The Friends of Silvermine Nature Area (FOSNA) was started as specific offshoot of the Wildlife & Environmental Society of South Africa (WESSA) in 1992, with a specific focus of raising awareness of the importance and value of the Silvermine River which has its source in the Silvermine Nature Reserve (under the management of the Table Mountain National Park), and is outlet into False Bay between the residential suburbs of Clovelly and Fish Hoek. FOSNA was established to ensure that there were eyes on the ground so that issues of conservation - of plants, water, animals, soil - were being looked after.
In 2002, FOSNA encouraged the formation of an interest group, called the Riverine Rovers, which has a specific focus on the Silvermine River - from source to sea. Most of its focus, since its formation has been on the maintenance of what is know by Clovelly and Fish Hoek residents, as "the wetland". This area includes the area from the "pipe bridge" down to the sea, which is made up of a network of paths that are utilised by the public for recreational purposes and which includes information boards regarding the local fauna and flora, mosaics developed communally in a local art studio in Clovelly by residents depicting fauna and flora from the wetland, as well as an insect inn, as part of a broad educational programme to encourage schools in the area to use the space as an "outdoor classroom".
These educational, oversight and maintenance activities are overseen by a small group of volunteers from the Fish Hoek and Clovelly communities, who have oversight, in partnership with the City of Cape Town for the maintenance and promotion of educational activities within the wetland area. The Riverine Rovers also works in partnership with other community based entities such as the Clovelly Alien Clearing Group, and the Fish Hoek and Clovelly Neighbourhood Watch organisations, in order to ensure that aliens are kept in check, and that the area is safe to use by the public and all activities have the support of entities such as Table Mountain National Park, the City of Cape Town, as well as Community Policing Forums and relevant law enforcement entities.
As a community based entity, we endeavour to get both the users, as well as residents of both Fish Hoek and Clovelly as actively involved in our programmes so that together - as a collective - we can preserve and enhance the natural treasure that is on our doorstep - the Lower Silvermine Wetland Area.
The Friends of Silvermine Nature Area (FOSNA) was started as specific offshoot of the Wildlife & Environmental Society of South Africa (WESSA) in 1992, with a specific focus of raising awareness of the importance and value of the Silvermine River which has its source in the Silvermine Nature Reserve (under the management of the Table Mountain National Park), and is outlet into False Bay between the residential suburbs of Clovelly and Fish Hoek. FOSNA was established to ensure that there were eyes on the ground so that issues of conservation - of plants, water, animals, soil - were being looked after.
In 2002, FOSNA encouraged the formation of an interest group, called the Riverine Rovers, which has a specific focus on the Silvermine River - from source to sea. Most of its focus, since its formation has been on the maintenance of what is know by Clovelly and Fish Hoek residents, as "the wetland". This area includes the area from the "pipe bridge" down to the sea, which is made up of a network of paths that are utilised by the public for recreational purposes and which includes information boards regarding the local fauna and flora, mosaics developed communally in a local art studio in Clovelly by residents depicting fauna and flora from the wetland, as well as an insect inn, as part of a broad educational programme to encourage schools in the area to use the space as an "outdoor classroom".
These educational, oversight and maintenance activities are overseen by a small group of volunteers from the Fish Hoek and Clovelly communities, who have oversight, in partnership with the City of Cape Town for the maintenance and promotion of educational activities within the wetland area. The Riverine Rovers also works in partnership with other community based entities such as the Clovelly Alien Clearing Group, and the Fish Hoek and Clovelly Neighbourhood Watch organisations, in order to ensure that aliens are kept in check, and that the area is safe to use by the public and all activities have the support of entities such as Table Mountain National Park, the City of Cape Town, as well as Community Policing Forums and relevant law enforcement entities.
As a community based entity, we endeavour to get both the users, as well as residents of both Fish Hoek and Clovelly as actively involved in our programmes so that together - as a collective - we can preserve and enhance the natural treasure that is on our doorstep - the Lower Silvermine Wetland Area.
