Walk to guard our dunes

ENVIRONMENTAL heavyweights are joining forces to promote awareness of the need to protect the valuable and vulnerable dune vegetation in our Admiralty Reserve.

The Wildlife and Environmental Society of South Africa (Wessa) Southern KwaZulu-Natal, the South Coast Conservancy Forum and the Umzimkhulu Honorary Officers invite all nature lovers and walkers to take part in a beach walk from Trafalgar beach car park on Saturday, August 20, at 9.30am. There is no entry fee for the walk.

After examining the damaged dune at Trafalgar beach, walkers will head north to Marina Beach then back to the start, examining good and bad patches of dunes along the route.

Members of the host organisations will explain why it is so important to protect our Admiralty Reserve and how a well-vegetated dune system is the shoreline’s best defence against extreme weather. The dune vegetation is fascinating from a botanical point of view as the plants that grow in this harsh, salt-laden environment have to be extremely tough and well-adapted to survive. Take time to look at some of these interesting species. Their variety will amaze you. The dune vegetation also forms a valuable corridor for wildlife.

It should be a fairly easy walk. As the crow flies it is only 1.8km to the Umkobi Lagoon, but the last 600m is quite rocky in places. Pack a picnic lunch for after the walk, when an informal discussion on dune protection will be held.

Energetic nature lovers can also visit the little Trafalgar Valley reserve. Drive or walk to the Raleigh road entrance, about 700m away from Trafalgar beach. Walkers can also picnic on the beach then look for fossils among the rocks.

According to Dave Hallé of the South Coast Conservancy Forum, the host organisations hope that nature lovers will be inspired to become the eyes and ears of conservation authorities, stopping dune clearing and other illegal activities before any damage can be done.