The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) are embarking on a new project to save nature’s life-givers – trees. The Pepper Bark Tree (Warburgia salutaris) is listed as Endangered, both globally and nationally, on the IUCN Red List. This is largely due to illegal and unsustainable harvesting of these trees for their bark, which is commonly used in traditional medicine, including … [Read more...]
The global rise of crucial eco-restoration camps
For millennia we humans roamed the vast lands of this planet Earth, foraging for foodstuffs, hunting animals to supplement our diet as necessary. We took what we could find, as needed, and our searches led us across the accessible landmasses. It is fascinating to think of the various landscapes that scores of successive generations saw - Earth in a state before any human … [Read more...]
Greenpop hosts global ambassador for ecosystem restoration
Thursday saw the highly anticipated presentation by John Dennis Liu, the internationally renowned ecologist, researcher and filmmaker, hosted at the Wild Spirit Backpackers Lodge. Greenpop, a tree planting organisation based in Cape Town, held their annual Eden Festival of Action where 5000 trees were planted over the past three weeks. As a means of reforestation after the … [Read more...]
Writing love letters to our rapidly dwindling forests
This summer, the world lost a Nebraska-size chunk of forests. Logging, expanding palm oil plantations and wildfires are to blame. This continuing deforestation trend could have devastating implications for the climate. Simply put, forests aren’t merely pretty places. We need them. Dense tropical forests keep the climate stable by sucking up large amounts of human carbon … [Read more...]
Pakistan needs 20% more forest for healthy environment
Pakistan needs to raise its forest cover from 5% to 25% to meet its economic, employment and green environment needs. So says Preston Institute of Management Science and Technology’s (PIMSAT) final year students of MBA Syeda Bushra Hasan, Mehwish Saqib and Dinsha Vania. Forests are the source of economic support, employment, oxygen generation, livestock grazing, furniture … [Read more...]
Go treeplanting in Hogsback this Arbor month
In light of September being Arbour Month, Greenpop is pleased to announce the Hogsback Reforest Fest! Much like the Platbos Reforest Fest that occurred this past May, the Hogsback Reforest Fest aims to celebrate our Earth and our trees through reforestation, music, workshops, competitions, and yoga. Happening in the magical Amathole Mountains in the Eastern Cape Province … [Read more...]
Restoring the forest with educational family fun
One excited family headed towards Gansbaai in the Overberg to participate in a bumper tree planting weekend in the ancient indigenous Platbos Forest. We were to join the Platbos Reforest Fest to help Greenpop restore the forest towards its former glory. It was time to get my hands into the soil and help heal Africa’s southernmost magical Platbos Forest. Our children - young … [Read more...]
Forest degradation and deforestation – addressing the canker in Ghana
Ghana was once famous for her endowed timber resources. Today, she cannot boast much about the abundance of this resource. The little remaining is struggling to thrive as it is left at the mercy of the activities of some unscrupulous persons; illegal chainsaw operators and illegal small scale miners. Their activities have destroyed our once beautiful landscape and terrain. … [Read more...]
Greenpop Platbos Reforest Fest
Once again the Greenpop Platbos Reforest Fest is happening. Twice in 2014, one weekend fest for families and one for friends! Camp in Africa’s southernmost forest, help plant thousands of trees to reforest the surrounding area, dance to live music and be part of growing Platbos Forest back to its original abundance. … [Read more...]
Greenpop Platbos Reforest Festival
Now in its fourth year, Greenpop’s annual Reforest Fest will be held once more over two weekends in May. Greenpop’s reforestation efforts from over the previous three years has led to the planting of over 8000 trees, native to South Africa’s southern most indigenous forest, Platbos. … [Read more...]
The reforest fest at Platbos
One hundred Greenpop volunteers, armed with spades and plenty of enthusiasm, gathered at Platbos - the ancient old-growth forest just a few kilometres inland from Gansbaai - to plant 1000 trees over the weekend of the 11th and 12th of June. They travelled from Cape Town on the 'Green Bus,' a minibus that runs on recycled cooking oil. On arrival on the Friday evening, the … [Read more...]
