Tsitsikamma: Verwaarlosing gaan oor eerbares en oneerbares

NOTISIE UIT DIE KLUBHUIS

Tsitsikamma: Verwaarlosing gaan oor eerbares en oneerbares

Waaraan is ons skuldig om toe te laat dat 'n ikoniese juweeltjie op ons tuinroete sterf, vra DAN BADENHORST. Is dit traak-my-nie-agtige luiheid of miskien aspris?

  • 21 Mei 2021
  • Klubhuis
  • 4 min om te lees
  • artikel 24 van 30
  • Dan Badenhorst

MY vriend Obie Oberholzer en ek het 55 jaar gelede op 'n universiteitsvakansie by die Tsitsikamma Nasionale Park gewerk. Dit was hoofsaaklik om vis te vang vir die park se restaurant by Stormsriviermond, bome te merk of te help om die park se biblioteek te sistematiseer. Ons het nou weer daar gaan rondry.

Obie is 'n bekende fotograaf, het verskeie boeke gepubliseer en onder meer 'n gereelde fotorubriek vir die tydskrif Country Life geskryf. In een uitgawe het hy getreur oor die Oos-Kaapse provinsiale owerheid se nalate om die ou Bloukranspas te onderhou: “A lesser known fact is that the Bloukrans River is the border between the Eastern and Western Cape. After a severe storm and flooding with a few rock falls in 2007, the  Eastern Cape side of the pass remains unrepaired and unofficially closed.

“Travelling from the eastern side past the forestry village of Coldstream, one is suddenly confronted by a large heap of overgrown gravel in the road. Onward and down the pass from here, the eager forest has advanced onto the tarmac, making it, in sections, a single lane, with fallen branches, rocks and baboon droppings. It is, however, still well used by tradesmen in Coldstream who work in Nature's Valley and would otherwise have to pay the toll fees. Besides the odd car, the drive has a mysterious, almost primeval feel to it. One has the sensation of entering the bowels of an ancient afromontane forest in its unkept wild manner, where Usnea lichen, or ‘Old Man’s Beard’, hangs from giant yellowwoods and monkey ropes, creepers and climbers stretch their arms upwards to the light. In the lush ravines, ferns grapple for space in the eerie green light. Before finally winding down to the river, a spectacular view of the new toll bridge can be seen as it hangs majestically over the Bloukrans ravine.” ..

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