Launch of the Blaauwberg Green Coast site on Fri 14 Sep: 

Friday 14 Sep is the official launch of the Blaauwberg Nature Reserve (BBNR) coastal strip as a Green Coast – the first in the country!  
Friends of BCA (FoBCA) members are invited to come and hear all about the project and the benefits it will have for tourism and the environment.  Come and join us for a Bring & Braai.  Please bring your own meat, salads, eating utensils (everything except fire and grid!). Hope to see you there!   

Place: Eerste Steen
Date and Time: Fri 14 Sep from 14h00 onwards.

Remember - members of FoBCA pay no entrance fee to Eerste Steen.

Battle Up Blaauwberg Trail Run and Fun Walk on Sat 29 Sep 2018:

Please diarise this event, co-hosted by the West Coast Athletics Club (WCAC), Friends of BCA and City of Cape Town, and proudly sponsored by Table Bay Mall.  Everyone is enthusiastic about the new starting point and new venue at Table Bay Mall.  There are many arrangements to be made to organise the trail run, especially for the first time, including an Event Application to the City of Cape Town, planning the route, ensuring that there are medical support facilities, organising the cannon firing at the start, etc. We hope that the FoBCA members and the general public of Blouberg/Table View and beyond will arrive in big numbers to support the runners/walkers and enjoy the festivities. 

The City of Cape Town plans to create a series of three (3) Trail Runs on City of Cape Town Nature Reserves, as this has been an international and local request.  With your support, the BBNR will become one of the chosen Reserves!

Click https://www.entryninja.com/events/event/33402-battle-up-blaauwberg-hill to find out more about the Trail runs and to enter.

In the week preceding the event, there will be exhibitions in the Table Bay Mall in front of Checkers.  These will include exhibits of fynbos species and items relating to the Battle of Blaauwberg, displays showing the work done by Blaauwberg Nature Reserve staff and West Coast tourism bodies, a WCAC information desk, etc.  Please pay a visit to the exhibition stands when you are in Table Bay Mall during that time. 

FUN WALK!!
For those of us not so inclined to run, we have arranged a 6km Kleinberg Fun Walk for later in the morning.  The route will also take you into the Reserve, up to Kleinberg and back.  Please bring all your friends and make it a social occasion.  You will be able to walk at your own pace, and all participants will receive a lovely memento at the end of the Walk.  

Registration starts at 10h00 at Table Bay Mall in front of Checkers.  You can also enter the Fun Walk here https://goo.gl/forms/CpOv9CNZDWKb7mSt2. 

Members of the FoBCA (you are welcome to join on the day) enter at no cost.  Entry fees for non-members of the FoBCA: Adults R50, Children (aged 3-17), students and senior citizens R10.00.

Plant species of the BBNR: 

Ever wondered about the diversity of plant and animal species that occur on the BBNR?  Well, here is a shortcut to see what wonderful sightings have been done in our Reserve.  iNaturalist is an interesting site, which is also available as an app on your mobile, and our CREW team have been recording and storing their discoveries on here: 
https://www.inaturalist.org/places/blaauwberg-nature-reserve
2. Dr Dan Sleigh's presentation 8th September at Genealogical Society - VOC Outstations at the Cape
It is always good to hear from our dear friend Dr/Prof Dan SLEIGH - if you want to know more about this subject please do not miss this opportunity to listen to an inspirational "Oracle" on early Cape History.
3. Fynbos ID course 

For many of us, figuring out how to identify plants is a challenging process.  Here is the answer.  Wendy Hitchcock’s Fynbos ID Courses are always popular and will definitely help you come to grips with field guides and where to start with plant identification.  She is a botanist, artist and experienced environmental educator who teaches people of all ages. She loves the challenge of finding new practical ways to assist participants to understand plants better.  Get all the information on the attached brochure.

If you are already an expert, please pass this information on to others who may like to take advantage of this opportunity to learn about plant identification.
4. CTEET Birdathon
Pre-register for the Birdathon now!
Come and join us for the Annual False Bay Nature Reserve Birdathon, hosted by CTEET, Birdlife South Africa and the City of Cape Town
20 October 2018
7.30 - 14.00
False Bay Nature Reserve, Eastern Shore Picnic Site
Entry on the day is R5 per person, but pre-registered groups gain free entry.

The annual Birdathon is a festival and fun-walk to celebrate our natural heritage and places of nature. It is designed to be an educational and fun-filled morning to learn about and explore False Bay Nature Reserve.

The morning will begin with an interactive 4km, 5km or 6km fun walk through False Bay Nature Reserve.
This will be followed by the Birdathon Festival with exhibits, games and activities, food and drinks, and fun for the whole family.
For updates and more information, follow the event on Facebook!

To register, click here or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pre-registered groups will receive:
- Free entry to the event with access to the fun walk routes and festival
- Activity books for children
- A free drink and meal
5. Feedback from WESSA BFG event held at Rondevlei Nature Reserve Sat 4 Aug 2018

Conservation is alive and well throughout the urban areas of Cape Town; although warnings of the fragility of our eco-systems were powerfully expressed at the recent bi-annual WESSA 'Big Friends Group' event held at Rondevlei with co-hosts Zeekoeivlei/Rondevlei Friends Group. The event attracted 75 people from twenty Western Cape Friends Groups as well as representatives from local environmental projects and organisations.
A rainbow at dawn overarched the first forty guests, who braved the cold to enjoy guided bird walks on the reserve, setting the tone for the rest of the day. The thrill of seeing evidence of a hippo that had passed by during the night only added to the experience.
Westlake-based CTEET (Cape Town Environment Education Trust) was well represented during the morning talks – Topic: Urban Conservation. The aim of CTEET was exemplified in all the discussions: “To support the preservation of Cape Town’s unique and biodiverse natural heritage through education, training and conservation initiatives.”

For a detailed summary of the BFG event and talks, including links and contact details of the various organisations mentioned, click here. To read the article written by Karen Watkins for Table Talk, click here.  Also have a look at some of the photos taken at the event by clicking here.
6. Forthcoming events

• Fri 14 Sep    - Official launch of coastal area of BBNR as a Green Coast site 14h00, FoBCA Bring and Braai.  See details above 
• Sat 22 Sep   - Battle of Blaauwberg Walk This ever-popular walk is held at every alternate month-end.  Dave Honour, FoBCA registered tour guide and also an expert on KZN battle sites, is the leader.  For more information or to book your attendance, please call/sms Dave Honour at 082 906 4875 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• Sat 29 Sep   - Battle Up Blaauwberg Trail Run.  See details above
• Sat 27 Oct   - Two Hills Family Walk - (More info)

Kind regards
Jackie Potgieter
FoBCA Membership Communication

NPO Registration No. 068-317
PBO No.930041142