The Pine Tree Project

A successful working hike, attended by FlatDoggy (Mark Robertson, Conservation Manager at EKZNW Monk's Cowl), JulieMK, and myself. Total bag was 9 mature trees either ringbarked or felled, and 1 baby tree.

There is quite a serious problem in the Vaalribbokkop/Hospitalspruit area, so we also identified and assessed a fair number of sites for future work.


JulieMK about to attack a difficult pine


In progress


Job well done!!





The pic doesnt show it properly, this tree was right on the edge of a drop of about 3m over a stream, required some gymnastic skills to get it done!



Encouraging that this tree, which was ringbarked by Night Hawk Bravo in August, is showing signs of dying, as is another one like it.

Just a side interest question here, where do these trees come from originally?
These things don't just materialise from nowhere.
Did somebody plant some by design some time back?

All it takes is just one tree and a moderate berg down wind to spread cone seeds far and wide. (Overstating the obvious I guess.)

Brief description by tiska about the origin of the pines here

And an old photo of the plantation at the top of Mike's Pass here: www.vertical-endeavour.com/forum/13-drakensberg-environment/3217-the-pine-tree-project.html?start=50#65037

Diverian, is the route up river from the road bridge, and then across to Marble Baths clear, or is it worth carrying the panga and bowsaw?
Cheers
Papa D

Papa Dragon wrote: Diverian, is the route up river from the road bridge, and then across to Marble Baths clear, or is it worth carrying the panga and bowsaw?
Cheers
Papa D

Amend that to LIC please, Marble Baths is already booked.....

Our little group have decided to "unofficially adopt" the Hospitaalspruit catchment basin, Vaalribbokkop and cave, to Stable Cave area in terms of pine tree work. This is with the approval and support of the Conservation Manager of Monk's Cowl.

We have loosely committed to a pine tree working hike every second month, our next one will be in March. Let me know if anyone is interested.

Thanks for the support Chris. I suggested this after our working hike this weekend, and it was enthusiastically agreed to by Mark and Julie, thanks guys. My son will also hopefully be joining in as part of the core.

We had an enjoyable hike this weekend, not all work, but the work part is very rewarding. Like I said in an earlier post, great to see trees that we had worked on in August definitely on the way out.

So, as it stands now there is me, then Julie, founder member and official Pine Tree Spotter (she can see then from miles away), Mark who is the Conservation Manager from Monk's Cowl and will be joining in as often as he can, and my son.

If anyone else feels inclined to join, please let me know. Work is at your own pace and no pressure, next trip hopefully early March, and every second month after that. I really feel that with this effort we can make a real difference in this area, with 1 2-man trip that was not really a dedicated work trip, and another with 3 of us, there's already 11 mature pines on their way out, or cut down.

Thanks for listening
Papa D

Because the pics in my post above make it look like Julie did all the work on last weekend's hike, here's a pic to prove that Mark and I also worked.