Rewards and challenges at Modderfontein

These changes include walking and cycling trails, entrance fees and many others. The meeting will take place at 7.30pm on July 18 in the Modderfontein Town Hall.

Reserve manager, Mr Luke Strugnell of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), will tell members of the MCS and visitors about the changes that have taken place in the reserve. He will review the challenges he faced and the rewards that result from overcoming some of the problems he encounters in the day-to-day management of the area.

One of Mr Strugnell’s priorities in the reserve is to eradicate alien invasive vegetation. He and his team have made major inroads in this area over the past year. The establishment of parking and picnic facilities, the planting of thousands of indigenous trees and shrubs and the building of bridges have kept Mr Strugnell and his team fully occupied.

Mr Strugnell’s background includes working with the De Wildt organisation at Alldays near the Botswana border where he captured, tagged and relocated carnivores. He also put in time in the Lowveld, specialising in carnivores. More recently he has worked a few years with the EWT. One of his recent portfolios was Wildlife and Energy Interactions (the impact of power lines on birds, and minimising it).

Visitors are welcome to attend this talk. An entrance fee of R20 is charged to help cover expenses. For more information, call Robbie Vermont on 011 608-2693 or 082 800 3704.