​A year ago, our alien clearing team underwent a High-Altitude Training Course with Dion Tromp, making it possible for them to clear alien plants in areas that are only accessible with rope access equipment. Working at these high altitudes is a dangerous task but critical for our area which has many areas that can’t be accessed by normal clearing teams. Our objective was to provide the team with the best training and equipment so that they can perform these tasks as safely as possible. The work is crucial for our Korentepoort Alien clearing project, which involves clearing a kloof below the Korentepoort Dam that supplies water for the town and agricultural community of Riversdale.

PURPOSE OF THIS TRAINING

In January 2023, the high-altitude clearing team, along with Ricardo (project manager) and Twakkie (quality controller), attended a 2-day review training course. The course was once again presented by Dion Tromp at the beautiful Korentepoort Dam in Riversdale, Western Cape. This training course was conducted to test and ensure our team’s recollection of all the safety precautions, the tying of different knots, and to check the standard of the gear. ​On the first day, Dion briefly discussed high-altitude training in general, what procedures to follow when putting on the high-altitude climbing gear and what knots to tie in different scenarios. He discussed the importance of safety when operating at these heights and that the team must remember that safety is a joint responsibility. Everyone is responsible for checking each other and communicating to ensure that no mistakes are made. 

​DAY 1
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​After the brief discussion, the team went ahead and put on their equipment. Every team member checked the harness and each equipment piece and ensured that nothing was ripped, broken, or missing. Dion also reinformed the importance of tying the correct knots and securing them (making sure the knot will not come undone) and closing the carabine (which is a gear piece that essentially holds every other equipment piece in place).

​After a short break, the team commenced the practice of forming an anchor on level ground, using trees as anchor points. This rehearsal was done to ensure that the team could recall how to plan an anchor, what knots to use to secure the anchor, and how to execute the procedure effectively. 

​Afterward, the team was instructed to form a ‘lifeline’, this is used as a ‘path’ in high elevations to make a more secure and safe route to follow when walking at these altitudes. Despite it raining the whole of the first day, the team did a fantastic job.  

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DAY 2
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On the second day, the team went up into the Korentepoort dam kloof with all their equipment. It was the perfect day, with no rain, to do a practical assessment.  Dion explained that a practical demonstration must be completed, using the previous day’s training lesson and commentaries as a guideline. This procedure included planning and forming an anchor, descending the cliff to the designated area, with a rope bag, and ascending again. 

​The team executed the procedure perfectly and Dion was happy with the training session and confidently allowed them to continue the work in the kloof.

This short training session was conducted to refresh our team’s memories and reinforce the bond the team members have with each other (after their well-deserved vacation break). The training was done to remember all the necessary steps that need to be followed when doing high-altitude climbing as safely as possible.  

​Thank you to Dion Tromp for this essential training session with our High-altitude climbing team. 

​On the 5th January 2023, we received the incredibly sad news of the sudden passing of Francis Steyn. Francis led the Sustainable Resource Management unit (LandCare) in the Western Cape and was a great friend of the Grootvadersbosch Conservancy. We are still trying to process the news which will have far reaching implications for the conservation community across South Africa and beyond. However, no loss will be as great as that felt by his family, who lost a son, husband, father and grandfather. We think and pray for his family as they come to terms with this tragedy.​

​Francis died of a heart attack while canoeing on the Breede river with friends. It was too soon but it may have been how he would have wanted to go-with those he loved, on a river, doing what he loved. ​

​We will all miss his intellect, energy, enthusiasm, infectious ideas, and laughter. He was truly dedicated to his work and the people involved. He was looking forward to retirement but there was no doubt that he had many more things to achieve. Landcare continues to be a crucial partner for our conservancy, and we are ever grateful for their support. We will continue his legacy by doing all we can to continue the work and projects that he was so passionate about. We trust that he is now paddling a more peaceful and beautiful river and, while we sadly can’t join him right now, we will always remember him and all he did for the Grootvadersbosch Community. Rest in peace and thank you for all you did.

Landcare will be hosting a memorial service in his honour on Friday 27th January from 10-11:30am at the Percheron Hall, Elsenburg College, Off Muldersvlei Road, Stellenbosch.

​Hydrological monitoring of our river systems is a vital part of conserving our aquatic species. To do this effectively, human-made structures and/or equipment are used to collect data and monitor the environment and its condition. The Department of Water Affairs and Sanitation is responsible for the management of hydrological gauging weirs across the country. These weirs need to be kept in working order to understand and monitor changes in river flow. At the end of last year, the conservancy played a crucial role in ensuring these weirs continue to provide vital information, while averting a devastating impact on a critically endangered fish. 

​BACKGROUND

The Tradouw Redfin (Pseudobarbus burchelli) is only found in the Huis and Tradouw Rivers, close to the town of Barrydale. These fish are critically endangered and threatened by two main factors: 1) Invasive fish (such as bass, and bluegills) that predates on the redfins, and 2) the reduced water flow in the Tradouw and Huis River systems that impacts water quality and fish habitat.  Obtaining accurate data on river flow is therefore crucial to ensure the long-term survival of the species.

In October 2022, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS – Hydrological Services) was about to commence a routine clean-up of the Huis River’s gauging weir, below the town of Barrydale. Recordings of the surface flow data is done using a gauging weir system which provides important data on the aquatic environment and its condition. An obstructed passageway at the weir will produce inaccurate readings of the flow of the river. The maintenance had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and excessive sediment had built up in the gauging pool. DWS was unaware that a large population of critically endangered Redfin was living in the pool above the weir that now needed to be cleared of sediment.  
Fortunately, some of the Grootvadersbosch Conservancy staff were doing fish monitoring in the Huis River and observed that the DWS was proceeding with removing sediment from the pool above the weir with a potential devasting impact on the redfin population. The Grootvadersbosch Conservancy team contacted Cape Nature who informed the DWS of the redfin species and its whereabouts. The DWS immediately postponed the maintenance until a collective agreement could be found to protect the fish.
Thanks to all three parties: Cape Nature, the DWS, and the Grootvaderbosch Conservancy a rescue plan was then implemented to translocate the critically endangered Tradouw Redfin from the pool above the weir to a safe site on the Tradouw River. 

​RESCUE PLAN

Dr. Martine Jordaan, a Cape Nature fish specialist, led the rescue plan and the main objective was to catch as many redfins as possible and relocate them to a secure place. Firstly, sandbags were placed above the weir pool to temporarily isolate the pool from the river. Dr. Martine and her team then used fish nets, hand nets, and buckets to catch the fish in the isolated pool. Dr. Martine and her team observed, in a single netting, a total of >900 redfins, and thousands of tadpoles were seen on the pool’s surface. The fish were translocated to the dam at Joubert Tradouw Private Cellars, located in the upper regions of the Tradouw river. Some of the redfin populations were also translocated to the Tradouw River release sites. It is estimated that the expedition resulted in the successful translocation of over 4000 Tradouw Redfins.

​With all the fish safely removed, the DWS could then continue with the maintenance and removal of sediment. As indicated in the image below, the vegetation in areas A and B was removed and placed in area D. Area C is where the sluice valves are located and are used to lower the water levels. The red line in the image below indicates the area where the sandbag structure was positioned. 

​​This project created a unique conservation opportunity, where all parties worked together to achieve a common objective to protect our rivers. A further benefit was that the DWS is now engaging directly with Cape Nature to understand any other gauging weirs that might be close to important indigenous fish populations. There is now a plan to engage across organisations for the maintenance of river flow gauging stations. This will ensure a more secure and effective way to monitor our river systems while conserving, not only the Tradouw Redfin but, all indigenous fish in the Western Cape.