Snake handling course

Hi all,

Johan Marais author of the book a complete guide to snakes of Southern Africa will be holding another venomous snake handling course at the St Lucia crocodile center on the 9th September.

Any one interested in attending the course or would like to find out more information please contact Johan atjohan@reptileventures.com 

Regards

Spider & Scorpion Course 19th of August

Hi all,

A full day's course in arachnids will be presented by arachnologist Jonathan Leeming on Sunday 19th August at Bonamanzi.
Jonathan is one of South Africa’s foremost experts on scorpions and spiders and author of the book ‘Scorpions of South Africa.'

Also conducting 'Scorpions Adventures', Hoedspruit based Jonathan recently spend time in the area presenting courses and leading field trips, and got to know some of our local eight legged creepy crawlies.
Northern Natal offers a variety of habitats and a high arthropod diversity and is home to high population densities of spiders and scorpions. In some areas of KZN the scorpion population density can be as high as 3 scorpions per square meter!!

This course is ideal for anyone interested in spiders, scorpions, amblypygids and solifugids,
or for those who would like to learn from a leading authority. Everyone is welcome even if you can't tell the difference between a scorpion and a crab.
The course consists of lectures in the morning and hands on practical field work in the afternoon and provides the solid foundations for understanding and identifying Southern African spiders and scorpions.
Handling of spiders and scorpions is not compulsory but provides a very exiting hands on experience.
The course is endorsed by both F.G.A.S.A and the I.Z.S

Cost of the course is R945 per person and includes workbooks. For more information download the pdf brochure on https://dl.dropbox.com/u/25478279/BonamanziCourse_2012_small.pdf or visit Jonathan's website www.scorpions.co.za, or contact him directly Jonathan@scorpions.co.za

KZN North Exam Workshop

Dear FGASA members,

The KZN North Committee wishes everyone writing the national exam the 31st of March good luck! For the people writing in Hluhluwe, we do offer an 'exam workshop' for learners writing the FGASA Level 1 exam, where you can come and ask questions about the topics you still might struggle with. The KZN North facilitators will then try to help you by answering your questions and explaining things where necessary, hopefully helping you passing your exam. This service is for free. These workshops will be held in St. Lucia (location to be announced), as well as in the Hluhluwe Hotel on the 28th of March from 6 PM till 9 PM.

Should you wish to make use of this service, please ensure that you make a reservation with the facilitators, to avoid finding them too busy with other students, and to avoid them sitting there for nothing. For the St. Lucia workshops, please text Nick van de Wiel on 072-7055124, for Hluhluwe please text Christa Panos on 083-7263826. Make sure you mention your name, and the time you wish to meet. Also ensure that you actually go to the workshop on the specified time, and should you not be able to, make sure you cancel your appointment with your facilitator in time.

Once again: Make a reservation with your facilitator! No reservation might mean the facilitator has no time for you that evening. And: If you have a reservation, make sure you come: No show (without cancellation) is no more future exam workshops for you... And please come prepared with your questions. If you have no questions, your facilitator unfortunately cannot help you. 

We hope this free service will ensure a higher pass rate amongst learners in this region.

Sincerely yours,

The FGASA KZN North committee

Wilderness First Aid Course

Hi all,

We (Bhejane Nature Training, Ehlatini Bush Camp, False Bay) are running a 3-day Wilderness First Aid Course next week and have a couple of spaces open if there are any FGASA KZN North members that would like to join. It is conducted by SMART and is recognised by the Dept of Labour. 

Course dates are 20 – 24 February 2012 (3 full days) and 24 – 27 February 2012 (3 full days) 

If anyone wants more info or to join they can just contact me at dpanos@tiscali.co.za

Or phone Jana on 076 6035 868 to book a place.

Prices are R850 (including lunch for all three days but excluding accommodation)

R1250 with accommodation and meals.

