Adopt a Stream
One of the ventures that the FCC has attempted to encourage residents to participate in is the "Adopt a stream" or preferably "adopt a riparian zone" programme. This will not only have many benefits for the general public and the landowner next to a stream, but will also be of great ecological value. The end result of the activity is the restoration of a riparian zone including the stream bed and its flood area to its former natural condition.
What does the programme have to offer? Taking a pride in the beautification of the environment should suffice for most people, but the opportunity to control alien weeds, reduce storm damage and the purification of streams and the environment are good enough reasons.
Who can participate? Those that will achieve the greatest satisfaction are home owners, residents in town house complexes, and conservation and school groups, the latter in particular benefiting from the educational value of the exercise. The end result if carried out correctly will be a beautiful, weed-free stretch of stream with attractive trees and flowers which will enhance the aesthetic and financial value of the adjacent property.
A riparian area is the stream and its surrounds where the assemblages of plants and animals whose presence can either be directly attributed to factors that are stream-induced or stream related and are different from adjacent areas. There are several criteria that would have to be met before a stream is adopted. First of all a proposed layout must in no way restrict the flow of water, particularly in times of flood. Secondly shaping of the stream banks should not be undertaken unless approval is obtained from municipal authorities. In fact general approval should be obtained from the Parks Dept. of the Municipality before any area is adopted. Then the appropriate indigenous trees, shrubs and flowers should be planted, that is, care must be taken not to introduce vegetation that may become a problem in the future, or plants that belong to vegetation types completely foreign to the adopted area.
How does one go about adopting a stream and how does one proceed with the necessary improvements? The first step is to notify the authorities of the intention to adopt a stream and introduce them to the boundaries of the area to be improved. Then, working within the guidelines that they impose, start by clearing all the weeds from the area. Care must be taken not to bare expanses of soil which may be eroded away in times of flood. Vegetation may then be planted taking into account the different zones within the riparian area.
Zone 1 is the permanently wet area which will fluctuate according to the seasonal flow of the stream. This is the main watercourse and its immediate edge. This area has enormous potential for beautification. plants must be restricted to those that will not impede floods, and will also withstand the occasional water logging. Two flowers that immediately spring to mind are the river lily (Hesperantha coccinea) with its star-shaped, bright scarlet or pink flowers, and river bells (Phygelius aequalis), with tubular orange-red flowers hanging over the flowing water. Other plants include papyrus, bulrush, the latter often providing stems to support the remarkable nests of the thick-billed weaver, wild iris, and several species of red hot pokers. The later provide a blaze of colour at different times of the year, depending on the species. Then there is the large golden vlei iris and a few species of arum lilies.
Zone 2 is the seasonally wet zone which includes the lower bank that is usually moist and may be waterlogged during the wet season. Plants here should be strong-rooted and also provide little resistance to floods. Those mentioned under Zone 1 will do well here and the sedges known as iKwane grass could grow in both Zones 1 and 2. No trees should be planted in zones 1 and 2 as they will resist floods, aggravating the situation, and are also likely to be damaged by strong floods.
Zone 3 is the temporally wet zone and lies on top of the river bank. It is usually only wet or inundated by floods for short periods. Here attractive and ornamental trees can be planted. These include sagewood, halleria, black false currant, Cape chestnut, Natal laburnum, white stinkwood, forest bushwillow, river bushwillow, assegaai, cabbage tree, Natal and Cape fig (depending on the size of the zone), wild plum, pompon or dais, river indigo, yellowwood (all three species), Cape gardenia, September bells, quinine tree, red currant, waterberry and many other tree species.
There are many herbaceous plants that are suitable for this zone. Several of the spur flower family (Plectranthus spp.) will provide a blaze of colour in the shade of the trees in Autumn, while clivias and ribbon bush will also provide colour. Red hot pokers can also be grown in this zone.
Zone 4 will only flood during exceptional storms and will become dry in a short period of time. It is an area where a wide range of ornamental indigenous trees, shrubs and flowers can be planted both for aesthetic and ecological purposes.
The FCC committee has an extensive list of plants that are suitable for riparian zones and will be willing to assist in the planning of any riparian zone within their area.