APRIL 2022
ENVIRO CHAMPS
BERGVILLE MDF GROUP
Introduction
This report contains the several activities which are part of Eco champs’ duties in the Bergville
Villages. There are responsible to look after our environment, it is best for lifeon Earth andis
therefore a resource to be treasured.They are doing the following: Clearingof Alien plants,
building of check dams, brush packs, river ecology, spring protection, planting in bare lands.
The report will be detailed by topic listed above to brief more detailed information.
The above pictures showing MDF Enviro Champs
Check dams
Bergville has experience lots of floods early January 2022which result a lot oflandorsoil
removalwhich is soil erosion. The mountains as veld for Bergville grazing land is baredue to
high rate of run off and which isalso resulted the shortage ofgrowing grass for the livestock
to feed on. As more soil removalwater washes more soiltherefore grass cannot growproperly.
The Eco champs have played a role in building check dams to prevent run off which cause soil
erosion. The check dams were builtusing availablestones (stone packing) starting from the top
of the mountain to the bottom part of the mountain.
Thesecheck dams werebuiltusing the contour linelevels ensure stable structures, properly
keyed into the banks of the gulley and reduce the speed of water flow down slope. This check
dams haveindeed reduced the run off water and it blocked more soil that sank tight inthe
stones, then it forms some sort of new land layer.
The above picture showing building check dam using a line level at Ezibomvini
We have done 7 check dams at Ezibomvini village in mountains or in Dongas that are close to
houses and one check dam per day for 7 days. All of them were constructed between January
and mid-February. At Stulwane we have done 7 long check dams plus3 mini check dams in 8
days as some of them weren’tbuilt properly and were redone. We have two around our river
source and 8 in Dongas. We have done 17 check dams in total all in 15 days.
The above picture showing check dam at Stulwane in Dongas and bare lands
Brush pack
We have run out of stones since were using stones that were lying around, we couldn’tharvest
stones that are attached to landbecause we do notwant to interrupt our nature.We tried
anotheroption to build brush packs as we went to visitthe INR groups which are located
around Bulwer, where they were usingcleared silver wattle to build brush packs. We came
back from the 4 days of training and implemented what we have learned about brush packing
usingLantana. The issue inBergvilleis that wattle has owners who are responsible for itand
they planted it for the purpose ofselling it. The owners are notallowing anyoneto cutor
remove without their permission. We then tried to build brush packs using Lantana, which has
failed as it dries up quicky and breaks within 2 days. We also tried poplar which has ownership
as well, owners are not allowing any to cut it and they are not aware it is an alien plant as they
are not really using it and it is spreading everywhere. Going forward the owners will be brought
together in a community meeting to advise them to take control of it if itis a treasure to them.
The above picture shows a old brush packing in Bulwer and secondpicture showing the Enviro
champs preparing for new Brush packing using Wattle
Planting of bare lands
This is anon-going process where we will plant grasses varieties that are growing in Bergville
area. We would plant them straight where brush packing has blocked somesoil so to retain
vegetation.These grasses will hold the soils which will improve strongsoilstructure that would
not be eroded easily when more run off took place. We have learned that it is very important
to closeor plant onthe bare lands,that will prevent furterrun offs. The other plan going
forward is to try vetiver grass seeds, Moi River mix and otherpossible varieties that can possibly
grow. This activity will bedone as a management for planting ontop of check dams’soil and
where the land is bare but not a dongas.
The above pictures MDF team planting Moi river mix at Bulwer training to close bare lands
River Ecology
We are also involved in River Ecology where we check thestateor therivercondition, many
communities are using waterwithout knowing whetheritisclean ornot. Therole of Eco
champs ismonitoring rivers or any water bodies which is beneficial to our living organisms.
These activities are done atStulwane river and also done at Ezibomvini-Phondo River. They are
usingcitizen sign tools to check the stateof the river, springs in different ways:using MINI
SASS, Clarity Tube and Velocity Plank.
Clarity tube is a test that onecanuse tosee how clear ormuddy water is. Monitoring those
water sources could also show us the continuous changes in those sources of water. We have
found that those changes couldbe floods or any natural factors and human factors. Therefore,
we put the information onto the database and are able tomake quick changes/decisions if
possible. This activity is done every Thursday from mid-February until April.
