2005/2006 - SANParks

2005South African National ParksCAPE PARKS CLUSTERAGULHASOVERVIEWKey pockets of land still need to be incorporated into the AgulhasNational Park (ANP) for biodiversity and strategic reasons. This willconsolidate the park into a fully operational national park.Negotiations in the Ratel River and Quoin Point area with the purposeof expanding the park to the western section of the park will continuein the next fi scal year and talks were initiated with land owners in theElim and Geelrug area. The Conservation planner of ABI projects hasinitiated talks with land owners in the Sandberg and Elim area regardingcontractual agreements. Talks with the Albertyn Family Trust regardingcontractual incorporating into the ANP were concluded towards thelast quarter of the period under review.The approaching of landowners with the view of consolidating thenorthern section of the park including the Geelkop area have alsobegun in earnest. SANParks also made two formal purchasing offersto landowners in attempts to consolidate land around most of theSouthern Point area and this process will be fi nalised during the nextfi scal year.CLIMATIC CONDITIONSMonth 05 Rainfall in mm L.T.A Ave Max Temp Ave wind speedApril 143.5mm 56.0mm 28.8 3.9m/s (8 knots)May 46.8mm 46.0mm 19.4 4.5m/s (9 knots)June 59,1mm 60.0mm 18.4 3.8m/s (8 knots)July 14.5mm 50.0mm 19.2 4.5m/s (9 knots)August 32.2mm 55.0mm 17.2 4.7m/s (9knots)September 15.5mm 31.0mm 18.0 4.7m/s (9 knots)October 11.1mm 34.0mm 19.4 4.7m/s (9 knots)November 6.7mm 25.0mm 21.1 4.3m/s (9 knots)December 2.2mm 23.0mm 22.5 4.1m/s (8 knots)January 0.6mm 22.0mm 23.0 4.3m/s (9 knots)February 0.5mm 25.0mm 21.5 4.2m/s (8 knots)March 0.4mm 26.0mm 22.2 3,7m/s (8 knots)Tot/Ave (9 months) 333.1mm 453.0mm 20.9 4.35m/s (8.7 knots)A cool, wet windy winter was experienced with the highest rainfall of57mm recorded being recorded on 11/4/05 in Agulhas. The Overbergarea it received the highest rainfall since 1940, which caused widespreadfl oods and damage over the Agulhas plains. Over the Napier area, anamount of 42,5mm fell within a day and half on 10-11 April 2005.In general, cool and windy conditions prevailed during mid-winterwith normal cold fronts passing through the area. Strong westerlywinds blew on occasion with some light damage to vegetation andinfrastructure (thatched roofs). There was a remarkable change inclimatic conditions in the last six months with hot windy and dryconditions manifesting, and only 14% of the normal rainfall for thesummer period being recorded.CONSERVATIONSince the park has no labour staff, the Coast Care and Working forWater (WfW) teams assisted in road reserves maintenance, closure oftracks, fl ood damage and coastal clean-up. No game counting fi guresexist due to the fact that there is no formal wildlife census programme.However, continued observations are made of local wildlife gravitatingback to the park area that was formerly farmland.Several young animals were observed, an indication that populationof the local wildlife is increasing naturally. Fire management was takenone step closer to integration with the formation of the Agulhas FireProtection Association (FPA). It was later decided that the FPA shouldincorporate a bigger area, comprising the Haasvlakte precinct of50