Author: moreletakloof

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Crawling – A blog post by Simon Tickle

Contribution by a friend that visited the Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve, and spent some time with a local, Jeannie:

“The ground is my friend. For someone who spends so much of his time in the air, the feeling of a secure surface comforts me as a mother’s hug soothes a child.

Since becoming an adult I have maintained a respectable distance between me and the ground as befits a grown-up conforming to public dignity, but a recent acquaintance has caused me to reconsider my attitude and revert to the horizontal.
 
Jeannie loves to crawl. She crawls through the grass and the undergrowth, seeing things that are missed or trampled underfoot by the vertical adherents. It’s a whole other world down here where the small things are. In the words of Sebastian the Crab (The Little Mermaid, Walt Disney) and as echoed by Jeannie, “Darlin’ it’s better, Down where it’s wetter, Take it from me!”
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Casual Day 2013

Moreletakloof Nature Reserve, Helios Street, Moreletapark, Pretoria would like to invite the elderly, persons in wheelchairs as well as the blind, to come out to our very special reserve for Casual Day, on the 6th of September, from 09:00 till 13:00, to see what we can offer you. We will have a map available at the gate, so that you can see where the tarred road and the other off-road pathways are.
You will be able to go down into the reserve, on a tarred road, or if you are fit you can make use of our off-road pathways, that was evened out so that you can go there with a friend, and see what beautiful piece of nature is available for you to visit.

Blind people enjoy the pathways because they can come close to nature and feel and hear all the birds and the many animals, like Blesbuck, Zebra, Springbuck and Impala.

Casual  Day is a special day, please make use of this invitation, on the 6th September or you can even come to the reserve on Saturday, the 7th, we are open from 06:00 till 18:00.
Please do not go in on your own, bring a friend with you.

You can also visit our brand new bird Hide, next to the Rademeyer spruit, under the big old Wild Peach and White Stinkwood trees. Clear signage on the roads and pathways.

Contact Jeannie 082 9274673 or info@moreletakloof.co.za

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Bird walk with Bird Life SA on Saturday 17 August 2013

The Friends of Moreleta Kloof are inviting you to join us for a three hour Bird walk with Ernst Retief, from Bird Life SA on Saturday 17 August 2013.

Ernst is the Regional Conservation Manager: Gauteng and Limpopo of Bird Life SA.

We will meet in the parking area, at the gate, from 07:30 for 08:00. Please remember your camera and your binoculars, and something to drink. We would like a donation of R40 per person to finish the setup of our new bird hide!

All the birds are returning to our reserve after the Winter, and they will get a lovely surprise to see our new Bird hide. Ernst Retief can give many interesting facts about bird life in South Africa. He is very involved in studies done as well as the preservation of our bird species.

If you have been visiting our reserve and can send us photos of what you saw, it will be appreciated (info@moreletakloof.co.za)

You are welcome to take an early walk, from 06:15, because that is when the birds are most active, among the trees. Then join us at 07:30 with Ernst.

For more information contact Jeannie du Plessis on 082 9274673 or info@moreletakloof.co.za

Where: Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve
When: Saturday, 17 August 2013
Time: 07:30 for 08:00

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Join us and do a good green deed!

Moreletakloof Nature reserve can now boast to have a Bird hide and a rest deck that can facilitate everybody.

We did finish the construction but need to clear the areas around this sites as well as level out our existing pathways that leads to the hide, as well as a few other routes that we would like to use as off-road pathways that can be used by persons in wheelchairs, and blind persons, to reach other parts of the reserve.

What is needed please will be the following:

1. Three big loads of river sand (brown) as well as three big loads of fine crushed rocks (small ones but not gravel), to make the grass pathways even with the sand and stabilize the other pathways with fine rocks with the use of stampers(2, we can hire, but for free), after it was levelled.

Some parts needs about no attention but others are not level at all, and we might need a small grader to level the serious parts and a small loader that can travel, on our two meter wide pathways, to take the filling and remove extra ground or rocks and roots.

If landscaping contractors can help, we would be grateful. This is priority, and we need to do this as soon as possible.

2. People that are willing to help us on Saturday’s, for a few hours. We will need spades, picks and a few wheel-barrows. We just need to know how many people will help, on which days, so that we can let Nature Conservation, know beforehand.

We need to remove water grass from the spruit, in front of the hide, by hand. It is difficult but by using forks we can remove some roots, so that we have clear water to attract the birds. You will need water boots, because the water is about 20 – 40 cm deep. This is a very sensitive wetland area but do have the permission from Nature Conservation.

We need to plant a few dry trees in drums, so that the birds can land on them and also place some on a small island and along the side to, set boundaries and try and keep this water open.

We need to clear the other routes from cut down invader plants, and also making it less slippery in the rainy season, by placing wooden logs and fastening it with iron spikes. This is the sort of work sessions that could follow.

It would be so good if we could have a group of people that can work with us, to full fill our dreams, and to help Nature Conservation keep this reserve looking good and safe, in the future.

For more information contact Jeannie du Plessis at info@moreletakloof.co.za, for more information.

 

 

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Exciting family walk in the Moreletakloof – Wednesday 1 May 2013

Bring your family and come and enjoy an interesting morning in the Moreletakloof Nature Reserve on the 1st May from 8.30. We will have Jaco van Dyk that will give you a very interesting talk about frogs at the Information Hut. We will also have a telescope available at the Hut from 10:00 – 14:00 so that you can make a study of the sun.
We will enjoy a walk in the reserve with Jaco van Dyk and Helena Coetsee after the talk until we reach the new Bird hide, where we will serve something to drink and eat.