River Walk @ Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve

Not really in KZN-North region, but anyways

Tracy Weakly

Greetings All

If you're looking to get away from the rat-race and commune with nature there's no better way to spend a few hours on a weekend, under the expert guidance of an Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Honorary Officer. On Saturday 11 February 2012 at Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve in Yellowwood Park, Durban, we will be doing the much anticipated River Walk along the Red Trail down to the Umhlatuzana River and back up through coastal forest filled with over 200 species of birds’ and the possible glimpse of the elusive blue duiker.The cost is R30 which includes entrance to the reserve. Starts sharp at 8am. Possible 2.5 – 3 hour walk.Meet at the front entrance of Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve in Yellowwood ParkPass this e-mail onto all your friends that may be interested – would be wonderful to spend time together in this great little reserve.

Frogging at Ehlatini.

We from the Bhejane Nature Training team all followed the Emotional Intelligence Workshop that I wrote about on the 29th of November. It was actually very interesting as we learned effective means for dealing with conflict, being assertive, having balanced professional and personal relationships, and, very important: how to deal with difficult students!
   That same evening we organised a spontaneous frogging excursion at the Ehlatini Bush Camp. This place is phenomenal for frogging as on its 80 hectares, 32 species of frogs have been recorded. Given that the whole iSimangaliso Wetland Park contains a total of 52 species of frogs within its 332.000 hectares, this is quite something! This particular night, led by FGASA Level 3 Expert Nature Guide Ryan Tippet, we found about 15 species, a very good score. We'll do another frogging night soon, before the season ends, and we'll announce it in advance on this site. So watch this space! Below some pics from the evening (click on the image for an enlargement):

Mottled Shovel-nosed Frog

Juvenile Greater Leaf-folding Frog about to lose its tail

Grass frogs are often only identifiable by looking at the pattern on the hind limps. This individual is a Sharp-nosed Grass Frog

Red-legged Kassina

Painted Reed Frog

Emotional Intelligence workshop

Hi everyone

We are getting a professional Life and Business Coach in January 2012 at Bhejane Nature Training (False Bay, Hluhluwe) to run a 1 day Emotional Intelligence workshop. This is an excellent programme for anyone that regularly deals with guests or staff or want to improve their personal effectiveness and interpersonal relationships. 

Bhejane will cover all additional fees such as the facilitator’s travel, meals and accommodation. You will only pay the individual cost of training.  

Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the ability to be aware of one’s own emotional state and that of others. People with low EQ often struggle with communication. This becomes more evident in an environment where there is no room for miscommunication. In order for a team to function effectively, the channels of communication must be open and allow individuals to express themselves without fear of retaliation or vengeance. Managing one’s own emotions effectively facilitates harmonious interaction with others. This is often because you are more aware of the impact your words and deeds have on others.

Emotional intelligence can also be defined as non-cognitive skills and competencies needed to successfully communicate and interact with people in our daily lives. Emotional intelligence allows you to manage your own and other’s emotions and to guide thinking and actions.

We used to believe that success depended solely on intelligence (IQ - the measure of an individual’s intellectual, analytical, rational and logical abilities.) If you were intellectually superior, the expectation was that you would succeed. This notion has long since changed since the discovery that one’s emotional intelligence (EQ) often plays a larger role than one’s IQ.

We can become more productive and successful at what we do and also help others to be more productive and successful by developing our Emotional Intelligence in the five EQ domains. Emotional Intelligence also helps to decrease conflict; improve relationships and to increase stability, continuity and harmony.

We are looking at having the workshop conducted the 20^th of January 2012.   The company is called Success Factory and the facilitator Elsabe Manning.   You can read more on their website – www.successfactory.co.za 

Their normal rate is R1800 per person, but they are willing to do it for us at R1200 per person.  As stated Bhejane will cover the extras (meals, accommodation and transport for the facilitator)

For more information please email Christa Panos at dpanos@tiscali.co.za or call her on 083-7263826.

Wilderness First Aid Course

Hi all,

We (Bhejane Nature Training, Ehlatini Bush Camp, False Bay) are running a Wilderness First Aid Course next week and have a couple of spaces open if there are any FGASA KZN North members that would like to join. It is conducted by SMART and is recognised by the Dept of Labour. 

Course dates are 8 – 10 November

If anyone wants more info or to join they can just contact me at dpanos@tiscali.co.za

Or phone Jana on 076 6035 868 to book a place.

Prices are R850 (including lunch for all three days but excluding accommodation)

R1250 with accommodation and meals.

