Stay humble and curious and keep learning!
Every person we meet, every project we work on, and every site we visit yields new things to learn. This is what makes environmental management such an interesting field! The best teachers keep working and learning, and I just had to share some interesting snippets from my ECO diary with you, enjoy!
How landfills are made! The care and attention that goes into a landfill that gets all our trash is underestimated. Careful preparation goes into smoothing the sides and lining each landfill cell with several protective layers supporting the impermeable liner that protects the surrounding environment from waste-contaminated leachate. Leachate is drained to a leachate lagoon for evaporation or treatment before disposal.
Keeping it natural – retaining exposed rocks within the surfacing of this coastal pathway and leading the path around key landforms respects this beautiful environment and character. Tamping the surface with a straight edge and pouring over shell grit while the surface of the concrete is still wet improves the grip of the finished path for better pedestrian safety and adds to the natural aesthetic.
Masterpieces under our roads – This is a culvert allowing a mountain stream to pass under a major road. It is surprising to find such architectural beauty in a functional structure that almost no one ever sees. Motorists above are oblivious of the structure underneath and below we cannot hear the busy road above – only the sound of water and the birds in the surrounding nature reserve.
Snake trap attempt! This trap has been set up to catch and relocate an elusive cape cobra that is terrifying the staff at this fynbos production nursery. They tell me the trap is baited and once the snake finds his way in he cannot find his way out again. Does it work? We will have to wait and see.
To be continued!
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