Hilton College Nature Reserve

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David Clulow joined the Amber Valley Walkers recently to ramble about on Hilton College Estate. He submitted this description and pictures:

Picnic corner where we began and returned to in two hours time for lunch.  A Dombeya rotundifolia (Wild Pear)tree in white bloom. Some unburned older grasslandsan early example of what was to prove a great number of Cycads on the trailsometimes the path was level, sometimes notThe Krantz towers above usStrangler fig with magnificent root systemThere are views across and up the valleySpring must be nearAlways good signage of the pathwayswaterfall, with water – even in winterThe valley below, through the treesCoral tree, with startling red blossom in the otherwise dry landscapeBack in the valley – the uMngeni river flows wella pool with water moving stronglyThe Trumpeter Hornbill, zoomed in on, at an altitude of 910 meters and GPS at 29 28 20s  30 17 18eBesides seeing the Giraffe, herds of Wildebeest, Impala, and a number of Eland (are again under threat in the Drakensberg area) we were favoured with the sighting of a magnificent Tawny Eagle, which has found refuge in this well-conserved reserve.

To visit contact: The Wildlife Centre at Hilton College 033 383 0100

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About Midlands Conservancies Forum

Welcome to the Midlands Conservancies Forum Blog. The conservancy movement in South Africa has its roots in KZN Midlands with Balgowan being the first conservancy established in 1978 by landowners in the area who were concerned about the reduction in the number of game and general degradation of the environment. Today there are 14 conservancies within or overlapping the Umgeni Local Municipality. In keeping pace with international environmental issues and the ever-increasing threat to our dwindling biodiversity the conservancy movement has expanded its influence to include challenges way beyond the founding concerns for the reduction in game and general degradation of the environment. The fact of the matter is that, at the very least, the state of the environment in the KZN Midlands is of vitally and direct importance to well in excess of 3 million people who depend largely on this region for their fresh water. In terms of global the planet has 34 biodiversity hotspots which are the Earth’s most biologically rich and threatened areas. These hotspots hold especially high numbers of unique species, yet their combined area now covers only 2.3 percent of the Earth's land surface. South Africa is home to 3 of the 34 global biodiversity hotspots and the Midlands not only falls into the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot but is one of the 21 priority nodes that have been identified by the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund for investment aimed at securing existing biodiversity. The Midlands Conservancy Forum is proud to have been awarded a two year grant that has been used to establish the MCF Biodiversity Stewardship project that is working closely with KZN Wildlife. The reality of the Conservancy movement is that it has until know been championed by volunteers who are landowners and, in many cases, have precious little time and therefore this needs to be used to the maximum potential. This has lead to the establishment, and current success, of the MCF. It is an ideal forum to share knowledge, experiences and collectively tackle common issues in the most co-0rdinated and effective way possible. It is also a forum that has the capacity, through its landowner support base, geographical influence and biological inventory, to attract funding for critical environmental projects. It is also a forum for any and all government departments, NGOs and industries to engage with environmentally minded landowners. Through this blog we hope to promote the aims of the MCF in general and the sharing of information in particular. It is your platform to express and respond to ideas and concerns. Please use it wisely and respectfully!

1 thought on “Hilton College Nature Reserve”

  1. David Clulow

    Dear Nikki,

    Once again you have excelled at the posting of a walk – this time the Hilton College Nature Reserve Outing. I loved the occasion and I hope some others manage to do so too. I could not get you a phone number for the Hilton College Wildlife Section, because our cellphones are appalling in our place in Boston, insofar as comms are concerned, and we have no others. Thanks so much, Nikki

    David

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