Wilderness First Aid Course

Hi all,

We (Bhejane Nature Training, Ehlatini Bush Camp, False Bay) are running a Wilderness First Aid Course next week and have a couple of spaces open if there are any FGASA KZN North members that would like to join. It is conducted by SMART and is recognised by the Dept of Labour. 

Course dates are 11 – 13 October

If anyone wants more info or to join they can just contact me at dpanos@tiscali.co.za

Or phone Jana on 076 6035 868 to book a place.

Prices are R850 (including lunch for all three days but excluding accommodation)

R1250 with accommodation and meals.

KZN Regional Meeting

Hi all,

FGASA would like to invite all members and aspirant-members to attend the FGASA KZN Regional meeting as per the details below. Brian Serrao, the operations director from FGASA will attend as well, and it will be a great opportunity for all members to express their opinion about guiding in the region and the role FGASA plays and/or should play in this region. Please come prepared with questions and suggestions, and we are looking forward to discuss those. Let KZN become the most active guiding region!

Best Regards,

The FGASA KZN North Committee.

KZN Regional Meeting
Date: Saturday, 1 October 2011
Venue: Protea Hotel, Hluhluwe
Time: 13h00
Contact Christa Panos for more info on 083 726 3826

KZN North: FGASA Exam workshop

Dear FGASA members,

The KZN North Committee wishes everyone writing the national exam the 1st of October good luck! For the people writing in Hluhluwe, we do offer an 'exam workshop' for learners writing the FGASA Level 1 exam, where you can come and ask questions about the topics you still might struggle with. The KZN North facilitators will then try to help you by answering your questions and explaining things where necessary, hopefully helping you passing your exam. This service is for free. These workshops will be held in St. Lucia (location to be announced), as well as in the Hluhluwe Hotel on the 23th of September from 6 PM till 9 PM.

Should you wish to make use of this service, please ensure that you make a reservation with the facilitators, to avoid finding them too busy with other students, and to avoid them sitting there for nothing. For the St. Lucia workshops, please text Nick van de Wiel on 072-7055124, for Hluhluwe please text Christa Panos on 083-7263826. Make sure you mention your name, and the time you wish to meet. Also ensure that you actually go to the workshop on the specified time, and should you not be able to, make sure you cancel your appointment with your facilitator in time.

Once again: Make a reservation with your facilitator! No reservation might mean the facilitator has no time for you that evening. And: If you have a reservation, make sure you come: No show (without cancellation) is no more future exam workshops for you... And please come prepared with your questions. If you have no questions, your facilitator unfortunately cannot help you. 

We hope this free service will ensure a higher pass rate amongst learners in this region.

Sincerely yours,

The FGASA KZN North committee

KZN North Tree Outings

The Tree Enthusiast Working Group in Hluhluwe is organising tree outings usually every second Saturday of the month, and it has recently been decided to make them more accessible for 'beginners' as well. Hence, some of the next three outings will include a lecture on how to actually identify the tree families and individual trees in KZN. They are given by Dr Du Randt which is a tree specialist in the area. Every time a different area will be visited and will focus on identifying trees and learning about them. This is of course a great way to learn about the trees in this area which are usually considered so difficult to ID. The dates for the next few months are mentioned below, so make sure you diarise these! Participation is for free for both FGASA and non-FGASA members! The full information can be found below. For more info phone Greg Davies on 0791893996

Make sure you come, it is an awesome way to learn more trees in KZN, which will make you a better guide! 

Click here for a summary of the previous outing in April http://fgasakznnorth.blogspot.com/2011/04/report-on-great-tree-outing-at-ehlatini.html

SATURDAY, 23 JULY 2011:

Beginners power-point presentation on Tree Identification, etc, combined with a short walk in bushveld, on SAND FOREST LODGE, near False Bay Park. The presentation will be at the LAPA of Sand Forest Lodge. 

Time:  12h00 - 14h00

WEEKEND OF 12 - 14 AUGUST 2011:

Please join the Zululand Dendrological (Tree) Society for a weekend camp at NDUMO GAME RESERVE. Please do your own booking at Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife for either a campsite or chalet for the Friday and/or Saturday night. (Mine is booked already) There is limited space, but we can combine campsites, if we need too. We want to look at the vegetation and trees of Ndumu Game Reserve and esp Usuthu Gorge, which promise a few rare findings. I will probably go up early on Friday morning. I will also come back on Sunday via Tembe andTsongwe Sand Forest - interested people can join us. This weekend is organised by Denis Oscroft from the Tree Society.

SATURDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2011:

Power-point presentation on Tree Identification, etc, combined with a walk in bushveld and/or sand forest, at SAND FOREST LODGE, near False Bay Park. The presentation will be at the LAPA of Sand Forest Lodge.

Time: 12h00 - 14h00

KZN North 2nd & 3rd of July, Tree Outing Sand Forest Lodge & False Bay

The Tree Enthusiast Working Group in Hluhluwe is organising tree outings usually every second Saturday of the month. They are led by Dr Du Randt which is a tree specialist in the area. Every time a different area will be visited and will focus on identifying trees and learning about them. This is of course a great way to learn about the trees in this area which are usually considered so difficult to ID. This time the tree outing is actually an exciting full weekend instead of the usual few hours! Moreover, experts such as Richard Boon and Elsa Pooley are going to be there too! The full information can be found below. For more info phone Greg Davies on 0791893996

Make sure you come, it is an awesome way to learn more trees in KZN! 

Click here for a summary of the previous outing in April http://fgasakznnorth.blogspot.com/2011/04/report-on-great-tree-outing-at-ehlatini.html 

Dear fellow dendrologists & tree and plant lovers  (and pass on to interested people not on my e-mail list)

I would like to invite and welcome everybody to the following programme. In case we will be too many on the field outings, we can split up the group in novices, and more experienced tree spotters.

We are hosting quite a few members of C.R.E.W. (Custodians for rare and endangered wildflowers/plants), a division of SANBI, at Sand Forest Lodge, over the weekend of 2 & 3 July 2012. We have also invited well known tree experts from southern KZN to join us. Elsa Pooley and Richard Boon should be under them. Accommodation will be mostly at Sand Forest Lodge.

The programme will be as follows:

SATURDAY 2 July 2011: Meet at SAND FOREST LODGE at 14h00, or alternatively at FALSE BAY MAIN ENTRANCE GATE shortly after 14h00. I will pick up all the CREW people from the lodge and bring them to False Bay Gate. We will then join together in less vehicles to prevent congestion in the forest and drive up to the heart of the sand forest. We will do a walk through the main sand forest from 14h15 to 16h00. Time permitting, we will then drive further along the fence to rare sand forest species and we should complete the outing by 16h30/17h00.

This will be followed by a social evening at SIT-EN-DRINK (our farm adjacent to False BayPark gate) from 17h00 onwards. Please supply our own food/meat and drinks, possibly also plate, cutlery, glass and a chair. (depending on the number of people) This will be a social BRING & BRAAI to meet each other and to have informal discussions. Everybody is invited. The lock on the farm gate will be open - please keep the lock open, but keep the gate close at all times.

SUNDAY morning, 3 July 2011: Join us for a formal meeting at 08h00 at Sand Forest Lodge LAPA. This meeting will be about the activities of CREW in our area, the monitoring of rare plants in future field trips, discussion of volunteers to cover our whole area, including Maputaland and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi areas, etc etc. This will be lead by Suvarna Parbhoo. Even if you are a novice in tree-spotting or plant botanizing, please attend this meeting, as it is all about conservation of our beautiful ecosystem. 

This meeting will be followed by another field trip from possibly 10h30 to 12h00/13h00, depending on our energy levels! Time permitting I would like to take the group to a few selected "hot-spots", especially Berchemia sp novo (in False Bay Park), Warburgia salutaris colony (in False Bay Park) and possibly, time permitting, visiting Makowe Hill for Albizia suluensis. Bring your own picnic lunch afterwards.

We will draw up a list of the RARE, ENDANGERED and SPECIAL plants of our region, and it will be available to all. We need future volunteers to "adopt a plant" and to monitor these plants for our data base.

Hope to see you all.....

Regards

Francois du Randt

KZN North, Firearm, First Aid and ARH Training

Hi everyone

We are running the following First Aid and Fire-arm Training courses over the next two months.