Please come and walk with the Friends of Moreletakloof and enjoy the morning with your family.

The cost will be R50.00 per person, which can be paid into the Friends of the Moreletakloof bank account:

Friends of Moreleta Kloof, ABSA Woodlands:
Account Number: 9105029384
Branch Code: 632005
(Please provide your name as reference).

If you have any queries please contact Jeannie du Plessis on 082 927 4673.

Op die 1 ste Mei vanaf 8:00 by die Moreletakloof Natuurreservaat bied ons die volgende uitstappie aan:Ons ontmoet 8:30 by die Informasie hut, oorkant die parkering van die reservaat in Heliosstraat, Moreletapark. Hier sal ook n teleskoop opgestel wees waarmee u die son sal kanbestudeer saam met Andrie van der Linde (10:00 tot 14:00). Hier sal ons dan n baie interessante praatjie kan geniet van Jaco van Dyk wat vir ons baie interessante feite van paddas sal gee. Hy het baie studies gedoen oor paddas en is ook n onderwyser by Waterkloof Hoërskool. Helena Coetzee wat self by Waterkloof Natuur-Wetenskappe gegee het, sal ons dan saam met Jaco vergesel op n rustige stappie deur die kloof.
Kom stap saam met ons deur die bosse, en geniet die natuur en vriendelike geselskap. Ons sal eindig by ons nuwe voëlskerm waar ons vir u iets te ete en dringe sal aanbied. Kom stap gerus saam met Vriende van Moreletakloof en geniet n rustige dag saam met jou familie.
Die koste sal R50.00 per persoon wees. Sien bank besonderhede hierbo.
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Stargazing Walk on 27 April 2013 at 17:30

Please join us for a sun and star gazing event, through the telescope of Andrie van der Linde,  who will tell you all about what you will be seeing throughout the late afternoon and early evening.

Date and Time: 27 April 2013, from 17:30 till about 21:00, Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve, Helios Street, Moreleta Park.

We will be serving  some wine or cool drinks with a small snack when we move further into the reserve.

There will be a change of R 75.00 per person that must be paid into the Friends of Moreletakloof Absa account in order to book your place.

Unfortunately,  no young children will be allowed. Be sure to wear closed shoes, and bring a blanket or chair to sit on if you wish.

We hope that we will have a clear evening!

For more information and to book your place, please contact Jeannie du Plessis at info@moreletakloof.co.za or on 082 927 4673.

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Start of construction of the Bird Hide and the Rest Deck on 25 March!

On the 25th of March 2013, we will start with the construction of the Bird Hide and the Rest Deck with the toilet (fully accessible). The parking for people with disabilities will follow as soon as this phase of the construction has been completed.

We as the Friends of Moreleta Kloof, cannot wait for the start of this first phase of this long awaited dream to materialise.  It has taken time,  but soon we will be able to facilitate persons with disabilities – as well as add greatly to the experience of all the other very welcome visitors to the Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve –  ranging from bird lovers to those who are seeking out the sanctitude of the trees close to the Rademeyer’s Spruit.

On Monday, the 25th March we will also start painting the outside palisade, which is in dire need of attention. We would like to thank all the people that made donations towards the Friends of Moreleta Kloof and for your kindness towards us. We would like to thank our big sponsors like Jacaranda FM, Bird Life SA (Rand Merchant Bank) our Biker friends and the various smaller donators. Tshwane Nature Conservation truly cares about this reserve and you see ample proof of this  in the way the pathways are kept. Our animals are happy and content  – and peaceful. Thank you Tshwane Nature Conservation for your sterling work over the years!

Please support us in our effort to keep this special reserve peaceful, serene and well kept.  This is a place where you can bring your youngest kids to learn of nature, where they can learn that there is no place like nature to relax in. And you might enjoy it too 🙂  It’s also an ideal setting  for projects for Primary- and High School students, you have a wide choice of topics, just walk and feel nature at its best…the rest will follow.

Please help us by contributing towards the Friends of Moreleta Kloof so that we can preserve the reserve. All the needed information is available on this site, to make a donation as well as on how to become a friend. We will be having Walks and talks in this reserve and feel free to give us ideas for walks or events that you have feel would be interesting!

Please contact us for any information or should you have any questions. We would like to share our ideas and propositions for the rest of our projects with you. If you can help us in any way, like to make our pathways more wheel chair friendly (in a natural way) or any other suggestions we would appreciate it.

You can reach us on info@moreletakloof.co.za or +27 82 927 4673.

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Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Moreleta Kloof on 10 October 2012 at 18:00

WILL BE HELD IN THE CHAPEL, RADEMEYERS RESTAURANT, HELIOS STREET, MORELETAKLOOF NATURE RESERVE ON 10 OCTOBER 2012 AT 18:00

You are kindly invited to join us for this Annual Meeting to talk about matters concerning the Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve, as well as new initiatives to make use of the Kloof for relaxation, walks and talks, and ways to assist Nature Conservation in the upkeep en preservation of the Moreleta Kloof.

Come and enjoy a relaxing evening with us in the Moreleta Kloof.

The Agenda of this meeting, as well as the Minutes of the last Annual Meeting, will be available on the website http://www.moreletakloof.co.za .

Please let us know if you will attend the meeting (info@moreletakloof.co.za).