Expanded park opens

The third phase of the freshly renamed Petrus Molefe Eco Park is not only a recreational space; it is also a memorial where the younger generation can learn about the price paid and sacrifices made for freedom.

Petrus Molefe Eco-Park, with the Klipspruit in the backgrondPetrus Molefe Eco-Park, with the Klipspruit in the backgrondThe facility, which is 700m2 in size, combines phases one and two of the park formerly known as Dhlamini Eco Park, as well as phase three – an extreme park makeover that was started and finished last week.

Joburg City Parks has become something of an expert in extreme park makeovers, in which neglected, vacant land is turned into green recreational facilities in 24 hours or less. The programme falls under the Greening Joburg initiative, set up to reclaim and improve neglected spaces.

The Petrus Molefe Park extreme park was started on Thursday and completed on Friday, 9 December, when all three phases of the park were officially opened and renamed by the acting executive mayor, Mally Mokoena.

As it was named after a one of the unsung heroes of Soweto, known for his devotion to the struggle, the opening drew a wide audience. It included anti-apartheid activists and former Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) veterans Ahmed Kathrada, Shirish Nandohai and Laloo Chiba.

The former mayor of Johannesburg, Amos Masondo, was also there. They were joined by City officials and mayoral committee members, members of Umkhonto we Sizwe Veterans Association and of the community.

Read more: http://www.joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7560&catid=88&Itemid=266#ixzz1gVXnhavY

Get your December 2011 IFPRA newsletter

To access the Ifpra Newsletter for December 2011 please click on the following link or copy and paste it into your browser: http://www.ifpra.org/newsletters/dec-2011.htm

City makes additional sport and recreational activities available during school holidays

Parents need not worry how they will keep their children entertained over the Festive Season: the City of Cape Town’s Sport, Recreation and Amenities Department is hosting a range of activities at many of its community halls and sports facilities and is offering youth camps during the summer school holiday.

The department has planned approximately 1 000 holiday programmes which will run daily from 12 December 2011 to 10 January 2012. The programmes will be presented at the City’s various swimming pools, beaches, parks and public open spaces, libraries, sport and recreation facilities and resorts.

“Each of the six districts within the Sport, Recreation and Amenities Department will employ a number of temporary play leaders to boost the existing permanent staff capacity, and will also use the services of volunteers to ensure that all of the programmes are effectively implemented. Our goal with these programmes is to encourage children from communities throughout the city to participate in sport and recreation activities during the holiday period, and in the long-term,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services, Councillor Tandeka Gqada.

http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Pages/Citymakesadditionalsportandrecreational.aspx

National Tree Expo 2012

Diarize these important dates, 2nd, 3rd & 4th of March 2012 because that’s when the National Tree Expo will take place at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens.

We encourage landscape architects, landscape contractors/gardeners, garden/landscape designers, golf course managers, town council parks departments, retail nurseries, estate managers, corporate environmental managers, tree enthusiasts and the public to attend this annual event.

Tree growers, service providers and suppliers will be showcasing tree related products and services.
More specifically the allied services will include surplus tree liquidation auction, botanical artists, bonsai exhibit, cycad spectacle, tree tourism initiatives, ngo related representation, machinery, fertilizers, chemicals and books.

Some of our confirmed speakers in alphabetical order:
Meg Coates Palgrave
Andrew Hankey
Ernst van Jaarsveld

TENTATIVE PROGRAME
FRIDAY
09h00 - Event opens Registration (Please support the exhibitors)
09h45 - Official opening By Thompson Mutshinyalo - Curator: Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
10h00 - 11h30 – two speakers
11h30 - 12h30 – lunch (Please support the exhibitors)
12h30 - 14h00 – further two speakers
14h00 - 15h00 – break/tea (Please support the exhibitors)
15h00 - 16h00 – inaugural trade tree association meeting

SATURDAY
10h00 - 11h30 – two speakers
14h00 demonstration/workshop/guided tree walks – user pays

ADDIDIONAL INFORMATION

The Saturday and Sunday would be more orientated for the public.
We have interest from a treescape painter. Some activities include, launching the champion tree competition, chainsaw tree sculpture taking place live, bonsai collectors sharing their hobby, sizeable cycad grower selling permitted stock, tree climbing demonstration.  Some of these took place last year and are still in the process of confirming their being available for next year.  As you can see we are trying to include as many people with tree affinity ties as possible. We are hoping to get someone with rare, out of print and collectable tree books to join us as well.

