Spring 2025 News letter

Happy Spring!

What a glorious time of year this is in Pennington! The dryness of winter is soon
behind us and we look forward to the promise of rain. The sardine season started
early this year and they’re still around, which has been fabulous for the fishermen! It’s
also extended our whale-watching season and brought an abundance of birdlife
feeding along the coast.
We are incredibly privileged to live in such a rich natural environment. Few towns in
South Africa are blessed with the wildlife, trees, and biodiversity that we enjoy here in
Pennington. Let’s protect and embrace this gift!
Remember—our monkeys are part of this ecosystem too. Please don’t feed them,
and equally, don’t harm them. Every living thing has its place, and we’re all
interconnected in a delicate balance! So rather than killing something you don’t like
the look of, rather, do some research and find out how it fits into the value chain?

Chairman’s Note

It has been an inspiring and motivating year so far. Following a successful AGM, I’m delighted to say that we have seven enthusiastic and committed committee members working together. We have already held four committee meetings, each one stretching on for hours, in the best possible way, as there is so much to discuss, so many questions to ask, and such a wealth of skills, ideas and information to share.

Each committee member has been finding their niche, and this energy and passion is already boasting older projects and igniting new ones. Enjoy reading about them in this newsletter.

A big thank-you to all our members for your continued support, we couldn’t do this without you. And if you’re not yet a member, we’d love to have you join us. At just R200 a year per family, it’s a small contribution that makes a big difference, and the more of us there are, the more we can achieve together. We will keep rolling up our sleeves to look after Pennington’s natural environment, and bit by bit, project by project, we are making a real difference.

Recycling in Pennington: New Energy and Big Plans

Recycling efforts in Pennington are evolving fast, following challenges earlier this year, including the loss of Manaza Recycling’s truck and trailer in an accident. Temporary support helped keep collections going, but the current system is not sustainable. To improve operations, Mike Lillyman has proposed building a prototype machine to compact plastics and cardboard, reducing volume by up to seven times. This means fewer trips, lower fuel use, and a much more efficient process.

There’s also talk of moving recycling day to Saturday mornings and extending the drop-off time, which could ease traffic congestion and encourage more participation. Even more exciting is the idea to pair recycling with a small eco-market, supporting local growers and artisans while creating a social hub with an environmental purpose. We’re also exploring formal volunteer scheduling and possibly hiring helpers to manage heavier loads from cars. The Conservancy is committed to keeping our relationship with Manaza strong and building a recycling system that works for everyone.

PennCon Markets – Unique and Thriving

Mary McKenzie has arranged two very successful Food Markets in Bazley this year, hosted on Elizabeth Forsdick’s beautiful coastal property, Serendipity. The setting— ocean views, aloe gardens in full bloom, and a wrap-around veranda—created an idyllic atmosphere for visitors to enjoy brunch, craft drinks, and local produce. These events were so well received that plans are being made for more.

The next exciting step? Save the date: The first Food Market at Botha House on 14 September, with over 43 stallholders already confirmed! This promises to be a special day in a unique historic venue—please join us for what we hope is the
beginning of a new tradition!

Nkomba Bird Sanctuary

The Easter celebration in April was a highlight at Nkomba, with fascinating talks on birds from Alan McLennan and lessons from on spiders by Carol Smith. Afterwards everyone enjoyed a bring-your-own picnic under the shade of the enormous fig tree! Winter may have been cooler, but that didn’t slow progress at Nkomba! The Seabean Walk has been rerouted to showcase our very own champion Seabean plant (Entada rheedii)—thought to be the southernmost specimen of its kind in Africa. The redesigned trail brings visitors close to this botanical marvel while allowing the old path to regenerate naturally.

Thank you to Mischa who has painted a lovely mural on the walls of the Tool shed and ablutions brought ‘life’ into an otherwise uninteresting feature of Nkomba! Two new recycled plastic picnic tables have also been installed beneath the fig tree, replacing older concrete ones and providing a scenic, shaded resting spot.

We also recently hosted the Umdoni Retirement Garden Club and then the Widdies Trailblazers hiking group, with over 60 enthusiastic walkers (some in their 80s!) enjoying Nkomba’s trails and the pont crossing over the river. Thank you to both groups who have left substantial donations to help us maintain this beautiful corner of Pennington!

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, invasive species removal continues to be a priority. Two full skips of Madeira Vine, Morning Glory, and Job’s Tears have been cleared, and efforts are underway to control an invasive Golden Shower creeper. Our indigenous ecosystems depend on this work—and your support helps make it happen.

We invite you to visit, walk the trails, admire the Seabean, and enjoy a peaceful moment in this precious reserve.