FGASA ARH Training:                      22 - 24 June

SASSETA Firearm Training:           11 – 13 July
Wilderness First Aid:                       26 – 28 July

Please let me know as soon as possible if you would like to book yourself or any of your guides on these courses.

For prices and more information, please contact me.

Kind Regards

Christa Panos

dpanos@tiscali.co.za

Cell: +27 83 726 3826

KZN North, 11th of June, Tree Outing Bushlands

The Tree Enthusiast Working Group in Hluhluwe is organising tree outings usually every second Saturday of the month. They are led by Dr Du Randt which is a tree specialist in the area. Every time a different area will be visited and will focus on identifying trees and learning about them. This is of course a great way to learn about the trees in this area which are usually considered so difficult to ID. On the 11th of May 2011 the outing will explore the surroundings of the Isinkwe Bushcamp at Bushlands, which has nice variety of trees. All FGASA members are welcome to come and participate for free. Start at 11:45 AM, Isinkwe Bushcamp, Bushlands. The outing ends about 3 PM. 

Optional hamburger or chicken burger meal and salad + 1 soft drink afterwards. Cost R40.R50 for 2 burgers and salad. Please rsvp who is attending both the outing and staying for drink and burgers afterwards so we can plan and cater. This can be done by commenting on this post or by emailing greg@isinkwe.co.za

For more info phone Greg Davies on 0791893996

Make sure you come, it is an awesome way to learn more trees in KZN! 

Click here for a summary of the previous outing in April http://fgasakznnorth.blogspot.com/2011/04/report-on-great-tree-outing-at-ehlatini.html

Venue for burgers, salad and drinks afterwards

How to get to Isinkwe Bushcamp

l 

KZN North 21st of May, Tree Outing Hluhluwe

The Tree Enthusiast Working Group in Hluhluwe is organising tree outings usually every second Saturday of the month. They are led by Dr Du Randt which is a tree specialist in the area. Every time a different area will be visited and will focus on identifying trees and learning about them. This is of course a great way to learn about the trees in this area which are usually considered so difficult to ID. On the 21st of May 2011 the outing will explore the surroundings of the Memorial Gate of Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Parky, which has nice variety of trees. All FGASA members are welcome to come and participate for free. Start at 11:30 AM, Memorial Gate parking. The outing ends about 2 PM. For more info phone Greg Davies on 0791893996


Make sure you come, it is an awesome way to learn more trees in KZN! 
Click here for a summary of the previous outing in April http://fgasakznnorth.blogspot.com/2011/04/report-on-great-tree-outing-at-ehlatini.html 

KZN North Lecture on Animal Behaviour

As the FGASA KZN North committee we realise that many learners have already started studying for the next national sitting, and that some people struggle with certain modules. Hence we are happy and proud to offer a lecture on Module 16: Animal Behaviour, to help those learners that struggle to come to grabs with group hierarchies, the differences between flash colouration, counter shading and disruptive markings, the differences between home ranges and territories, and what all the different definitions of animal behaviour and related aspects actually mean. The lecture will focus on FGASA material, and will be specifically aimed to get you ready for the exam. The lecture will be given by Dylan Panos, a FGASA Level 3 trails guide with years of experience.

When: Tuesday the 17th of May, 7 pm to 10 pm (including time for questions, actual lecture will be shorter)

Where: Ehlatini Bush Camp, False Bay. (Take R22 from Hluhluwe Town towards Sodwana Bay. Just before you get Amorello on your left, there is a turn off into a dirt road on your right, sign posted with Ehlatini Bush Camp. Take the first left, follow the road as it turns left, first right again and there you go. Follow the signs Ehlatini Bush Camp/Bhejane Nature Training)

Costs: Paid up FGASA members: R50, Non-FGASA members R100. Fees payable upon arrival.

Need transport? Comment on this post to find buddies so you can drive up together.

Regards,

The FGASA KZN North committee

Report on a great tree outing at Ehlatini!

