Saturday 14 May 2016

Red Desert Nature Reserve post fire

The management of the Red Desert Nature Reserve had planned to commence with trials to remove stands of invasive Grevillea banksii and Hakea sericea in parts of the reserve, but an arson fire (an unfortunately common event) swept through some of these stands so the trials were delayed. However, once it was seen that the main stands had been unaffected by the fire, the contractor was given the go-ahead. We decided to visit the reserve, both to inspect the areas which had been burned and to assess the work done on the invasive stands.

Apart from a firebreak adjacent to the houses on the inland boundary of the reserve, there was no sign of the fire as we walked towards the Umtamvuna River. There were a few Gazania krebsiana flowering in the firebreak, and Lobelia tomentosa and Agathosma ovata in the unburned grassland.
Gazania krebsiana
Agathosma ovata
Lobelia tomentosa
In a small gully we found a Cassine peragua in flower and fruit.



Cassine peragua
Following along the cliff line we came across this wonderfully gnarled Ficus burtt-davyi growing in a crevice in the rock.

Ficus burtt-davyi
From here we could see down into the gorge where a population of red mangroves, Rhizophora mucronata grows together with Barringtonia racemosa on the south bank of the river.

Mangroves along the south bank of the Umtamvuna river 
Turning eastwards we soon came across the burnt area. Despite the recent rain, it appears that the soil moisture conditions are still too low to get most plants going, apart from a display of Cyrtanthus breviflorus and two bright orange Cyrtanthus contractus - both pyrophytes.  Adjacent to the burnt section was an area of felled Grevillea banksii, evidence of the contractor's work.


Cyrtanthus breviflorus
Cyrtanthus contractus
Walking in the long, unburnt grass is sometimes hazardous as Kate found out when she encountered an unseen hole - fortunately no damage done except to her dignity.

Going ...
Going ...
Gone
Heading back to the car after lunch we encountered Lopholaena dregeana, some Tulbaghia acutiloba, a stand of the Vulnerable Phylica natalensis and the first of what promises soon to be quite a display of Watsonia pillansii.

Lopholaena dregeana

Tulbaghia acutiloba and visitor
Watsonia pillansii
The vulnerable Phylica natalensis
Participants: Dorothy M, Graham G, Kate G, Uschi T.

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