On Saturday February 2, an enthusiastic group of students from Dot Net at Stellenbosch University came to clean the beach at Strand.
Lisa Starr, founder of the Helderberg Ocean Awareness Movement, hosted the educational beach clean-up, and the initiative involves a short talk on why it’s so important to live in a clean environment.
They were joined by Marine Law Enforcement, who were on the ready to fine illegal dog walkers and fishermen in the Helderberg Marine Protected Area.
A few days before this event, I’d been walking along that same stretch of coastline, and had bumped into Lisa, who was engaging with people walking their dogs in the prohibited area, explaining why they should’t be there, and encouraging all beach-walkers to take a bag and pick up litter every time the visit the area.
“This is a safe space for nature, and there are four breeding pairs of the Endangered Black Oyster Catcher currently nesting,” she told me, and coincidentally, just to the side of where we were standing, two of the Black Oyster Catchers were standing next to some washed-up kelp.
Seeing these beautiful birds whenever I walk there, is always the highlight of the outing, and through the years I’ve watched them grow from just one breeding pair, to three pairs, spaced out along the length of the designated reserve area.
I was prompted to read up about them, and I marvelled at their long lifespan, the fact that they (and the seagull colony they share space with) pair for life, and stay with their extended family as they move from juveniles to mature adults.
Along that stretch, I’ve spotted Kelp Gulls, Haurtlaub’s Gulls, Pied Kingfishers, Swift Terns, Cormorants, Black-Shouldered Kites, Gymnogenes and other birds of prey (due to the open section of grassland on the other side of the sand dunes, where they can access rodents and other prey animals).
So, not only did this group of students help clean the beach, but they also learnt about why Marine Protected Areas are extremely important.
Having this piece of coastline right on our doorstep, that is protected habitat for so much bird life, is a great privilege and responsibility, and we should all consider ourselves custodians and protectors, given that we are allowed to walk there in the first place.
Lisa expressed her appreciation to Plastics SA for their constant supply of bags, and to Ben and Helena Greyling for creating the memory video of the event.
I, for one, shall make sure I have a receptacle with me whenever I walk there, from now on, and do my bit to reduce the rubbish along the beach, and I challenge all our readers to do the same!
Carolyn Frost: Editor
