Newsletter
February 2006Large areas of the Overberg ("over the mountains") between Hermanus and Bredasdorp (about 80km from Honingklip) were recently devastated by extensive fires. We have experienced very dry and hot weather during the last two months with a resultant very high fire risk. The Overberg is one of the main flower harvesting areas of the Cape Floral Kingdom - not only because of the high diversity of plant material, but also because of its relatively close proximity to export transport. It is therefore one of our important sources of supply. Large quantities of fresh foliage products (Cape Greens) are also harvested here.
 Unfortunately the area is also heavily infested with invasive alien plants and dense stands of these "aliens" has resulted in fires being far hotter than would normally be the case in natural veld. The Fynbos has certain inborn strategies to ensure regeneration after a fire and therefore fire at the right time is necessary, but fires that are too hot or too frequent are detrimental for the continued existence of this species-rich floral kingdom. When veld is too old, it is a good thing that it burns and regenerates from soil- or bush-borne seed stores, but when fires are too hot, these seed stores burn away, and when fires are too frequent the plants do not mature sufficiently to produce new seed.
 The short and long-term prognosis is therefore difficult to establish as it is not at this stage known how much veld was too young and exactly where the densest stands of alien plants caused to fire to be too hot. What is, however, sure at this time is that there are going to be a number of products that will be in short supply for the next 4 to 5 years. We are actively looking in other areas for alternative products that where possible, can replace those quantities that will not be available.
The following products to a lesser or greater extent will be will be in short supply:
Salignum branches and loose cones
Sabulosum branches and cones
Decorum or Glabrum branches and cones
Compacta flowers and rosettes
Silver Brunia
Platyspermum
The area also produced small quantities of Repens red buds and flowers but the reduction in quantities will not seriously impact the total availability of this product.
Many farms are totally devastated and depending on their particular enterprise, face hardship for anything from 1 year to 5 years, with the resultant loss in income for workers and their families.
The extent of the devastation can be seen from the photographs in this article.
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