"Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land." Aldo Leopold

SOLAR ENERGY

In 2007 / 2008 all the Riverton staff housing and the stable office received solar geysers and an on-going policy of replacing existing geysers and new geysers with solar geysers has been implemented. In 2010 the owners home received a solar geyser.

WATER CONSERVATION

Living in a low rainfall area we are very aware of the need to conserve water.
The majority of the houses and sheds on the farm have tanks to collect rainwater.
The bath water from the guest house irrigates the camps behind the house.
All the vineyards and orchards have efficient drip irrigation that is closely monitored.

To encourage water optimisation, Riverton occassionally has staff competitions to chose the best vegetable garden. The added benefit of having fresh organic vegetables available at the dinner table cannot be underestimated.

In 2007 a large number of the alien water guzzling Blue Gum (Eucalyptus) trees were professionally chopped down along our stretch of the Breede River. A single Blue Gum tree can consume up to 600 litres of water per day.

ALIEN TREES

A decade or so ago a rust fungus (Uromycladium tepperianum) that is specific to reducing the reproductive and vegetative growth of the alien Port Jackson (Acacia Saligna) trees along the Breede River was introduced. Whilst not exterminated, the Port Jackson's ferocious growth has been curbed to allow vegetation indigenous to our area to regain a foothold. Several times per week Port Jackson branches are also chopped down to provide food for our goats. In 2011 we also had 2 scholars chop down Port Jackson trees as part of their community service to achieve their President's Award.

Riverton has always been home to the most magnificent trees and it is our policy to replace fallen down trees and plant new indigenous trees on an on going basis.

BIOLOGICAL FLY CONTROL

Flies are always a nuisance to both man and horse. Whilst the stables and houses are on occassion safely sprayed for flies and midges and fly traps are hung near the stables, any fly control programme that only focuses on the adult fly is ineffective. By the time one sees a fly to control, you probably have a 60% chance that she has already laid her 900 eggs.

Riverton receives 15000 wasp eggs, Muscidifurax raptor and Nasonia spp., twice a month. These are planted in shallow soil in areas that have been indentified as prime breeding ground for flies. These tiny wasps (parasites) hatch and attack up to 10 different kinds of flies, including blowflies and horse flies.

NB: The wasp parasite cannot become an invader as it parasitises fly larvae and fly pupae, after which it dies at the end of its natural life cycle of 3-4 weeks.