First lantana hack since lockdown

Please note that the reserve operating hours are back to normal from 06:00 to 18:00.  Entry in the afternoons is not allowed by the City of Tshwane after 17:00. 

Unfortunately picnics are still not allowed, but group activities may be resumed, subject to it being limited to 10 people.  We will commence with our scheduled monthly hacks from this month:

Lantana hack Sunday 20 Sept:

Time:    07:00 – 10:00

Where:  Meet @ Faerie Glen Nature Reserve main entrance

Who:     Everybody is welcome!

RSVP:    Please e-mail or SMS if you plan on helping

What to bring: 

-Pruning shears (large and/or small)

-hand-saw / klein handsaag

–Gardening gloves

–Sun hat, old clothes (long sleeved) and closed shoes for working in the field

-Something to drink to keep hydrated

FFGNR will provide:

-Herbicide

-Tree poppers

Louise Kritzinger

Chairperson

(Cell: 072 275 0614)

Friends of the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve

admin@fgnr.co.za

Membership Special

Join now for unlimited access. Only R160 per family for the 6 months ending 28 February 2021. SnapScan payment available. See our membership page.

FORGE hiking trail map app

The Faerie Glen Nature Reserve hiking trail map is available on the free FORGE hiking app. https://www.forgesa.com/

Level 2 Lockdown at Faerie Glen Nature Reserve

Government has announced the country moving down to Level 2 Covid-19 restrictions.  Although this is good news, social distancing measures shall remain applicable and visitors to the reserve must continue wearing masks at the entrance and sanitizing their hands.  We will be able to resume our activities at the reserve and will keep you posted on upcoming activities.  The reserve returned to its normal operating hours between 06:00 and 18:00 from 1 September.

Security: Please take note that due to high visitor numbers over weekends, there has been car theft taking place next to January Masilela where people have parked their cars on the open field, when the parking area was full.  The City of Tshwane will let the guards monitoring the parking area take turns to monitor the field from this weekend.  But please be aware of the security risk.

Faerie Glen Nature Reserve will OPEN on Monday 15 June 2020!

We are pleased to announce that the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve will finally open its doors again on Monday 15 June. We have assisted CoT Nature Conservation to make this possible. There will however be strict protocol to be followed and a limit on the number of visitors as stipulated by CoT Nature Conservation. Please read the protocol to be followed carefully below:

PROTOCOL TO BE FOLLOWED WHEN FAERIE GLEN RESERVE OPENS FOR PUBLIC

RESERVE WILL ONLY BE OPEN FROM 07:00 – 17:00

• NO VISITS TO BIRD HIDES/NO PICNICS ALLOWED/BENCHES OFF LIMITS
• NO GROUP ACTIVITIES/EVENTS
• ALL OTHER RULES AND REGULATIONS OF FAERIE GLEN RESERVE MUST BE ADHERED TO
• Visitors must wear a mask when entering the parking area and entrance building. Masks may be removed during exercise, but be replaced when in proximity to other visitors.
• Physical distancing of 1,5 m must be adhered to.
• A maximum of 50 people will be allowed into the reserve at any given time
• 20 Vehicles will be allowed at one time in the parking lot
• The security official will scan ALL persons in a vehicle before the visitors enter the parking area. Any vehicle with a person with temperature of more than 38⁰C will be asked to turn around
• The visitors must remember their temperature for recording on the COVID-19 visitors register

NO PERSON TO RECORD OWN DETAILS ON REGISTER (ONLY SECURITY OFFICIAL TO RECORD DETAILS – NO SIGNATURE REQUIRED)

• Security official must also record telephone number
• Membership cards and dog permits to be presented to security official and cashier at entrance building
• Visitors to remain in vehicles until the person controlling visitors indicates visitor to advance to pay point
• Hands of visitors will be sanitized before entering building. Visitors may use their own personal sanitizer if preferred.
• Only one person allowed in ablution facility at any time. Hands will be sanitized before entering the bathroom. Ablution to be wiped off with sanitizer after each person exits the bathroom

Please note that the Rietvlei Nature Reserve opened today and can therefore be visited over the weekend for those desperate to experience nature again.

