Art has a key role to play in supporting and promoting conservation, particularly in Southern Africa. This was the core premise of a thought-provoking event called “Art and Conservation – a Southern African Dialogue” held at the Alliance Française in Johannesburg on 15 June. The event showcased a photographic exhibition and the work of contemporary South African artist, … [Read more...]
EU nature restoration law: fighting the climate crises
The Commission’s proposal is a huge milestone; it is the first major piece of EU biodiversity legislation since the Habitats Directive in 1992. We call for its urgent adoption and implementation as it is a true and strong attempt to reverse the tide of biodiversity loss and climate change. The European Parliament and Council of the EU must fully endorse the positive elements … [Read more...]
Winter Wonders Special comes to Kirstenbosch
From 25 June to 18 July, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is holding its annual Winter Wonders Special where children 17 years and younger receive free entry into Kirstenbosch. A #mywinterwonders competition will add even more excitement to the winter school holiday. Winter at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden offers the most sensational views and natural … [Read more...]
First successful rooting of Yellow Peeling Plain Tree
2022 has been an incredible year for SANBI and conservation horticulturist and tree expert Mpendulo Gabayi from Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Mpho Mathalauga (horticulturist) from KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden, and Ntsakisi Masia (seed collector - Millennium Seed Bank Partnership) from Thohoyandou National Botanical Garden as they were triumphant in their … [Read more...]
Game reserve integrates indigenous knowledge
Looked at one way it’s a game reserve. In another, it’s a vast cattle ranch. Or prime rangeland. Whichever way one looks at it, Shangani Holistic, in the Zimbabwe midlands, lives up to its name, fusing all the elements of its ecosystem so that each flourishes to the benefit of the others. Director Max Makuvise refers to the enterprise as a “multispecies farming unit.” His … [Read more...]
Number of wildfires to rise by 50% by 2100
Climate change and land-use change are projected to make wildfires more frequent and intense, with a global increase of extreme fires of up to 14 per cent by 2030, 30 per cent by the end of 2050 and 50 per cent by the end of the century, according to a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and GRID-Arendal. The paper calls for a radical change in government … [Read more...]
Preparing for fire season
Currently the wildfire that started at Lourensford Estate in Somerset West rages forth into the mountains. Unseasonal hot, dry conditions turned wild vegetation into a tinder box. This is happening more frequently as global warming escalates. The number of wildfires worldwide is forecast to rise by 50% by 2100. Read more about that here and be prepared. Climatic … [Read more...]
Opening the door to conservation cooperation
The signing of two important agreements at the residence of French Ambassador Mr. Aurélien Lechevallier, in Pretoria on 7 June, has opened the door to critical regional and inter-continental co-operation in the field of biodiversity. This will impact on spatial and development planning as well as policy making and open the door to critical peer-to-peer learning, said … [Read more...]
Clean up coming to Blue Lagoon Beach
As nature-lovers get ready to celebrate World Ocean Day on Wednesday 8 June, Green Corridors, the Durban-based NPO that looks after green spaces in the City, employing a team of ecotourism and nature guides, clean-up co-ordinators, agroecologists, and recycling experts, call on citizens to be mindful, that the ocean is one of the City’s (and the world’s) most important … [Read more...]
Developing a sustainable venison sector in Africa
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations says that wild meat possesses several added advantages over domesticated species in terms of range usage, physiological and ecological adaptations to the African environment, disease tolerance and productivity, crediting it among the healthiest meats available. This year as part of the annual Taste of Game campaign, … [Read more...]
Beetle wages ecological destruction in SA
The Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer beetle poses a significant threat to what makes South Africa’s biodiversity unique. It could potentially be one of South Africa’s largest ecological tragedies, judging by the number of trees it has killed since arriving in 2017. No remedy has yet been discovered for this devastating threat. The infestation is spreading nationwide. It is … [Read more...]
Answering nature’s call for help
The international premier of season two of the hit, short format documentary series, Free Range Humans, took place in Cape Town yesterday, attended by five of the six international eco-activist cast members who have heeded the call to help save the planet, its diverse ecosystems and marine life. Also in the cast is South Africa’s Loyiso Dunga who is fighting to help save the … [Read more...]
Climate-resilient seeds for smallholder adaptation
Climate change is threatening food security in many tropical countries, where a large proportion of food is produced by vulnerable smallholder farmers. Interventions are available to offset many of the negative impacts of climate change on agriculture, and they can be tailored to local conditions often through relative modest investments. However, little quantitative … [Read more...]
