Mountain Peach Traditional Cache
Hidden : 11/22/2013
Difficulty:
2.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2.5 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:


A cache in the Giba Gorge Environmental Precinct. (GGEP )





This is part of the GGEP series of caches we have placed. It will be a quick grab on your way to the next cache. Enjoy the peace, fresh air and the bird life as you walk through the gorge.

Giba



Nature conservation involves the sustainable use of the earth’s biodiversity in order for present and future generations to have access to them and the many rewards that they offer. By biodiversity we are talking about the habitats, species and ecological processes that occur in nature. In the context of Giba, these are the grasslands, forests, rivers, cliffs and the many plants and animals that exist here, as well as the processes, such as nutrient cycling, which enable these resources to function.

What are the threats to nature conservation in Giba?



The biggest threat to nature conservation in Giba is the displacement of natural habitat by other more degraded forms, such as feral gum plantations, polluted rivers, etc. Ideally, one should get to the root causes of these problems and prevent these from occurring. For instance, illegal commercial muthi harvesting in Giba has lead to the destruction of many canopy forest trees. This has opened up gaps in the forest thereby allowing for the increased penetration of light to the forest floor. Many alien invasive plant species out compete indigenous species in occupying these new gaps that have opened up. The root causes of this problem are two-fold:

1.) The existence of alien plants in the area – through the introduction of ornamental species, escapees from gum, wattle and pine plantations, and other uncontrolled introductions. This problem is huge and can only be solved if every landowner in Giba and surrounding suburbs (state and private) combines efforts to effectively eradicate these species.

Giba


Pine trees growing in the grassland.

Giba


Yellow Bells invading good quality grassland.

Giba


Ginger Lilly – highly invasive in Giba’s forests.

2.) Commercial muthi harvesting –traditional muthi harvesting carried out by trained nyangas utilises sustainable harvesting techniques and has little negative impact on the natural environment. The commercial form of this practice, however, has dire consequences to the environment and, if not controlled, can lead to the destruction of entire habitats. In Giba, the forest habitats are under the greatest threat from this activity.

Other common threats in Giba include:

Pollution and sedimentation of rivers
Soil erosion
Unplanned fire regimes
Hunting

Giba


Confiscated weapon and animal remains as a result of hunting.

Given that problems such as these are likely to persist in Giba Gorge in the short and medium term, intensive management of these threats is necessary if we are to secure these natural areas in their current (and improved upon) form.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

22 zrgref bss gur genvy HCBE

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


Attributes

No attributes available

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