The above picture MDF team doing Clarity tube at Pondo River at Ezobomvini
MINISASS
We are using this tool to determine the state of the river, river healthy by identifying the
presents ofcertain invertebrates. Someofthose invertebratesare not visible so we use
magnifying glass to analyse them to score the condition of the river. Thisprocess should be
conducted in an average river that is not dangerous and harvesting invertebratesfrom the
water, vegetive part, rockand sand part. We also take care ofthose invertebrates by not killing
them, we provide shade and water as they survive in water and brought themback to theriver
source after monitoring. The more we practise MINISASS we manage to see the different river
conditions due to different invertebrates presents inthat time and also noticed that the bigger
score of invertebrates the good condition of the source. The more we get lower score numbers
than the poorcondition of the source.This activity wasdone every week on Thursdays every
month from February until April.
The above pictures showing MDF team doing MINISASS at Stulwane River
The above picture showing MDF team using Magnifying glass to score the river condition
The last tool which is velocity plank: this tool determinesthe speed flow of water in a river
source, determine width and depth. That information couldhelp us to alarm or save a lot
communities since river sources can be contaminatedeasily, farmers practises, livestock or any
human event around water bodies. It also can help to know any changes in that particular river
which data was captured, also to advise communities not play or practise any activities around
that river stream. As we know that rivers are dangerous because cannot see what going inside
them and what has change in that river. It is the best know about ournature and try to
understand it. This activity is done on Thursdays every week from February till April.
The above picture showing MFD team using velocity plank at Stulwane River
Ecoli test
The ecoli test that was introduced by WRC- UKZN which are partnerswith MDF they provide an
easy way of checkingbacteriain the water that can cause various diseases if one drinks that
water. The result can be identified after 48hr afterthe sample was taken to check that water
is safe to drink, then if not, one can boil water and use jik to that water. We are monitoring 3
springs at Stulwane and three Springs again at Ezibomvini.
The above picture showing MDF team with Sachin from WRC with UKZN doing Ecoil Test at
Stulwane River
Alien Plants
Clearing of Alien plants: we had a chance to visit other groups which are dealing with Aliens at
Bulwer where we learned how eradicate aliens. We also had a chance to learn a full season on
Aliens invasivespecies from TheWildlands Trust, with whom the training by AEN was shared.
These aliens are the invaders most in the land to take over the space and supress the
indigenous species. This alienarefast spreaders, they are beautiful but dangerous. To control
them we can use chemicals to get rid of them as one of the best control measures and to get
rid ofthem permanently. At the moment in Bergville, the most widespread alien is Lantana.
We started cutting Lantana from end ofFebruary until today 4days week as one of the days in
a week we are doing river monitoring.We also Identified the following:
•POPLER
•BLACK WATTLE
•LANTANA
•SYRINGA
•MORNING GLORY
•AMERICAN BRAMBLE
•PEANUT BUTTER CASSIA
•PICKEREL
•GIANT REED
•SALIGNA GUM
The first picture is Poplar and the second picture is Syringa are recorded as Identified Aliens
LANTANA AND GIANT REED above pictures
First picture showing Morning Glory and Saligna Gum as Aliens
All above Aliens species will be controlled by removing them and take some control measures
to those who are owned. Lantanais now being controlled bycutting and will apply chemical
soon, wattle and poplar will be asked for a permission to theowners so we can control them
and build Brush packs as an alternative option. We are also advising communities about the
dangers of Aliens in grazing land.
The above picture showing removal of Lantana at Stulwane
Then we can intervene to check it is an alien species or not, we should advise that these Aliens
may look beautiful but are dangerous and potentially poisonous. They can absorb more water
than other plants as they are highly competitive once they are present. Allowing them to take
over will result in Job loses, high cost, to buy chemicals, loss of grazing land or agricultural land.
The above picture showing cutting of Lantana at Ezibomvini
Spring protection
There is a community-based spring protection project atStulwane. It has alot water and can
provide many houses as they fetch water very far. The Eco Champs are playing an important
role in participating for protecting the springsand also helping the parents to have water in
theirhouses. They are building a basin of the spring and will also participate in digging and
installing the pipe where water would be located to the central part of the community. All the
springsthat are Identified by the communities will be protected (those that do not dry up
during winter. The spring will be monitored by checking Ecoil test to ensure that there is clean
water.
The above picture showing Enviro Champs working with engineer for spring protection
The above picture showing Enviro champs working with our parents for their spring protection
at Stulwane
Community activity
At stulwane they lost one of their main bridges dueto floods and the Enviro champs
participated helping the community member to repair the bridge for one day.