A View from Alberts Farm

 

Friends of Alberts Farm Conservancy

 Who we are:

A community-based initiative comprising concerned residents from the areas bordering and beyond the Alberts Farm Conservancy.

 

Mission statement:

We aim to maintain and enhance the Alberts Farm Conservancy as a natural open space accessible to and utilised by the residential community of the area for recreational and educational purposes.

 

Objectives:

1. To recruit and manage the active involvement of the surrounding community to accomplish the mission statement, through a sound management structure, on a continuing basis.

2. To protect the Conservancy against damage to the natural environment and the strictly recreational and educational character of the facility by controlling entry and protecting against misuse.

3. To investigate, and where appropriate, support initiatives that will lead to the enhanced recreational and educational usage of the Conservancy.

4. To promote the responsible and appropriate usage of the Conservancy in the community by hosting activities and outreach projects on a regular basis.

 Background 

Alberts Farm was acquired by the City Council from the Alberts family and is of historical value to the area as the Alberts family was one of the first to trek up from the Cape Province to settle in the area. This particular 90 hectares of land was set aside as a green area for the benefit of the community.

 

The cemetery in the middle of the farm contains the graves of the families who owned farms on which the townships of Sophiatown, Albertsville, Albertskroon and Greenside are now situated.

 

Being an open area in the midst of a built-up suburb, Alberts Farm is of particular aesthetic value to our community.

 

The biodiversity of the land is unique in terms of species, habitat and landscape elements. It includes a wetland, the only artesian spring in Gauteng, a stream, dams, rocky ridge and natural grassland. It also forms an important habitat for birds, fish, reptiles and small mammals, and the wetland serves as an important natural purifier of polluted storm water from the surrounding built-up areas. The artesian spring feeds the main dam with fresh water.

 

A vegetative study of the area recorded 183 species, including a plant listed on the Red Data Plant List.

 

Apart from the conservational and educational importance of the area, the Farm plays an important recreational role in the social environment, with hiking, picnicking, dog-walking, jogging, cycling and fishing currently being the main attraction.

 

The park is also used for devotional purposes by several African Zionist Churches.

 

Our ultimate goal is to have the farm declared an Urban Conservancy.

 

Our immediate priorities are:

a)      the fencing of the farm

b)      repairing the dam wall, which is in very bad shape.

View from Albert's Farm

 

 

Friends of Alberts Farm Conservancy

Information - Nina - 083 583 5383

Email: nina@ditoro.org.za

Nina Venjakob

www.footprint.co.za/albertsfarm.htm