Page 54 - State of Biodiversity 2023-2024
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52 STATE OF BIODIVERSITY REPORT 2023/2024
CREW Celebrates 20 Years with a Focus on BioBlitz at Bivane Dam
Winile Mchunu
Email: Winile.Mchunu@durban.gov.za
In March 2024, the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW) Summer Rainfall Region (SRR) Node celebrated its 20th anniversary with a special workshop at Bivane Dam. Nestled along the Bivane River, a tributary of the Phongolo River, and completed in 2000, Bivane Dam is a hub for biodiversity, conveniently located near Vryheid, Pongola, and Piet Retief. It offers approximately 13 kilometres of scenic hiking trails.
The highlight of the anniversary celebration was a comprehensive BioBlitz, a concentrated effort to document and assess the local biodiversity. This event
provided a unique opportunity for citizen scientists and naturalists to engage deeply with the environment and contribute valuable data to ongoing conservation efforts.
During the BioBlitz, participants meticulously recorded data on a variety of species within the dam’s diverse ecosystems. This included documenting eight threatened species, such as Searsia harveyi, Euphorbia cooperi, Protea comptonii, Redunca fulvorufula, and Dracosciadium italae etc. Additionally, data was collected on 16 invasive species, including Waltheria indica, Tagetes minuta, and Lantana camara, etc.
Data for 8 Threatened Species: picture taken from iNaturalist Bivane project.
