The Portman Park Team
Portman Park
Volunteers from Friends of Dawncliffe Parks started working in Portman Park, Dawncliffe at the beginning of June 2021, with the aim of eradicating the Invasive Alien Plants (IAP’s) and restoring the natural habitats. The first area to be tackled was a huge infestation of Mexican sunflower, which had taken over a large area on the Chiral Drive side of the park. This Invasive Alien Plant has the ability to quickly form dense stands and outcompete indigenous vegetation.
Invasive Alien Plants are found throughout the park but on-going maintenance work keeps the new growth under control
It has been exciting and rewarding to see how the landscape has changed since work began in 2021. Removing IAP’s allows indigenous grasses, ground covers and shrubs to move in, which in turn attracts many insects and birds.
Parks Department installed children’s play equipment in the centre manicured area near the picnic site and the community raised money for a jungle gym.
Meanwhile on the Portman Avenue side the verge and entrance areas have been transformed. Initially there was just bare sand, so compost and mulch was applied and a variety of wonderful indigenous flowering shrubs, aloes and ground covers have been planted to attract butterflies, bees and birds.
A rustic single rail fence has been erected around the perimeter of the park and a circular nature trail leads one around the park and this is enjoyed by walkers and their fury friends! Boardwalks have been added over the wetland areas and the path leads one across a footbridge into the forest and around a riverine loop. It is possible to walk right through into the grassland area along Chiral Drive.
The boardwalks, footbridge and fences were all built by volunteers.
We have complied a short tree list of the main species that can be found along the paths. Portman Park Tree List
A group of birders from BirdLife eThekwini KZN have visited the park a number of times and from the shade of the Albizia tree in the centre of the park and from members walking around the Riverine Loop a list of 80 bird species was compiled. We have a number of bird species nesting in the park, including Thick-billed weaver, Common fiscal, Crested barbet, White-eared barbet and Village weaver. The park is becoming a great birding destination!
A huge thank you goes to the team who have given up their time on Wednesday mornings to work in the park and to those who send gardeners to assist with keeping the nature trail brush cut. We also thank everyone who has donated to the park, as this enables us to employ skilled workers to keep IAP’s under control and contributes towards tools, consumables, plants and signage.
If you would like to join us and spend of couple of hours helping to restore our park and surrounding areas, please call Sue 0845595516. We are sure that you will find this a very rewarding experience! Or if you are able to contribute financially towards the improvements and on-going maintenance, this will be greatly appreciated!
