A lot has happened since last November.
On 5 December 2023 we held a strategic planning meeting between the iPhithi Committee and the Biodiversity Management Department (BMD) of eThekwini. This was held at Kloof Scout Hall, kindly provided by Paolo Candotti of Kloof Conservancy.
Cameron McLean of the BMD gave a presentation on Special Rating Areas and other tools which could be used for greater protection of the reserve. He mentioned a number of options which could be applied to iPhithi NR and the surrounding properties to ensure greater environmental protection.
These include (among others) a Special Rating Area (SRA), split zoning, and non-user conservation servitudes across the surrounding private properties. In the long run we could look at a protected environment under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act (NEMPAA) for the valley floor. Ultimately, we would need to use our NPO status and apply to be a contractor with eThekwini in order to get a higher level of municipal funding than what we currently get as a D’MOSS area.
Cameron showed his video on the Giba Gorge Environmental Precinct as an example of what is possible. Before we do anything, we will give residents as much information as possible on what the potential of each option is – so they can make an informed decision on the way forward. A survey of residents will be undertaken to gauge responses and respond accordingly.
On 26 January 2024 the iPhithi committee met to agree on objectives. We agreed that upgrading the infrastructure was as important as invasive alien plant control. The latter is under way and has already seen some success, as reported here and will be obvious to visitors to the reserve.
We will seek cost estimates to upgrade all the various walkways, paths, bridges, dams etc. to the highest quality possible. Wherever possible, recycled ‘Plastic Wood’ will be used (which is already the case for the benches near the dam). Mitre drains will be dug and reinforced to prevent sheet erosion on the road from the gazebo to the dam and bottom clearing. Muddy areas will be shored up using gravel and shadecloth. This will be broken down into work packages and prioritized accordingly. Once we have an aggregate funding budget, we can approach potential sponsors for financial support. We already have a comprehensive risk assessment and safety-critical items placed at the top of the priority list.
Some of those items require interim attention. This is under way; here are some salient points.
Paths and bridges
The Municipality is aware of the risk of further damage to the dam and a budget is being allocated to the heavy engineering work needed to renew its outlet and slipway.
We realise that not having a circular route around the reserve may be frustrating but we do have a plan to return to that state. In the meantime, we ask all visitors to bear with us and appreciate the considerable progress that has been made.
The boardwalk has been fixed!
The boardwalk across the wetland at the lower end of the reserve (near the Halstead Road boundary) has been repaired and all broken planks replaced.
Here we have Anno Torr (Chair), Danny Zulberg (Ops) and Bongani Mkhize starting on the work and replacing the 15 broken or rotten planks.
20 new planks were kindly donated by Brett Weyer at Build-it Botha’s Hill.
We will definitely find a place for the other five! Now that the planks have been replaced, overgrown vegetation will be cut back and the danger tape blocking the boardwalk removed. The structure is now capable of being walked on, but we ask visitors to observe some simple rules to avoid further damage and reduce the risk of injury:
- Maximum 4 people on the structure at one time.
- Minimum 5 meters apart (do not bunch up).
- Walk slowly – No running, bouncing, jumping etc.
The other unsafe area that has been attended to is the crossing on the Valley Road stream. This had become very wet, slippery, and muddy, and the boards on the crossing were submerged in places.
This shows the condition of the planks on this crossing, which has been improved by lifting them out of the mud and using some of the planks removed from the boardwalk as support. Anno got really stuck in here and got covered in mud!
The work is still under progress, but we intend to have a safe one-way walk ready in time for the Leap Day for Frogs event on the 24th of February. This will lead from the south side of the dam to the boardwalk, across the wetland and as far as the stream tributary on the north side of the river.
The small bridge across the river between dam and boardwalk
The planks and posts used to build this crossing will be removed and used to bolster the Valley Road stream crossing. The tributary that comes in from the northern side of the river has a badly degraded crossing with deep slippery mud. This has been taped off and the next priority is to use planks to bolster that crossing as well.
The current end of the one-way walk
Between the dam and the boardwalk on the north side of the reserve there is a tributary stream whose lower area is very muddy and slippery. Since the 2022 flood the paths have been washed out and in one area have become part of the stream bed.
The mud is so deep that sometimes wellies aren’t enough to prevent wet feet. And continued walking here is creating a quagmire that will be difficult to remediate. We decided to tape off this area.
It is marked by one of the benches that was washed downstream by the 2022 floodwaters.
Again, please bear with us – we do have a plan! And come and visit us…
Leap Day for Frogs!
This promises to be great fun and will help us to promote our reserve. As we now know we have red listed frogs in iPhithi. It is a wetland reserve of note!
Best,
The Committee
GILLITTS CONSERVANCY 
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