It was my first participation in a tree outings organized by the Tree Enthusiast Working Group, and I didn’t quite know what to expect. I am glad to let you know that I found it a resounding success! The trees in KZN North are often considered very difficult to identify, partly due to the enormous variety of species we get here, and partly because of the fact that many of them are the almost non-descript single leaf species. Now what is the best way to learn trees? No, it is not going out with a good tree book yourself… Yes, it is true that any tree fully keyed out by yourself is likely to get stuck in your memory, but this process is just too time consuming and for that reason alone few people/guides even try. And how often do you key out a tree and then come to the conclusion that you are ‘not sure’ if you keyed it out correctly? No, a better way to learn trees is to get taught by an expert, and then go over those newly learned trees over and over again. You avoid the risk of memorizing mis-identified trees, it is much quicker and if you do if with a group of people it is a lot more fun too. And this is exactly what how the tree outings are conducted. Dr. Du Randt is a true tree expert, not only able to identify every tree on sight, but also able to explain and point out WHY it is that tree. In other words, being able to explain where to look for to come to a definitive conclusion as to what tree it is. Another great aspect of his teaching is that he works toward a genus first, and then suggests you look in a book to work out which individual species it is. You see a tree/shrub that looks a bit like a Croton? Just check if it has two small glands where the petiole joins the leaf, and you know it for certain. Then just check in the book which one of the 7 Crotons it is. Oh, you see 4 winged pods? Check whether the leaves are alternate and whether the veins below are prominent and you can be pretty sure you are looking at a Combretum. Now just look in the book again to see which one you are looking at. Being able to work with trees in such a way is much quicker than to key a plant out from the beginning.

Dr. Du Randt likes repetition, and throughout the 2 hours excursions he keeps on asking the things he taught that day before, to ensure it gets stuck in your head. He also ‘only’ does about 20-25 trees at a day, as he realizes that that is about the maximum you can learn and process in a day. Then you get a month or so to practice these before the next tree outing.

All in all, I found it a fun and very valuable learning experience, and will definitely attend again. And I would advise any guide in the region that wants to know his/her trees a bit better to come and join us next time. Just look at the agenda for dates/places.

An overview of trees we did on the 9^th of April.

1. Grewia microthyrsa Sand raisin

2. Croton steenkampianus Maputaland croton

3. Hymenocardia ulmoides Red heart tree

4. Pteleopsis myrtifolia Stink bushwillow

5. Cleistanthus schlechteri False Tamboti

6. Newtonia hilderbrandtii Lebombo wattle

7. Rhipsalis baccifera Epiphyte

8. Albizia adianthifolia Flat crown albizia

9. Vangueria randii Coast wild medlar

10. Strelitzia nicolai Natal Wild banana

11. Ficus tremula Tremble leaf fig

12. Trichilia emetica Natal mahogany

13. Tabernaemontana elegans Toad tree

14. Haplocoelum foliolosum Galla plum

15. Trema orientalis Pigeonwood

16. Vitex ferruginea Plum finger leaf

17. Combretum mkuzense Maputoland bushwillow

18. Strychnos henningsii Natal Teak

19. Acacia sieberiana Paperbark thorn

20. Cereus jamacaru Queen of the night

21. Brachylaena discolor Coast silver oak

22. Antidesma venosum Tassel-berry

23. Sclerocroton integerrimum Duiker-berry

24. Vangueria infausta Velvet wild-medlar

It was a great productive outing…we added 9 new species to the accumulative list collected since starting the dendrologists outings in 2010.

9th of April: Tree Outing Ehlatini Bush Camp

The Tree Enthusiast Working Group in Hluhluwe is organising tree outings every second Saturday of the month. They are led by Dr Du Randt which is a tree specialist in the area. Every time a different area will be visited and will focus on identifying trees and learning about them. This is of course a great way to learn about the trees in this area which are usually considered so difficult to ID. On the 9th of April 2011 the outing will explore the surroundings of Ehlatini Bush Camp in False Bay, which is famous for its enormous ancient Lebombo Wattles. All FGASA members are welcome to come and participate for free. Start at 11:30 AM, Ehlatini Bush Camp, (on the R22 from Hluhluwe to Sodwana, turn right just before Amarello and follow the signs Ehlatini Bush Camp/Bhejane Nature Training). The outing ends about 2 PM. For more info phone Greg Davies on 0791893996

A Potjiekos will be held at the Bhejane Nature Training camp for the afternoon, all members are welcome to stay for this. Fee for Potjiekos is R60 per person. Contact dpanos@tiscali.co.za to get directions and further details.