Twenty three volunteers attended this hack. This was the fifth hack at Brodie Link to remove thousands of rooikranz seedlings which have taken root after the January 2024 fire. Lifts were arranged from the R44 gate for those who didn’t want to risk taking their cars up the jeep track to the hacking site as the top turn off into the grassed parking area was still deep in mud despite only four days of rain in September (43mm).
Alan Reid was welcomed back before we set off in two groups armed with poppers, loppers and poison. One group tackled an area lower down and the other an area higher up the western slope. Jan, with chainsaw, lopper and poison tackled the larger trees growing between the field rangers house and the top parking area. Apart from the normal popping, it was time consuming and necessary to hand pull the hundreds of smaller rooikranz seedlings hiding away amongst the grass and restios.
The mid-morning break was taken back at the parking area at 10am. Thanks to Dave Mourant for providing all that was needed for a good cup of tea or coffee before he headed off early for the Birds of the Kogelberg book launch at Harold Porter. Thanks to Mary Whitelaw and Lee Boyd for making their delicious egg and mayo and cucumber and grated cheese sandwiches. Needless to say, none remained!
After the break, the top group reached and surpassed the western edge of the target area which is demarcated by a huge erosion gulley. It was hugely rewarding to achieve our target which was set four months earlier. The evidence is clear for all to see with piles of freshly pulled green seedlings from today’s effort and all the brown, dried out heaps from previous hacks.
A very big thank you for a most productive and enjoyable hack. Thanks to Chris, Anne, Brian and Hatch for joining us from Pringle Bay and Megs from Rooiels, your support is always appreciated. It was agreed that we will return to Brodie Link in November 2025 to remove a thicket of large Port Jackson seedlings growing close to the western edge near the erosion gulley and then do a sweep back down the slope to remove what we have missed.
As ever, on behalf of the Betty’s Bay Fynbos, thank you all for your efforts.
Rob Boyd
Convener Betty’s Bay Hack Group