Kind regards,

Louise Kritzinger

Chairperson

(Cell: 072 275 0614)

Friends of the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve

admin@fgnr.co.za

www.fgnr.co.za

www.facebook.com/faerie.glen.nature.reserve

Update on preparations to open Faerie Glen Nature Reserve again

Please be advised that the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve is still not open yet, due to preparations taking place regarding Covid-19 safety measures. Staff working at the reserve, are also in the process of returning to Pretoria from their home provinces. Please be patient and know that we will inform you as soon as we have a date for the reserve’s reopening. Just hang in there.

In the meantime, there are other options to experience nature again this weekend. Why not visit the Dinokeng Game Reserve in the North of Pretoria (40min drive from downtown Pretoria)? This is a unique game reserve with a large variety of game, including the Big Five.

The Dinokeng Game Reserve is open again for visitors for self drive purposes only (no stay-over) or visits to restaurants or picnics. Ablution facilities are available. The Game Reserve is open from 06:00 to 18:00 and offers 140km of tracks to follow with your vehicle. The Dinokeng Visitor’s Guide provides more information. Please note that there are gate fees involved. R250 per vehicle and a R80 conservation fee per person (R50 for children).

Please consider supporting Dinokeng, as they have been severely affected by the Lockdown regulations and are still not able to open their lodges, restaurants and other facilities again. This has a direct impact on the welfare of the animals and the staff working at the reserve and off course their families.

Please visit the Dinokeng Game Reserve website for more info: https://www.dinokengreserve.co.za/

Here is also an article published recently on the impact the Lockdown has had on Dinokeng:

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-05-20-national-lockdown-tightens-its-grip-on-game-reserves-and-their-staff/

Faerie Glen Nature Reserve will not reopen on Monday 1 June 2020

In a surprise turn of events, the minister of tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, announced on Saturday evening that South Africans may hike again from 1 June, although under the general exercise rules, which means no groups.

Please take note that we have been advised by CoT Nature Conservation that the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve WILL NOT BE OPEN on Monday 1 June, as the Covid-19 regulations pertaining to safety measures need to be met before it can be opened to the public. We will assist CoT Nature Conservation management to make sure the FGNR opens as soon as possible.

We will keep everyone informed as to the reopening date of the FGNR.

We thank you for your patience and continued support for the Friends.

Kind regards,

Louise Kritzinger

Chairperson

Friends of the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve

admin@fgnr.co.za

http://www.fgnr.co.za

http://www.facebook.com/faerie.glen.nature.reserve

Faerie Glen Nature Reserve remains closed under Level 3 Lockdown

We would just like to bring everyone up to date with the latest regulations gazetted for Lockdown Alert Level 3.

 

Regrettably, under Section 39 (2)(m) of the regulations: Places and premises closed to the public:

 

Beaches and public parks remain closed to the public

 

Please take note that we have submitted comments on draft regulations throughout the lockdown period to motivate for the reopening of nature areas and green belts for exercise purposes only. Unfortunately government decided otherwise. We will continue to appeal for our reserve and other public nature areas to be reopened, as these areas are important for both the physical and spiritual wellbeing of people, young and old.

 

We thank you for your patience and continued support to our organisation.

 

Kind regards,

 

Louise Kritzinger

 

Chairperson

Friends of the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve

admin@fgnr.co.za

http://www.fgnr.co.za

HACK CANCELLED SUNDAY 22 MARCH 2020

Please be informed that we have been forced to cancel the hack this Sunday 22 March at 07:00 by the City of Tshwane due to the stringent measures implemented to combat the Covid-19 virus.

The reserve also remains closed until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Please note that his is out of our hands and we have no authority over this decision.

We will keep members posted as to the latest developments.

Best regards,

Louise Kritzinger

Chairperson

(Cell: 072 275 0614)

Friends of the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve

admin@fgnr.co.za

http://www.fgnr.co.za

http://www.facebook.com/faerie.glen.nature.reserve

Faerie Glen Nature Reserve Closed Until Further Notice

We have been informed that all City of Tshwane’s (CoT) nature reserves and resorts (including the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve) will be closed as of today with immediate effect until further notice due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The instruction comes from Minister David Makhura, Premier of Gauteng and communicated to us through CoT Nature Conservation and Resorts.

We will, however, be able to continue with our scheduled monthly hack this Sunday at 07:00, as this is deemed permissible by the CoT. We therefore urge members to use the opportunity to improve the reserve’s wellbeing by assisting us in the removal of invasive plants on Sunday. We will ensure that we practice social distancing as prescribed for Covid-19.

We will inform everyone of any further updates or changes to the Minister’s decision.