The Black Eagle Project Roodekrans (BEPR) invites nature lovers to join as volunteers to monitor the breeding pair of Verreaux’s black eagles at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden.

According to monitor Dougie Crewe, the project welcomes people who are passionate about nature and conservation, with no previous monitoring experience required.

“We will train them to be monitors. As long as they’re committed and interested in nature, that’s it,” Crewe said. Monitoring takes place on Tuesdays and Saturdays, allowing volunteers to contribute to the ongoing observation of the breeding pair and interested residents are encouraged to come forward.

He added that volunteers should be willing to work as part of a team and fit in with the existing group, which he described as fun and loving. BEPR is registered as a Section 21 non-profit company with five directors, namely Gerald Draper, Johann van den Berg, Andrew Hankey, Ernest Porter and Crewe.

A committee was elected to oversee the project’s day-to-day activities, with members responsible for different portfolios, including finance, rangers and administration. The committee comprises Crewe, Van den Berg, Karen Wrede, Tony de Castro, Simone Thomson and Naomi Corinaldi.

Crewe oversees matters relating to the monitors, including recruiting and training new volunteers. To help identify them while carrying out their duties, monitors receive an orange shirt and a badge.

All monitors are also granted free entry to the botanical garden. Crewe explained that free entry had previously been a challenge for the project, particularly for pensioners who struggled to afford the garden’s entrance fees while volunteering their time.

He recalled how the issue was raised in a newspaper article in the Roodepoort Northsider, which helped bring attention to the monitors’ concerns. Following discussions involving the botanical garden and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, an arrangement was reached allowing monitors wearing their orange shirts and badges to enter free of charge.

According to Crewe, the arrangement helps ensure that volunteers can continue their conservation work without having to pay admission fees. The recruitment drive offers residents an opportunity to learn about Verreaux’s black eagles and contribute to conservation efforts in Roodekrans, even if they have no previous experience in bird monitoring.

Those interested in volunteering can contact Crewe via WhatsApp on 082 441 4269 for more information about joining the project and receiving training.