Roll up your sleeves to help restore Dunswart Pan on August 15

The community’s help is needed on August 15 to clean a veld and, at the same time, help birds and wildlife.

According to the organisers of the clean-up, the image of the veld between Racecourse, Atlas roads and Dunswart Pan (also known as Stewards Pan) is tarnished because of illegal dumping and the encroachment of invasive alien vegetation.

The wetland, home to thousands of birds, and is threatened by illegal infilling of the pan.

Volunteer groups Lake West Residents Association, Korsman Conservancy, the Litter Bugs and Care for Creation (Northfield Methodist Church) are joining hands to clean up the area from 8.30am to 11.30am on August 15.

Lisa Johnstone, from Care for Creation, said not all hope is lost for the area.

“In the centre of the area is nearly pristine grassland, abundant with wild flowers, bird and insect life. Nearly 70 indigenous wildflower species have already been identified but unless we act now, it might be lost.”

Action plan:

• Collection of litter into bags.
• Tyres and metal rolled to block access roads to prevent future dumping.
• Install no dumping signage
• Recyclables will be recovered where possible
• Pile up dumped branches and burn.

Who will take part:

• The community who care
• Volunteer groups.
• Support from local security company Bad Boyz.

What they need:

• Volunteer hands.
• Learners doing community service can have their hours signed by LWRA and Korsman Conservancy.
• Trucks, bakkies or trailers for transport to a legal dumping site of black bags and tyres, building rubble and garden refuse.
• Donations of gloves and black bags.

Jane Trembath, chairperson of Korsman Conservancy, and Heather Griffin, from Litter Bugs, initiated the clean-up.

“Jane knows this area very well, and we worked together cleaning up the burnt area at Korsmans,” said Heather. “When I visited the site and saw those beautiful birds and heard their calls, I just saw all the possibility of life. I fell in love with a dump site because I could see what it could be and I imagined what had been. So possibility knocked on my heart. I have a deep love for creation and feel anything living that needs help to live deserves to be helped and encouraged to live.”

Trembath said: “This veld used to have a horse racing course which was closed in 1958. The pan in the middle is a natural pan and is home to thousands of birds at the last count. In spring, there are abundant indigenous wild flowers in the grassland between Racecourse Road and Dunswart Pan.

“I thought it was such a pity that the area was becoming degraded by ongoing illegal dumping and littering. I was sure that we could make a difference. Heather is active in the community, doing clean-ups and agreed to join forces. It’s also important for the community in the Stewards area to become involved and take ownership.”

For more information about the clean-up initiative email Jane at jane@trembath.co.za

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