VENUE: Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
End of Malcolm Road, Poortview, Roodepoort

EXHIBITION TIMES:
Friday – 10h00 to 16h00
Saturday and Sunday- ± 09h30 to ±16h30

EXHIBITION SPACE:
For trade specific businesses, that is Tree tradesman, practitioners, tree felling contractors, arborists, tree growers, machinery suppliers, people who transplant trees, planters and pot suppliers it will be R 798,00 for 10m² over the three days.   Additional space, in multiples of 10 m², is available at a pro rate fee.

For arts and craft as well as auxiliary, allied and fringe related people for e.g. treescape artists, botanical artist, book suppliers, NOG’s, clubs, societies and associations it will be R 399,00 for 10m². Additional space, in multiples of 10m², is available at a pro rate fee. This could be indoors or outside on the grass in the shade of trees around the apron of the building, subject to confirmation.

EXHIBITOR PERK
For each 10m² of space paid for by the respective exhibitors, this would entitle one member of the team/business to a free Friday finger lunch and the talks Friday and Saturday. For example an organisation pays for 20m² of space. This would mean two people from the said/same organisation qualify for the free Friday lunch and access to all the talks.

TICKET PRICES EXHIBITORS
Organisations exhibiting can purchase additional tickets at the discounted price of R 120,00 for the Friday and R60,00 for the Saturday talks.

TICKET PRICES PUBLIC
These would be R 150,00 for the Friday and R75,00 for the Saturday talks. Gate fees would be reimbursed on presentation of a valid and current cash receipt from SANBI.

PLEASE NOTE:  In addition to this, 10 % of total sales transacted at the Walter Sisulu botanical garden over the 3 days of the event is payable to SANBI.  It therefore makes sense to factor this into your planning.

Please feel free to contact us should you need more information.

Regards
Barry Gush
082 554 2485

Urban Forestry & Greening Short Course 26-30 March 2012

SHORT COURSE @ Rhodes University
1st Call - Urban Forestry & Greening towards Sustainable Municipalities
26 March 2012 to 30 March 2012
Only 30 places available

# COURSE OVERVIEW #
The primary purpose of this short course is to develop human capacity and understanding in South Africa and neighbouring countries regarding the value and role of urban forestry, along with some practical planning and monitoring skills around urban forestry projects. The course will highlight approaches and issues relating to the sustainability and quality of life in urban centres.

Once you have completed the course you should have the understanding and tools relating to:
What is meant by the terms 'urban forestry’ and ‘urban greening’.

• The international thinking and best practice regarding urban forestry.
• The techniques and strategies that officials and NGO workers can use to encourage and implement urban forestry for improved quality of life and sustainability.
• Some of the theoretical and practical challenges to promoting urban forestry and establishing projects on the ground.
• How policy, history and local socio-economic context shape urban forestry attributes and successes. 
• How to develop and implement practical monitoring approaches for urban forestry.
• The importance of community involvement and communication.
• A critical understanding of the concepts, terms and case examples, and to use these in planning solutions, innovation and practice in urban forestry initiatives for sustainable urban areas.

This Short Course will include:

• An overview of urban forestry globally and locally
• Understanding of the ecological, social and economic benefits  of urban forestry to sustainable towns and cities 
• Some of the methods for assessing urban forestry 
• Participants will go on a field trip to collect data
• Set the foundation  for an establishment of a network of practitioners who can support one another in their work on urban forestry and greening

Please access the link below for the brochure and registration form or contact me to email you the brochure.  You can also find our brochures for the other 2012 short courses on the website link below.
http://www.ru.ac.za/static/departments/environsci/short_courses.html