N e w s l e t t e r D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1 D e s e m b e r N u u s b r i e f

Piketberg Tourism Tel/Fax: (022) 913 2063 Email: tourism@piketberg.com Website: piketberg.yolasite.com

Beste PTB Lid / Dear PTB Member Nou ja, daar is ons dan ook nou in die laaste maand van 2011. Vinniger kon hierdie jaar nie verby gegaan het nie! November was „n lekker bedrywige maand met menigte besoekers van wyd en suid, en dae was gevul met vele vergaderings.

In the meanwhile… let‟s take a brief look of what we‟ve achieved from June to November 2011:

Membership have grown with 20 new members;

A Piketberg Tourism Facebook page and a twitter account was established;

Piketberg Tourism attended INDABA 2011 in Durban;

Piketberg featured in the Breakfast Show, “Ontbytsake” on “KykNet”;

Hosted a PTB members meeting and an Annual General Meeting;

Hosted monthly committee meetings;

Designed a new Piketberg Tourism logo;

Printed shark-fin banners;

Underwent an accreditation process with accommodation establishments;

Hosted numerous students as part of training and practical experience;

A survey for members needs and requirements were done;

In association with Bergrivier Municipality, sponsored the Moravia bridge prize for The Bergriver Canoe Marathon 2011;

The new PTB Committee for 2011/2012 was elected;

Participated in the flower training and the update of the weekly flower report;

Exhibited at the Piketberg “Landbou en Blomme Skou”;

Gathered information for the update on the West Coast Travel Mosaic, West Coast Decoded, and the new Piketberg Map;

Piketberg Tourism did a workshop in association with the Institute for the Deaf about the impact of hearing loss in the workplace;

Awarded tourism awards (“Veertjie in die hoed”) to local contributors to the growth and development of local tourism;

A temporary PTB website was created;

PTB applied for additional funding for the development and restoration of the hiking route and other projects;

Attended the public participation of the development of the integrated development plan;

Attended numerous meeting and workshops through the past months; and

PTB advertised and had numerous articles in printed media.

Weskus Toerisme Beampte Opleiding te Swartland Vanaf 10-12 November 2011 is alle toerisme beamptes aan die Weskus genooi om deel te neem aan „n opleiding sessie te Swartland. Gedurende die opleiding het ons besoek afgelê by menigte plekke o.a. die Koring Museum te Moorreesburg, die rooi os in Riebeek Kasteel, Allesverloren Wynkelder, Kloovenburg, Riebeek Vallei Hotel, “Pleasant Pheasant”, ons het ook „n rondte gholf by Moorreesburg Gholf Klub geniet, „n “township” toer deur Illingilethu in Malmesbury, !Khwa ttu, Strandkombuis te Yzerfontein, Darling Museum, Evita se Perron, Malmesbury Museum in die ou sinagoge, Swartland Moederkerk (Mother Church), en uiteindelik die opleiding by “Desert Rose Farm Stall” afgesluit.

Word from the Bergrivier Municipality By Tracey Stone, Strategic Manager

Bergrivier Municipality is a member of the Local Action for Biodiversity (LAB) Programme, which is an international programme run by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). The key objective of the LAB programme is to support municipalities to integrate biodiversity into all aspects of their local governance. Bergrivier Municipality is the only B (local) Municipality to join the programme.

Weskus Toerisme Beamptes tydens ‘n gholf sessie

te Moorresburg Gholf Klub.

The Municipality has already undertaken the following as part of its membership of the LAB Programme:

We assessed the status of our local biodiversity and the way in which it is managed. This assessment was completed in June 2010.

We made a political commitment to protect our biodiversity through signature of the Durban Commitment in November 2010.

We hosted the ICLEI LAB International Conference in Velddrif during February 2011 this year which was very successful.

We developed a Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (LBSAP) which is a 10 year plan detailing broad strategies and specific actions that the municipality will implement in a bid to conserve and enhance its biodiversity. This plan was developed in cooperation with local stakeholders and was approved in May 2011. Implementation of these strategies and actions will ultimately: Develop our capacity to effectively manage its biodiversity and broader

environmental issues Integrate biodiversity considerations into municipal planning, policies and by-

laws Contribute to the eradication alien and invasive species that are impacting

negatively on our biodiversity Conserve freshwater aquatic ecosystems through sustainable use and

management of water resources Reduce the impact of waste and pollution Contribute to the private conservation of our biodiversity through partnerships Promote biodiversity by cleaning and greening our urban areas Create an awareness of the importance of conserving biodiversity Contribute to the obtaining of international conservation status for the Berg

Estuary through active participation on the Berg Estuary Management Forum Link biodiversity conservation to job creation and entrepreneurship

We are committed to the implementation of the LBSAP and will be addressing the implementation thereof in our 2012/13 – 2016/17 IDP. Biodiversity conservation is a joint responsibility and we look forward to establishing meaningful partnerships with all our stakeholders to undertake this task. More information on our biodiversity can be obtained on www.bergmun.org.za.

