April 2011 Newsletter 37

JOIN THE BEST OF FRIENDS IN KWA ZULU NATAL
WESTVILLE CONSERVANCY
P O BOX 40, WESTVILLE, 3630; ( 031 267 0872; 3 083 777 0872
e-mail:   westvilleconservancy@absamail.co.za
Conservancy link: see http://www.palmiet.za.net/
NEWSLETTER NO. 37                                                       MARCH 2011
LOCAL HAPPENINGS/INFORMATION:
 
Wessa’s  Highway Branch meetings: the guest speaker for Friday 8th April will be the well-known Roy Cowgill who will be returning to ‘show and tell’ us of the birds and other creatures of the Galapagos Islands  Time permitting we will also have a DVD film on birds. As always, 7.0 for 7.30pm at Westville Central Library, everyone invited including accompanied children, no charge, light refreshments.

Forthcoming attractions for our 2nd Friday meetings. 
Friday 13th May," Heavens Above ". Come and look through the telescopes of the Astronomical Society at the wonders of the night sky.
Friday 10th June.  "Turkish Delight".
Friday 8th July. "The creatures of the Kgiligadi Transfontier Park".
N.B.Treasure Beach environmental courses will be offered to up to 1000 school children this year if Wessa can obtain enough sponsorship through sale of secondhand books (not text books).  Contact Alan Job 031 764 0034.
April events at Springside Nature Reserve
Sunday 10 April 8.30am
Speaker/Walk Leader: Ross Kramm - Raptors.  Ross will bring a Falcon.  Before the walk he will present a short slide show on local Birds of Prey and discuss raptors in gardens.  We will also hear about Springside Nature Reserve’s resident Crowned Eagle which entertained (and alarmed) many human neighbours whilst it was reaching adulthood.  SNR Resource Centre is not a large venue so arrive in time to ensure seeing the slide show.  Enq: Sue 031-765 6809
Wednesday 13 April 8.30am
Birding with Derek Spencer (or form your own interest group) Enq: as above.
 Indigenous Open Gardens, Pietermaritzburg. Sat/Su 16/17 April: R30 p.p. to visit all 7 gardens, children free, tea gardens. Proceeds to charities supported by Pmb East Rotary Anns.  Enq. Jill Raybould 033 3422461
uShaka Marine World: Wed.evening 20th April
Talk on Dugongs (and the crucial elements of an emergency protection plan to save this species from extinction.)
At: Sea World Education Centre, uShaka Marine World, 18h30 sharp
Cost: EWT Non-members : R50; EWT Members  R35
RSVP to: Endangered Wildlife Trust nicolav@ewt.org.za / 011 486 1102 or uShaka Jessica@saambr.org.za / 031 328 8222
Speaker Karen Allen has a degree in nature conservation, specialising in Marine & Coastal Management and Environmental Law. She has a passion for marine biology and has spent the last few years dedicated to the conservation of Dugongs and their marine habitat.
WATER SHORTAGE :   BRENDA MARTIN  Project 90x2030 shares her insights:
South Africa’s freshwater supply is getting dangerously low in terms of the claims being made on it.  Brenda Martin of Project 90 x 2030 cites increasing reports that South Africa's clean water supply could be threatened within 5 to 10 years.
‘The reports present as good an opportunity as any to think about how we value water. Let's ask ourselves how much clean water we flush down the drain every day? 16 years into our democracy it is crucial that we begin to include an urgent plan of action to fix the dire state of our water infrastructure alongside the great water access programmes that are now in place. After all, what will the impact be on the poor in South Africa if clean water becomes a luxury item? Another consideration: the belief that we will run out of clean healthy drinking water could also lead quite quickly to the view that bottled water is going to become an essential item. There is no doubt that bottled water is expensive and bad for the environment. Consider the following: Bottled water can cost anywhere from 500 times to 1000 times more than tap water. In South Africa 1000 litres of tap water costs about R16, whereas the same volume of bottled water can cost as much as R13, 200. In SA around 56,000 tons of plastic from bottled water is likely to be dumped in landfills this year. Public perception that bottled water is a requirement in South Africa could have a seriously detrimental effect on our carbon emissions and perhaps even more crucially, develop the view that clean drinking water will soon be inaccessible to the poor. According to the Department of Water Affairs the maintenance expenditure backlog for water services is estimated to be in the order of R100 billion. So instead of simply reacting with alarm and planning to steer clear of tap water in the future, let's think about how we value water today. Let's call on government to urgently strengthen South Africa's water infrastructure and let's all put a far greater value on this invaluable and limited resource.
Newsflash: Municipal water rate in Durban is about to go up 7.5 percent.
INDIGENOUS GARDEN SIGNS
The signs are an initiative of the KZN Conservancies Association (KZNCA), supported by WESSA, Botsoc, BirdLife South Africa and Lepsoc. Two sizes R55 and R35 each. Proceeds will go towards publication of KZNCA’s conservancy booklets: ‘How to start a Conservancy’ and ‘Conservancy Guidelines.’  For more info and to order, contact Jean Lindsay lindsayjd@mweb.co.za
WESTVILLE CONSERVANCY SOCIAL EVENING
Our AGM will be held at Palmiet Nature Reserve on 6th May (6 for 6.30 p.m.)          so please circle this date in your diary.  As usual we will have an interesting guest speaker and a BYO braai. Please attend in this magic setting and swell our numbers.  It is your chance to meet other members and renew your subs, browse through some books, etc.
Those who cannot attend but who wish to renew their subs at this preferred and convenient time of the year should send their R20, R100 or R500, with identification, to:
Bank Nedbank, Westville Mall
Account Name Westville Conservancy
Account Number 1380 078 083
Branch Code 138026
INTERNATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE
The lively Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department of Ethekwini Municipality draws attention to the late November/early December 2011 Climate Change conference:
COP 17 - CMP 7 will be hosted in Durban and will aim to achieve many things i.e. to assess the progress made to date in addressing the challenges of climate change internationally; to continue to push for countries to take responsibility for their greenhouse gas emissions, and to seek binding agreements around this. COP 17 - CMP 7 is hoped to inspire greater action in the field of adaptation and through this, to generate long-term commitments to reducing risk for billions of people around the world.To read more about COP17 - CMP7, visit: http://www.cop17durban.com/