Join Friends of Austin Roberts bird sanctuary
“Today, however, we sit on a time bomb. The quality of the water is in such a terrible state due to pollution, that I believe we are heading for disaster if we don’t do something about it right now.”
Concerned Groenkloof residents will launch a founding meeting for the Friends of the Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary in Muckleneuk on Monday, 3 May.
Lourens Diedericks, co-ordinator of the meeting, said he lived in Groenkloof a couple of years ago.
He then left Pretoria for eight years, and when he returned in 2018 was shocked to see the state the sanctuary was in.
“Today, however, we sit on a time bomb. The quality of the water is in such a terrible state due to pollution, that I believe we are heading for disaster if we don’t do something about it right now.”
He said residents from Pretoria have been familiar with “this ecological wonder in our midst” since 1956. The sanctuary was officially proclaimed as a nature reserve on in 1985.
Diedericks said members of Tshwane metro, bird watchers and nature conservationists, as well as interested residents had all been invited to attend the meeting.
“We want to co-operate with the metro, existing organisations and interested residents to address the water pollution in the area.
“The sanctuary is located in the Walker Spruit open space system which feeds the ecological sensitive reserve with necessary clean water.”
Diedericks explained pollution in the Austin Roberts dam doesn’t only threaten the health and existence of the variety of birds found in the reserve, but the entire area is affected.
“The canal starts in Main Street, Waterkloof, then it flows through Magnolia Dell, the Apies river, the National Zoological Gardens, Wonderboom Nature Reserve and eventually into the Bon Accord dam.”
According to Diedericks, the reserve has not had any blue cranes in the sanctuary for the past two years. He said if birds leave the area, one should investigate why.
Residents and interested parties are invited to book at Blue Crane Restaurant on 012-460-7615.
The meeting starts at 15:00.
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