“Flight for Birders” BIRD IDENTIFICATION & CONSERVATION COURSE - 2 and 3 February 2012 “Flight for Birders” was developed to assist novices and experienced bird-watchers to become involved in bird-watching in a practical

and sustainable way. Basic steps in the identification of birds will be highlighted and the identification of garden birds, water birds, birds of prey and more difficult species such as swallows, waders and “little brown jobs” will be discussed systematically. The course is illustrated with more than 1,600 slides and drawings. Emphasis will be placed on the development of “Site Support Groups” for Important Bird Areas for the central West

Coast region of the Western Cape. Important conservation issues will be discussed and details will be given on how ordinary birders could become involved in conservation actions. A practical outing will be included, manuals will be distributed and certificates endorsed by BirdLife South Africa will be awarded. VENUE: De Berge Piketberg TIME: Thursday 2 and Friday 3 February 2012, both at 09h00 COSTS: R 400-00 per head

To register contact Elaine at 082 455 8402 or mwjasser@mweb.co.za

Wat gebeur in Desember? 2 Desember (Vrydag) – ACVV Piketberg, “Tillies” by Huis AJ Liebenberg, bied tee & koffie en eetgoedjies aan vanaf 08:30-13:00 teen R10 p/persoon. Daar is ook beskuit, kleinkoekies, koeksusters en nog vele meer te koop. Vir vedere navrae skakel 022 913 1525 / 084 5818 560.

9 Desember (Vrydag) – Skole sluit 16 Desember (Vrydag) – Publieke vakansie dag – Versoeningsdag 25 Desember (Vrydag) – Publieke vakansie

dag – Kersdag 26 Desember (Vrydag) – Publieke vakansie dag – Welwillenheidsdag

Bokmakierie

Kersboodskap van die Voorsitter Daar was eendag „n sterk houtkapper wat aansoek gedoen het vir werk by „n houthandelaar. Hy kry toe die werk en is sommer baie in sy skik met sy goeie salaris en werksomstandighede. Hy besluit om baie hard te werk om sy werk goed te doen. Die eerste dag kap hy 18 bome af. “Knap gedaan,” sê sy baas tevrede. “Hou so aan!” Die houtkapper was baie bly en het aanhou hard werk, maar elke dag daarna een boom minder afgekap as die vorige dag. Hy kon dit nie verstaan nie en gaan vra na „n paar dae sy baas omverskoning vir sy swak werk. Sy baas vra toe: “Wanneer laas het jy jou byl skerpgemaak?” Hy antwoord toe verbaas: “Skerpgemaak? Daar was nie tyd daarvoor nie, want ek was te besig om genoeg bome te probeer afkap….” Waar ons aan die einde van 2011 kom en dikwels moet terug kyk waar kom ons vandaan dan kan ons met trots sê ja… ons het baie bereik (baie bome afgekap) ons moet net sorg dat ons 2012 met skerp byle binnegaan. Ons hardewerk om toerisme te bevorder werp nou vrugte af met die komende vakansie seisoen, ons moet nou reeds weer plant vir die volgende seisoen. Terselfdetyd moet ons tydmaak om Christus se geboortedag te vier. Bestuurslede en lede van Piketberg Toerisme gun my dan nou die voorreg om vir u en familie „n aangename rustyd en feeswense oor te dra en te fokus ook in u persoonlike lewe om altyd tyd te maak om daardie belangrike byl van die lewe skerp te maak en onthou om God se genade met seën te ontvang. Ek dank u vir die ondersteuning op verskillende vlakke, vertroue in my en bestuur gestel om Toerisme ook in ons dorp te bevorder sodat daar genoeg “bome” (nog lede) sal wees vir ons om hard te werk in 2012. “Ons is almal op „n reis. Die lewe het die vermoë om dinge op „n wonderlike manier te verander.” Laastens ons Hemelse Vader wat ons die genade, wysheid en krag gegee het om hierdie taak te kon verrig. – Dankie. VREDE, LIEFDE maar nie sonder HOOP is my wense vir u almal in die Feesseisoen van 2011 wat ons sal herinner aan HOM wat vir ons gebore is en vir ons sondes gesterf het. „n Voorspoedige 2012 met baie bome en „n skerp byl vir almal.

PTB Voorsitter Jan du Toit

Voor ek afsluit… van my kant af wil ek ieder en elk bedank wat my verwelkom het in „n nuwe pos in die begin van die jaar. Dankie vir almal se geduld en ondersteuning. Sonder julle sou ek dit nie kon doen nie. Dankie ook aan beide die 2010/2011 en 2011/2012 PTB Bestuurspan. Mag die mooiste seën wense julle vergesel tydens die Kersseisoen. Mag God jul en jul geliefdes ryklik seën in 2012. Kersgroete, en „n mooi week verder.