Assegaaiboskloof Hack - 6 November 2021
'Start doing what is needed, then, what is possible, and soon, you will be busy doing the impossible' Francis of Assisi
I first set eyes on the canary island pines in Assegaaiboskloof in January 2021. At the time I had been regularly hiking in the Western Cape mountains since my return from Gauteng in 2012, and my love and appreciation for the beauty and biodiversity of fynbos grew and expanded on a weekly basis. I had joined iNaturalist and had started adding photo after photo after photo of the magnificence, turning a blind eye to pine and other invasive alien species occurring in the midst of it. I remember saying to someone that I was hiking in the fynbos to escape the world's problems, not look for more...
Invasive pines are a very real threat to fynbos though. They grow faster and burn much hotter than fynbos. They also keep on smouldering for much longer, potentially destroying seed banks, even altering the structure of the soil. Best to get to them when they are young, pull them out, or cut them down, already not an easy task. Hacking has never really been my thing, but, being of strong and pioneering spirit, not exactly knowing what I am letting myself in for, I took on the challenge in November 2020 of arranging this hack in Assegaaiboskloof in conjunction with the Blushing Bride Bioblitz.
My heart really sank in January 2021 when I realized what we are up against. Large stands of canary island pine used to occur in Assegaaiboskloof when it was still a plantation. They were diligently taken down for the construction of the Berg River Dam, even those that have spread to the areas that never used to be under plantation. Problem solved? ... Nope, not so simple. These guys resprout. They are not killed by simply cutting them down. On a hike there in January 2021, there in front of my very eyes, was this large bright green shrub-like bush with needle-shaped leaves. Closer inspection revealed a thick, old, cut-down stump at the base.. this was a canary island pine, very much alive.
Come the Feb '21 fire and fast forward 6 months to when we did the first post-fire recce trip into the valley. Now one had the advantage that the fire cleared the vegetation and you can see what is going on. The veld is beautiful, flowers, new growth everywhere... as well as there there there and there.. bright green knee-high 'shrubs' with needle-shaped leaves.. the more you look, the more you see. Even the fire did not kill the canary island pines, they were happily resprouting, right there in paradise. I looked at this, I remember thinking... this is impossible... how on earth are we going to solve it..
The hugely successful 'Baby Bride Bioblitz' followed, we took loads of observations of all the beautiful new life, already about 1300 have been uploaded. We managed to record over 280 species in one day!! .. but still, the pines and the hack loomed.. are people REALLY going to want to deal with them? Who on earth is going to want to carry a chainsaw in here, 7kms there and back .. then struggle to come in low and cut the short, old, burnt stumps underneath the new stems, close to the ground, real hard work!.. then work together and apply poison, not missing one.. battling through burnt protea bushes.. not to even speak of dealing also with the large patches of young invasive alien stinkbean.. who on earth is going to want to come and sit in the sun for a whole day long pulling out stinkbean??.. but I started advertising nonetheless..
Well, I am still quite gobsmacked! 23 absolutely awesome, absolutely inspired and energized hackers and puller-outers pitched up at 8am on Saturday morning 6 November 2021 geared with saws, axes, chainsaws, gloves, high spirits and lots of smiles! The veld was beautiful, the valley beckoned... where were thousands of lachenalia a month ago, now were large stands of purple pseudoselago... the fields of yellow moraea ochroleuca were replaced by masses of pale yellow wachendorfia... deeper in, the most exquisite tritoniopis parviflora species were flowering en masse underneath the burnt proteas, little baby proteas everywhere.. the river, waterfalls ... little surprises like the delicate disa filicornis and ivory satyre orchids here and there.. It was as if the spirit of the valley welcomed us in, whispering beauty and promise at every step forward we took, thanking us in advance..
The team went in with gusto! When the chainsaw's battery went flat, out came the hand saws and axes.. those pines did not stand a chance! We managed to get to about 120 to 150 of them. A half a large slope was cleared of stinkbean.. the weather was cool and forgiving, the spirits high throughout.. We arrived back at the vehicles just after 4pm, dirty hands clothes faces, but everybody so happy and inspired... Santie, we have to come back, when are we doing the next one.. thanks thanks thanks for arranging.. keep us posted.. let's share photos, how can we get more involved... and so it went on...
Sjoe, wow... I am humbled.. I say thank you... we'll be back!
