The Flora Restoration project concentrates on the removal of Alien Invasive Species (AIS), with the aim to restore the indigenous flora endemic to Brackenridge. If you would like to get involved please contact the group co-ordinator Bonnene at 083 277 4245, or mail us at emc@thegreenridge.co.za .
Recent Group Activities
![](https://thegreenridge.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Steve-and-a-Port-Jackson-1-1024x768.jpg)
24 May 2024: AIS “hacking walk” above Orchid Valley
Four “hackers” – Deborah, Angela, Steve and Chris – met for our group’s inaugural, hands-on “hacking walk” on 24 May 2024. We had identified a problem area above Orchid Valley, along the contour path below properties #54 to #48 Watsonia Heights, where a vast amount of Port Jackson had sprung up. We had decided to remove these before they would start seeding. Little did we know that we were about to take on a forest…
![](https://thegreenridge.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Map-excerpt-Orchid-Valley-Contour-Path-1.png)
Our group was equipped with 2 tree poppers, two loppers, an electric chain saw, a bow saw, numerous secateurs, tree poison – and with a most useful handbook: Jeremy Croudace’s “Alien Clearing Handbook for the Western Cape” (many thanks to our resident Paul Falla for bringing this to our attention!) The handbook provides information on how to identify and deal with the various types of alien vegetation. For example, page 5-6 shows you what Port Jackson looks like, how it grows, which tools you will need to remove it and how to make sure that it won’t resprout:
![](https://thegreenridge.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Excerpt-page-5-6-from-AIS-handbook.png)
Copies of the booklet are available for loan at the Brackenridge Office and we highly recommend you get one!
We worked hard for three hours and took out some fifty to sixty Port Jackson. The tallest had already grown to tree size and could only be cut with a bow saw. Later in the afternoon Angela and Chris came back once more and marked with purple spray-paint some more Port Jackson along the western section of the contour path, plus all the stumps of those that we had cut down before. These will now need re-poisening with a tinted solution (ours was unfortunately transparent).
![](https://thegreenridge.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Port-Jackson-AIS-768x1024.jpg)
![](https://thegreenridge.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Resprouting-Port-Jackson-768x1024.jpg)
![](https://thegreenridge.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Chris-with-tree-popper-768x1024.jpg)
![](https://thegreenridge.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Volunteers-at-work-1024x768.jpg)
We have documented the results of our effort in two videos which we posted on the Greenridge Facebook Page – see
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/vfBvYSERgdFyYvbB/?mibextid=qi2Omg
(PS: In the second clip I accidentally refer to “Rooikrans” – sorry, these were of course Port Jackson. But don’t worry, we’ll get to the Rooikrans next time round!)
24 March 2024: AIS survey on the flood plain behind Barringtons
The first area we investigated was the loop behind Barrrington’s. We looked at the area in detail on 24 March – you can find the results in this document.