This is the minutes of a meeting that forms part of a series of conversations to take care of Zandvlei. In 2017 the plan is to develop a ‘dream’ of what all the various stakeholders want to see or experience in and around the Zandvlei Nature Reserve, and wider, the Zandvlei catchment. Towards the later half of 2017 and into 2018 this dream will then be interrogated with feasibility analyses and shaped into a plan. This is a highly participative, somewhat informal, dynamic process. If this interests you, please get in touch: bernellev@gmail.com.
Attending Meeting: Brian, Gavin, Peter, Sharon, Bernelle
Note: Email headings/Categorisation: distinguish between specific projects, e.g. “Litter trap” and the more general “Dreaming Zandvlei”
Summary of ACTIONS:
- ACTION: Gavin to ask Jessica to put in newsletter to stress what a catchment is, and on the Source to Sea website (both http://sourcetosea.org.za/ and … http://unogwaja.com/???)
- ACTION: Bernelle to make ‘about us’ page.
- ACTION: Peter to get some feedback on best practice for the litter traps there.
- ACTION: Bernelle to read Neil’s articles, get feedback from Barry (Anchor Environmental)
- ACTION: Peter to set meeting with Tuffy (include Bernelle) after Brian has spoken to Verigreen.
- ACTION: Brian to set up meeting with Mike, Sue and Bernelle (noting that Brian is back abroad), asking about the link with Tuffy.
Links:
https://zpaac.org.za/dream-zandvlei/
Original presentation:
https://zpaac.org.za/2017/02/06/caring-for-zandvlei-presentation-to-zpaac-18-january-2017/
First meeting write-up:
https://zpaac.org.za/2017/01/24/dream-zandvlei-meeting-24-january-2017/
1. Sport event
Meeting with Jon Adams from Eventure had positive feedback, further meetings occured and a tentative paddle/run event plan exists. The emphasis is that this is Jon’s event, he owns it and can make of it what he wants.
Gavin noted that there is great potential to use the greater Zandvlei catchment, and the team agrees and supports this. The team cautions that events need to hang together, to be coherent, to use these to educate what a catchment is, how it all comes back to Zandvlei. The team acknowledges that the Unogwaja Dare: Source to Sea Event to be held on 17 March is a potential opportunity to bring awareness to the catchment, but feels this is not a coherent event to explicitly partner with.
ACTION: Gavin to ask Jessica to put in newsletter to stress what a catchment is, and on the Source to Sea website (both http://sourcetosea.org.za/ and … http://unogwaja.com/???)
2. Communicating the catchment
A dream is to document the catchment in all four seasons, to show how it changes.
Question: How can we effectively communicate each other’s concepts , the ‘catchment cradle’ – topic for thought.
The team also had a question how to call this group, if we approach stakeholders. We decided we like the informal collaborative nature. Propose ‘The Dream Zandvlei Group’, with an about section on the website to link to for more information.
ACTION: Bernelle to make ‘about us’ page.
3. Litter traps
Bernelle received a few more references from Neil Armitage, have not read yet.
(after meeting, have asked another company – Anchor Environmental – for input, feedback pending)
Peter has two contacts regarding litter traps used in Seekoevlei:
1. Kevin working on Princessvlei litter problem and invasives
2. Glenda Samuels in the Steenberg area
ACTION: Peter to get some feedback on best practice for the litter traps there.
ACTION: Bernelle to read Neil’s articles, get feedback from Barry (Anchor Environmental)
4. Separation at Source
Two partnerships considered: Tuffy and Verigreen
Peter: Tuffy are not strictly recyclers, they get their raw material from recyclers. Tuffy has an interest in Zandvlei (sponsors the newsletter) and are happy to sit down and talk about options regarding uses for the recovered litter.
ACTION: Peter to set meeting with Tuffy (include Bernelle) after Brian has spoken to Verigreen. The aim is to understand how things work in the litter to recycled product business, what the opportunities and needs are, what the grades of plastic are, what the different uses of the different grades are – map the space that is relevant to the litter traps. In short, learn more about the industry.
Brian: Verigreen is an impressive company based in Durban. Their business involves collecting litter and turning it into bags. Their main cost is the logistics around collection. They are keen to expand into Cape Town. An interesting component of their litter collection model is the natural tendency for the collectors to go upstream, where the litter is of higher quality (not degraded yet) and more concentrated. This suits the idea of collection (and addressing the issue) at source.
The team feels that it would be great to explore what a partnership with Verigreen would look like, and how we can realistically assist them to enter the wider Cape Town market to make it worth their while. The team also feels that Tuffy is a valued partner, but that it is unlikely that these would be direct competitors.
ACTION: Brian to set up meeting with Mike, Sue and Bernelle (noting that Brian is back abroad), asking about the link with Tuffy.
Bernelle notes that there is a small, open source plastic processing kit that we could use for the lower grade plastics: https://preciousplastic.com/