ADU projects

Bird monitoring on the Cape Flats

The Cape Flats is at the heart of the Cape Floristic Region biodiversity hotspot, with its over 1400 indigenous plant species that include 131 rare or endangered species of which 76 are only found on the Cape Flats. These plants are part of ecosystems that support a rich diversity of birds, reptiles and other animals. But it is a massive challenge to conserve biodiversity in fragmented natural habitats in an urban setting where extreme poverty is widespread.

Cape Flats Nature is a partnership project that aims to build good practice in sustainable management of city conservation sites in a way that benefits the surrounding communities, particularly the townships where incomes are low and living conditions poor. One of the ways we do this is to build local youth leadership and improve environmental education through conservation action.

The Avian Demography Unit of the University of Cape Town has been involved in bird monitoring and counting programmes at Edith Stephens Wetland Park (ESWP), in Philippi, one of Cape Flats Nature's four pilot sites. The data from these programmes feeds into two national bird monitoring programmes, the Coordinated Waterbird Counts (CWAC) and Birds In Reserves Project (BIRP), both coordinated by the ADU. These projects are vital in understanding the abundance, distribution and behaviour patterns of birds in the area in order to assess their conservation status.

Photo Doug Harebottle

Looking west over the storm-water retention dam at Edith Stephens Wetland Park towards the Constantiaberg

Community involvement at Edith Stephens Wetland Park
For the past year Cape Flats Nature and the Avian Demography Unit have been working together to initiate a community bird monitoring programme at ESWP. As a start, youth from the surrounding townships were, for the first time, introduced to birds as something other than a source of food through bird ringing demonstrations in the school holidays (see ADU page in November/December 2003 issue of Africa Birds and Birding, pdf version here).

Youth bird monitors
The school holiday programme was successful in generating interest and enthusiasm for further involvement from the youth. Several have asked to be trained as bird monitors, with the hope of eventually taking full responsibility, on a voluntary basis, for the monthly bird counts under the guidance of the Avian Demography Unit. The first training session took place in December 2003, with fascinated youngsters learning the basics of identifying birds and the monitoring process.

Photo Doug Harebottle

Looking west over the seasonal wetland at Edith Stephens Wetland Park towards Table Mountain. A boardwalk has been constructed through the wetland for visitors to enjoy the area when it becomes inundated

In July 2004, sponsorship to the value of R7500 was awarded to Cape Flats Nature and the ADU, from SASOL Ltd, to purchase binoculars for the youth bird monitors. Twelve pairs of 8x40 Kamakura binoculars were purchased, at a much reduced cost, from Charles Hofmann at Photographic Repairs in Gardens, Cape Town and these were formally handed over to Cape Flats Nature staff on 29 July. An appeal was also made to the birding public in the Cape Town area to donate new or used bird books for this initiative and to date we have received over 40 field guides and other bird reference books. Armed with the appropriate birding gear these monitors are now ready to put them to good use in the field.

Photo: Marius Wheeler	Photo: Photographic Repairs
Staff at Edith Stephens Wetland Park getting to grips with the donated binoculars and bird books. From left: Zwai Peter (Cape Flats Nature), Kgalalelo Malesele (Nature Conservation, City of Cape Town), Doug Harebottle (ADU) and Tanya Goldman (Cape Flats Nature)	Charles Hofmann, Director of Photographic Repairs, handing over a set of the Kamukura binoculars to Doug Harebottle of the ADU.

For further information on Cape Flats Nature visit their website at www.capeflatsnature.org

Photo gallery
Click here to see some pictures of ESWP, download the latest bird checklist and get directions to this birding gem on the Cape Flats.

Monitoring results