Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, in Cape Town is a great place, not just for tourists, but also for the locals, as a place where generational memories are shared. The mountain, the streams have been a perennial witness to centuries of change that took place on the slopes of the great Table Mountain. From the days of the San people to where we are now the mountain has … [Read more...]
SA’s flower show contribution inspired by biomimicry
It is inspirational to see how well we are able to meet the mandate for the Chelsea Flower Show in London this May. The theme is In Harmony with Nature. The Kirstenbosch launch to showcase this year's design was exciting and the designers are to be highly commended! David Davidson and Ray Hudson have taken inspiration from our wealth of biodiversity and created a design to … [Read more...]
Kirstenbosch photo competition winners announced
The winners of the Botanical Society’s Kirstenbosch 100 Photographic Competition were announced recently. An ecstatic Kevin Shields, who was overall winner in the Open Category with his picture entitled - Helmut the Frog, said “I’m in shock because it’s the first time in my life I have entered a competition and I have no professional camera”. Bruce Lee who won the Under … [Read more...]
Seeds come home after 100 years
On 10 February 1911 Harold Pearson proclaimed “this is the place!” This was to become the Kirstenbosch Garden, which recently celebrated its 100th birthday. “We at KEW believe there is no technological reason why any plant species should go extinct. That should be our hypothesis: that no plant species should go extinct while we can prevent it.” So said Dr. Paul Smith from … [Read more...]
Citizen scientists monitor change for early warnings
‘Science by the people, for the people,’ the role of citizen scientists is one of the chapters in a new book launched on International Biodiversity Day during a celebratory day at Kirstenbosch. This is also the space into which the Green Times fits – translating into ordinary language and spreading important life-sustaining science by the people, for the people. Our … [Read more...]
Celebrate the important things this Valentine’s Day
Love is in the air. The weather is scorchingly beautiful and Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. We live in a part of the world where there are plenty of eco-friendly and inexpensive ways to celebrate love on this day. As is the case with most special days, this day started out with noble intentions as a simple celebration of love, and has evolved into another … [Read more...]
iSpot brings science to the people
“It is hard to care about something if you can’t recognise or name it, so learning to name what you spot in nature is important.” So said Carmel Mbizo during the launch of iSpot at Kirstenbosch by the South African Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). This is an online biodiversity application where all citizens, from taxonomists to the domestic gardener can participate in … [Read more...]
Hurray for South Africa’s biodiversity!
The United Nations designated 2011 - 2020 as the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity. The word is dropped into conversations daily, but we don't know how much it actually means for South Africa. Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem like our planet earth. It gives an indication of the health of ecosystems: the more natural the … [Read more...]
Kirstenbosch exhibit off to Chelsea
The 2011 SA-Kirstenbosch Chelsea Flower Show exhibit has been saved and will now go ahead thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape (PGWC) and the SA Gold Coin Exchange. The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) confirmed that the 35 year run of exhibiting at this prestigious event will not be broken and the display … [Read more...]
SA is world leader in plant species survey
In one of the continent's largest collaborative conservation projects to date, South Africa has become the first of the world's mega-diverse countries to fully assess the status of its entire flora - a staggering 20 456 species. The assessment was published in a book entitled the Red List of South African Plants, which was launched at Kirstenbosch, Cape Town on Earth Day by … [Read more...]
The Age of Stupid
On 16 Sept 2010, CAP, in collaboration with partners Endangered Wildlife Trust and Conservation International South Africa (CI-SA), the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Conservation Communications Forum and the British Consulate General, hosted a screening of 'The Age of Stupid' at the Kirstenbosch Research Centre. The British Consulate General approached CAP … [Read more...]
