuthi valley near where the hutted camp stands today. Certainly by the late 60’s, there were mature stands of these trees in that area; looking at images taken of Solitude in the book “Barrier of Spears” by R.O. Pearse these are quite obvious.

During the late 90’s, a process to remove alien trees was started, either by ring barking or cutting and poisoning, spurred on no doubt by the new governments Working for Water program. The government’s program was two fold, to provide those without employment a form of income, and at the same time assist the environment by removing alien species from riverine and other sensitive areas. Again the reason for the eradication was two-fold, firstly these exotic trees were thirsty and by removing them it was hoped that stream flows would increase thus removing the immediate need for new dams. Secondly, the wattle species that were growing right in the riverine zones, would during floods often be swept away and cause damage to low level bridges by building up against the structures which would, with the pressure of the water be damaged or fail catastrophically; floating trees in recreational dams, also don’t go well with boat hulls and propellers. In addition, by removing them from these areas, it also prevented stream aided seed dispersion thus extending the problem ad infinitum.

In 1951, a couple of kilometers to the north of iNjisuthi, in the Cathedral area, the slopes below Organ Pipes were afforested with Pinus patula, more commonly know as the pine tree. This study, or to quote its official name “distributed catchment evapotranspiration study”, was designed to investigate the impact that a mature stand of pine trees would have on the stream flow in the area. The stream-flow data was recorded at a gauging weir in the area and compared to two other sites in South Africa. The results showed that stream flow levels were reduced because of the water that was being taken up by the trees. The forest is no longer there, however one can still see the impact that it had on the local environment; walking through this area, one comes across a lot of bramble, or European Blackberry that grew because the local environment has been degraded.

On one occasion, climbing up toward Organ Pipes Pass, using the route via Phillips Folly, we lost the path, ended up on the wrong side of the river, and got entangled in a patch of this bramble. Not realizing how deep the patch was, we decided to continue through it rather than go back and around it. In hindsight, we could see that going around it would not actually have been an option as it bordered on a deep ravine. I can understand what it must have been like negotiating the barbed wire obstacles during the First World War with a heavy pack and equipment, fortunately we did not have to deal with the gunfire. The thorns on this plant are tough and numerous, and we had to literally just keep going and force our way through them getting bloodied in the process.

The other issue related to these historical pine forests is that of the wind dispersal of their seeds further up into the catchments within the Drakensberg Park. On occasion whilst hiking, you come across almost mature pine trees, some we have been able to ring bark, whilst the others have been inaccessible.

The small forests near the iNjasuthi Hutted Camp, have now almost all been eradicated, and it is heartening to see how the natural fauna and flora, are starting to recolonise the area once again. On a recent trip in May 2010 to the hutted camp, Terrence, a good friend of mine and I walked through the forest on the Van Heyningen’s side, documenting the various plants and animals that we saw. Negotiating the area, with its steep sides and large rocks is made more complicated by the occasional felled tree, covered with plants and grass; of course the troop of baboons that was moving through it at the time, made light of all this. We came across various flowers, mosses, lichens and animals, notably the troop of baboons and a lone bull eland, that have made this area home, or included it in their territory. In a few years, once all the dead trees are taken down, and those on the floor have returned to the ground and the ecosystem is back in balance, one could almost forget that there ever was an alien forest here.

I have not ben able to post all the images, as some are now registered with Getty Images, however they will be in the book.

Karl Beath©
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Hi Intrepid

The way blurb works is that you download the book publishing software and basically just set your book up with text and images and then upload it to their site and they then print the number of copies that you want. Doing it this way, is not cheap, but it is sometimes the only way you are going to get your book published. I will save it as a pdf, and attach it to my website so people can view it. The other option for viewing, once it has been uploaded to Blurb, is on the their book view section, the reader can page through the book and see if it is something that they would like.

For a number of years, I looked for ways (perhaps not exhaustively I am not good at marketing) of getting a Drakensberg book published, and almost had a deal through a major sa book company, but due to the number of Drakensberg books that came out in the last few years, the project was scrapped.

The book is in the process of being completed, and I am at page 230 at the moment. There are still a few chapters to be finished, and some image selection still required. I will then send off one book, get it printeed so that i can ascertain that the colour and brightness of the images and any other technical issues are sorted out, I can then print the few books that a few of my mates and family are wanting. As mentioned, it is costly because these are not being mass produced by a publishing company, the cost per book will be about US $160. I make no money out of the books, but for those that have hiked with me and been part of the photographic experience on our trips, they are interested and prepared to pay the money for a copy. The book is likely to be about 250 pages, and is 32x28cm in dimensions, with a proper dust jacket etc.

The great thing about doing it this way, is that I have artistic and creative control, albeit with my wife and few mates proof reading and critique. Once i have a finished book, I can then market it to a few publishing houses and see what response I get. If nothing comes of it, I will still have a beautiful coffee table book of Drakensberg images, and feel happy about going through with the project.

Karl

I will certainly do that. Give it about 2 months more for completion, first print, any additional editing and final print.

Whoa....I just gave myself a deadline!