The Makamati Trail and wetland:

Over the past months our environmental team has been hard at work on the Makamati trail and wetland, focusing on removing alien invasive plants to help the natural ecosystem thrive. As this work is ongoing, we have also employed 2 workers to assist us with this project, with the emphasis on keeping it wild and a safe space for our buck, mongoose and wild creatures. Visitors to the trail can now also enjoy a new bridge and viewing deck, thanks to Piet Coetzee’s skilled work, making it easier to explore and take in the beauty of this wetland.

What’s New!

Another project! A Green Heart for Barracouta on the ‘School’ property! “Preserving one of Pennington’s last green lungs.”

For a long time, people have said that the Pennington Conservancy doesn’t do much on the Barracuda side of town, but that all changed about two months ago when we were alerted to activity by the EPWP workers at a site known locally as “the school” – a nearly three-hectare area that had become badly neglected and overgrown with alien invasive plants.

Interestingly, this land was once earmarked for a high school to be built and it is still owned by the Department of Education, but it may soon be transferred to the Umdoni Municipality. In the meantime, the Conservancy has recognised the importance of this site as one of the last remaining green corridors in Pennington – a space worth protecting as development continues to grow.

In July the Green Team stepped in and spent four weeks in a row working there. The progress was remarkable. In just a few hours each week, the difference was clear. With approval from Mr. Bhengu of the municipality, we now have a dedicated team
working there. Lead by Peter Coetzee and two labourers, the conservancy have set aside a budget to continue clearing invasive plants and rehabilitate this site over the next six months.

The rewards are already showing and bushbuck, monkeys, and even mongoose have been spotted in the area. With continued care, this site will become not only a restored green haven, but also a safe home for local wildlife and residents to visit.

This project is now our fourth major environmental project – and in size, it could grow to become our second largest – an important step in protecting Pennington’s precious natural spaces. The other sites we manage are Nkomba Bird Sanctuary, the Beach
Café Gardens, the Makamati Wetland & Trail and now “the School”.

We warmly invite nearby residents to take a walk through and see the progress for themselves. At present, there is one pathway crossing the site, and in time we plan to create another, making it even easier to enjoy this special green heart of Barracuda

The Green Team of volunteers

“Thursday mornings with purpose”
Every Thursday morning from 8 to 10, our Green Team volunteers come together to look after Pennington’s beautiful natural spaces. Usually 10–15 people join in, bringing plenty of energy and smiles as we tackle everything from litter-picking, maintaining
beach pathways, removing alien invasive plants and fixing infrastructure.

It’s a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours outdoors, meet new people, and make a real difference to our community and the environment. New faces are always welcome, come along and see what it’s all about! Follow the Pennington Conservancy NPO Facebook page to see where we go each week & what we do

The Beach Café and gardens:

The Beach Café continues to thrive, with increased profitability thanks to Heinz and his team. It remains a social and scenic gem for Pennington, and all profits support Conservancy projects! We are grateful for your patronage – the profits enable us as a
Conservancy to protect our wild spaces and wildlife!

The Butterfly Garden next to the Café is in full bloom, thanks to the efforts of Colleen Craig, Raymond our Gardener and the Green Team. The butterflies have been particularly abundant this year around the Beach Café adding a new dimension and
interest to this protected area!

As litter is a constant headache in our town, around the Beach Café, along the beach, we have embarked on a Bin replacement and numbering system which we hope will reduce litter and help us keep ‘on top’ of the problem! Your ideas for better public
awareness would be most welcome!

Our Beach Café & the Dorp van die Jaar Competition

On Wednesday, 18 June, our Beach Café was in the spotlight. The Café and gardens were to be filmed as part of the promotional reel to promote Pennington as a finalist in the competition. Heinz did an amazing job representing both the Conservancy & the
beach café during his interview, and to showcase our community spirit, the Green Team was out on the beach cleaning up, while our recycling team and volunteers were busy in town collecting and sorting recyclables. The Beach café staff also did an emotional “call out” for people to vote for Pennington. Although the Conservancy wasn’t a focus in the film, we were there in the background and can be proud of the positive influence we have on preserving our natural environment and keeping Pennington in people’s hearts.

As most of you know by now, Pennington didn’t win the prize, but the Conservancy gave it everything and supported Tidy Towns in their application every step of the way. While Tidy Towns kept everyone motivated and organised, the real lesson from this
experience is how our town pulled together. The energy, teamwork, and community spirit were incredible — and that, in itself, is a big win for Pennington.

A heartfelt “Thank-you!” goes out to everyone who helped — the Green Team, the recycling crew, the volunteers who manned the tables, and those who painted, fixed, trimmed, and swept. Every contribution, big or small, kept our Beach Café, gardens, beaches, recycling, and green spaces looking beautiful. We couldn’t have done it without you!

A big shout-out to Tidy Towns for beautifying both entrances to Pennington, and for their efforts in putting Pennington on the map! Together, we’re building a greener, stronger, and more connected community.

Thank you for being part of the journey and enjoy our photo album that follows!