Homepage Latest news About us Environmental History Birdlife Other Creatures Vegetation Future Plans Homes at Korsmans Pictures Contact History• Hunting of birds in the early days• Using the southern bank as a dumping site for the newly established town• Dogs and cats killing the birdlife• Planting non-indigenous trees as was customary in the early part of the previous century.• Residential development too close to the pan and actually within the wetland area. Human Impact on Korsman • Routing storm water drainage from the wider Benoni area to the pan.• The more constant water level allowed the reeds (Phragmites Australis) to cover most of the transitional zone • The spreading of exotic trees changed the vegetation in parts of the sanctuary from Highveld grassland to a small tree forest.• Motor vehicles killing many bullfrogs during the migration season. • Sewerage spills caused by two malfunctioning, under capacity sewerage pumping stations in the bird sanctuary. A special word of thanks to Anne Mearns who provided most of the information and old photographs in this section.Through the middle of Benoni runs a shallow valley where many varieties of buck have come to drink water from streams and wetlands. Some 50 000 years ago, bushmen hunted in Benoni and their weapons (spear points, knives) have been found north of Cranbourne station in this shallow valley.The need for water by the emerging gold mining industry resulted in a series of man-made dams in the valley, these dams eventually feed the Blesbokspruit.Korsman Bird Sanctuary is situated about one kilometer south of the valley and covers an area of approximately 45 -50 hectares. Coverage of the area by water varies from 0% in the dry winter months to approximately 70% in summer, with the rest being mixed grassland with trees and rocky outcrops. In the early 1800s Trek Boers passing through Benoni, outspanned, camped, shot game at the pan and allowed their cattle to graze and drink water. Animals that were present in the area were warthog, blesbok, ostriches, duiker and steenbok. In the early 1900s Korsman Bird Sanctuary as it is presently established was part of a farm with an open pan that was used by local inhabitants as a source of game. The southern bank of the pan was also used as a rubbish dump site for the first inhabitants of the newly formed town. In 1909 the Benoni Municipal Council requested residents to plant trees.. Blue Gum, Pine, Poplars, Spruce and many other exotic species were planted all over the Benoni area and some of the trees still grow in the Conservancy. Townships were proclaimed in 1920 and 70 stands were laid out in the suburb known as Lakefield. Many stands were declared around the pan area and the residents of the area were allowed to shoot the duck for sport. Initially, the pan was unfenced, and was inhabited by many Wild Duck and the wildlife that were shot for sport by the first inhabitants. Waterfowls were hunted and killed by dogs in the area. Cattle and sheep grazed and watered at the pan area. The late Mr. Korsman, a former Town Councillor, used to take his dog for a walk every day to the pan (he stayed in Sunny Road near the Pan). He was a great admirer of birdlife and was shocked to see how many birds were killed by dogs. He decided to do something about this problem and arranged a meeting at the pan, to which he invited Mr. Smith, a former Town Engineer of Benoni, as well as the Head of Parks, Mr. Dubbeld. They were astonished by the great diversity of waterfowl at the pan. It was then decided in 1953 to protect the bird life by fencing off the pan area. During 1954 Phragmites and bull rushes were planted at the pan. In addition exotic trees were planted over a three-day period.The fencing was completed in 1956 and the area was named “Korsman Bird Park” after the originator of the scheme. The fencing was to protect it from vagrancy and destruction and in particular to protect the bird life and the animals. Turnstiles in the fence provided access to humans, but kept dogs out. These turnstiles were subsequently replaced with proper gates to prevent access of humans and animals. More trees were planted in the pan area during 1954 and 1956. Blesbok, duiker, springbok and steenbok were introduced into the pan area in 1956. In 1959 eight ostriches were also introduced to Korsman: of which two were stolen and five died, leaving only one female. A male ostrich was imported from Nigel for breeding purposes. The first chicks, unfortunately rejected by their mother, were put into a nursery until they were old enough to be brought back to the Sanctuary. In 1985 the female laid another eight eggs from which two chicks died and the remaining six were reared successfully. In 1964 three Zebras were presented to Korsman by Mr. M. Nestadt. However after two years it became apparent that the Zebras did not want to share the Sanctuary with other animals and started to kill the newly - born buck. The Zebras were then transferred to another Reserve near Nigel and in 1967 Korsman Park was declared Korsman Bird Sanctuary by the Transvaal Department of Nature Conservation.In 1966 a Blue Crane was introduced in the sanctuary. During the rainy season in the early fifties the water level of the pan was to the level of the stands and millions of frogs inhabited the grounds around the pan.In October 1985, 100 large and 50 small Bullfrogs were introduced to the pan. In November 1985, the Wilger Veld and Youth Conservation Club planted 80 indigenous trees in the Sanctuary. In December 1985 the only Steenbuck was stolen and the Department of Nature Conservation donated another Steenbuck to Korsman Bird Sanctuary. In October 1986 another 400 frogs were put into Korsman Bird Sanctuary.Unfortunately many of the frogs were killed trying to cross The Drive, a road that runs around the Korsman Pan. Migration of the frogs to other pans in the area is virtually impossible due to the urban development.In 1986 the Wilger Veld and Youth Club started to use the Sanctuary as an Outdoor Classroom and even up to 2009 they still took groups of youth into Korsman.Recognising the need to preserve and upgrade Korsman Bird Sanctuary, a group of concerned volunteers, under the leadership of the late well-known conservationist Ian Dustan, formed the group known as “Friends of Korsmans”, in November 2002. The group fell under the auspices of WESSA, the Wildlife and Environmental Society of SA (now defunct).The group held monthly work parties, at which litter was collected, inlets to the pan were cleared, and the domestic geese and dilapidated wire structures (old pens for the animals) were removed. Indigenous trees and succulents were planted, while invasive alien plants (bugweed, black locust,/pseudoacacia, thistle, khakibos) were removed.Fun walks around the Sanctuary, and educational guided walks within the Sanctuary, were also organised to raise funds for various projects. One of these was the erection in 2005 of the Pam Golding hide (largely sponsored by Pam Golding in Benoni) near the southern pump station at Aloe Street, where the approach to the hide was fenced off, to make the hide openly accessible to all.(Prior to the formation of "Friends of Korsmans", WESSA had sponsored and organised the building of the hide near the Divot Street pump station. Due to the fact that there was no walkway to the hide this hide was unfortunately not accessible to the general public.This hide was accidentally burned down by council workers in September 2007.) History Circa 1950 YOUR REFUGE FROM THE RAT RACE Registration number GCSA066 To see all content, you will need the current version of Adobe Flash Player to view it. |