Page 27 - Intra Muros April Issue 2025

ESTATE NEWS

A few rules can help to give guidance on As you can see on the map, many activities getting rid of the water weeds have been
lowering the impact that people have on in Silver Lakes – such as children’s play carried out, including using plant-eating
each other. This type of environmental parks, fishing, golfing and hiking, etc. – rely fish and herbicides, as well as the manual
management falls to the homeowner on the environment. These activities need and mechanical removal of the hornwort
committees to investigate and adjust to be protected for residents and workers and the emptying of dams. Once control
where necessary. It’s important especially on the estate as well as for the fauna and was taken of the spilling pumping station
now, with most of our stands built up flora. They are not only important for the at Silver Stream, no spillages were logged.
and, as a result, the open spaces having greater environment, but also for people’s For now, it is possible that all spillage
become smaller. This means not only less pleasure and leisure. The activities add huge comes from within the estate via leakage
outdoor space for our children to play in, value to our properties as we are selling a and pop-ups from the sewage systems –
but also less space to live and graze for fully inclusive lifestyle experience not found this consideration will be included in new
the buck in the greater Silver Lakes (golf in many estates. We’re talking Club House maintenance programmes
course included) area. Therefore, the activities such as club memberships, movie - Note: Even though the hornwort is
pressure on managing the environment nights and music in the park, the regulated unsightly, it has a positive effect as it
becomes increasingly important, both for game of golf, open-air environmental serves as a filtering system to keep e-Coli
the people and the animals of the estate. activities such as walking and hiking, birding, and other pollution agents from our
fishing and more. water. Regular water testing shows this.
Hence, a revised Environmental The proof also appears in the fact that
Management Plan is of the utmost There are issues that have been loosely water seems cleaner so quickly after a
importance. mentioned by residents and committee serious spillage.
members. These should form part of our - Following a programme for the de-reeding
Natural parks, children’s parks and other Environmental Plan and should be divided of the dams and waterways on a yearly
green areas, such as the golf course into yearly, monthly and weekly items to basis. Currently, this is being carried out
and game reserve, make Silver Lakes a action. They include the following: in April/May during non-breeding season
unique estate. Therefore, we need to - One of the most important new issues for the birds, while the water is still warm
protect these areas not only against plaguing the estate over the past years is enough for working in. Even though the
misuse by homeowners and visitors, the introduction of hornwort to the dams of reeds are not indigenous, they are not
but also against natural elements such Silver Lakes. As mentioned in many articles, only needed for filtering water from
as dumping, pollution (sewage) and the original cause could have been birds pollution and keeping the embankments
flooding (stormwater) from other areas carrying seeds on their feet, sewage spills from eroding, but they also serve as
around us. and stagnant water. Many experiments for breeding areas for fish and birds.

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