By Jess Verheul, Peter Hagen, Pieter Botha, Alex Brock
On 12–13 July 2025, 29 enthusiastic volunteers gathered for our first collaborative conservation hack with the Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS) at Sybas Hut. The VWS train throughout winter to prepare for fire season and funny enough “high speed gardening” is a common activity on the fireline – so hacking seemed like a perfect fit for a key part of their training! While the property has seen hacks before, this was the first event in partnership with VWS — and it delivered excellent results. The weather was clear but freezing cold, the river Icy, and yet off we set up the valley!
The Hack
After a safety briefing and introduction to best-practice hacking techniques, participants spread out across the slopes around Sybas Hut to tackle Hakea, a highly invasive alien species threatening the surrounding fynbos ecosystem. A few stray pines were removed too, but the focus was squarely on the dense Hakea stands.
The team worked for around 4 hours on Saturday afternoon and 2 hours on Sunday morning, contributing a combined 174 volunteer hours (29 people × ~6 hours each). By the end of the weekend, 4.3 hectares of land had been cleared, giving indigenous vegetation breathing room and significantly reducing the fire risk posed by invasive plants.
The Experience
For many, this was their first exposure to an invasive hack, and it was rewarding to see the visible difference made in such a short time. The atmosphere was upbeat, with plenty of shared learning, teamwork, and a sense of doing something that really matters.
That evening, stories and laughter flowed around the hut, and by Sunday afternoon, everyone left with tired muscles, new skills, and a renewed appreciation for hands-on conservation work.
Acknowledgements
A huge thank you to Volunteer Wildfire Services for their enthusiastic collaboration and to every participant who gave their time and energy to the effort.
This was our first joint hack at Sybas Hut, and we hope it’s just the beginning. Invasive clearing is an ongoing challenge that requires consistency, so if you can spare the time and effort, please sign up for future hacks. Together, we can keep these precious mountain spaces healthy and thriving.
Why Remove Hakea?
Silky Hakea (Hakea sericea) is one of the most invasive alien species in the fynbos biome. It spreads aggressively, crowding out indigenous vegetation, consuming scarce water resources, and altering natural fire regimes. Its dense growth creates a significant fire hazard and degrades biodiversity.
Clearing Hakea, along with consistent follow-up, is critical to restoring and protecting our mountain ecosystems.
