After our first attempt to hold a hut hack on Women’s Day was thoroughly washed out by one of those big cold fronts that hammered us this winter with driving rains, we were delighted when this second round was far more successful!
A lively crew of 16 MCSA-CT members, spanning ages from 10 to 60+ (three generations, no less), gathered for the weekend work meet from September 20–22, 2024.
Most of us arrived on Friday night, in a cold wild SE wind. But the chill was quickly dispelled by a communal meal offered by Michael, and plenty of good conversation, as we all settled in for the weekend ahead.
Saturday morning kicked off with Pierre giving the new members a crash course on hut etiquette, Michael sharing on the Why, Where & How of the clearing, and Jess leading a safety talk, reminding us not to throw ourselves into the bushes without some safety basics in mind.
Armed with this knowledge (and our sharp saws), we ventured out to battle a dense stand of Hakea on the southern slopes of the Elandspad River, just downstream of the hut. By the end of the day, we had taken down over 1500 trees!
Saturday night was filled with plenty of laughter, shared stories, and a few well-deserved pats on the back, as newer members reflected on just how fulfilling the day's work had been.
Sunday morning saw a handful of die-hard workers squeezing in a bit more hacking while others packed up and headed home, buoyed by the good work accomplished over the weekend.
By the time we left, we had cleared an impressive 1.3 hectares
A huge win for the team, although the site will need some future attention to keep pluck out lots of seedlings to avoid those Hakea from making a comeback. More good news is that, thanks to two wet winters, the Gumnosis fungus is spreading and giving the Hakea a really hard time. The slopes north of the hut are similarly infected, and need our attention but until then at least we are getting a help from bio-control as well.
Removing invasive Silky Hakea is no small task, but it’s absolutely essential for protecting the delicate Fynbos biome. This invasive species loves to hog all the water, sunlight, and space, leaving our native plants high and dry. Plus, it adds fuel to the fire (literally) by increasing wildfire risk. But thanks to teamwork like this, we’re keeping these invaders at bay and helping restore the landscape.