Spring in Limpopo has not only been a season alive with beautiful blooms. For the BOT SOC Limpopo Branch, the past months have been filled with exciting discoveries, tree planting, youth engagement and conservation adventures. From the white quartz koppies of the Mamabolo bushveld in the Capricorn district, through the bustling University of Limpopo campus, to the slopes of the Soutpansberg mountains in Mopani, our members and partners are proving what can be achieved when people and plants come together.

Know: It was a season of discovery

For one critically endangered beauty, hope sprang from the power of citizen science. Euphorbia groenewaldii stands on the brink of extinction. But it was observed earlier this year during the City Nature Challenge – inspiring a team to go in search of it in quartz koppies around Polokwane in August 2025. I have now personally recorded more than 250 individual specimens, while a new population was also found in koppies of Mamabolo mountain bushveld. Despite these findings, major threats remain to the species, including trampling, development and harvesting.

Other conservation highlights in the area included sightings of Euphorbia cooperi var. cooperi (vulnerable), Elaeodendron transvaalense (near threatened) and Ledebouria crispa (endangered). These discoveries, logged on iNaturalist and shared with members of CREW, are lifelines for species whose futures depend on monitoring and advocacy. These trips also led to an interesting observation of what could potentially be a new Xerophyta species – which now needs to be identified.

Another exciting find this year was Adenia fruticosa ssp. fruticosa (Sekhukhune greenstem – a near threatened species). During a field survey, our team discovered a population thriving outside its known range. This was totally unexpected and highlights how much there is to learn about Limpopo’s flora.

Grow: Nurturing people and plants

The Limpopo Branch also embraced the “growing” side of the BOT SOC mantra. At the University of Limpopo Arbour Day celebration on 5 September 2025, branch members joined hands with students from varying faculties. Through talks on citizen science, GIS in biodiversity and the power of community outreach, knowledge was shared – which we trust will grow these students into nature stewards.

The highlight was the tree planting ceremony: Westfalia Merensky Nursery donated two quinine trees (Rauvolfia afra), a sausage tree (Kigelia africana) and two African olive trees (Olea europaea ssp. africana) which were planted on the university campus.

Camps like those held at Zvakanaka farm help grow our nature custodians even further. In August, branch members gathered for a one-night training camp on the farm, immersing themselves in plant identification and using iNaturalist. Peer-to-peer learning and shared fieldwork strengthened skills while reinforcing the urgency of tackling invasive alien plants like bugweed, black wattle and lantana. This served as an opportunity for members to not only sharpen their botanical skills, or to joyously get lost on mountain trails, but to strengthen our shared ethic of conservation.

Protect: How citizen science contributes to conservation

Citizen science has become one of our most powerful tools – and nowhere was this clearer than during our Arbour Day iNaturalist demonstration. Here students learned to document biodiversity with a few taps on their phones. Each observation made contributes to a global database, ensuring Limpopo’s plants are seen, identified and protected, even beyond our province.

At Zvakanaka farm, members turned data collection into direct action, uploading observations from an under-documented area and improving Limpopo’s representation in global records. And at Schuinsdraai, hikers catalogued plants in real time, showing that even a rugged trail can be a classroom. These efforts feed into larger projects like the Great Southern Bioblitz 2025, proving that to protect plants, grassroots participation is key.

Enjoy: From campfire conversations to mountain treks 

Conservation can be hard work, and sometimes disheartening when we see the loss, but at its heart it can bring great joy. Like when students watered their newly planted trees, or rediscovered a rare succulent, or our sense of accomplishment after a campfire discussion. Around the fire and during hikes, members reflected on their experiences. One student exclaimed, “I never realised that a single observation could help scientists around the world!” Another said, “Seeing these plants in their natural habitat makes me want to protect them forever.” These voices capture the energy and inspiration that emerge when people connect with the veld, and show how discovery turns into conservation action.

The Limpopo Branch thrives on this spirit of togetherness. With dreams of forming sub-committees across the province in Mopani, Sekhukhune, Vhembe and the Waterberg district, our reach is growing, and so is the impact of our work. Conservation here is our responsibility. But it also brings us collective joy to protect Limpopo’s unique flora. The campfire conversations, the joy we felt in working together, the new faces that joined this drive reminded us that the future of the veld rests in the hands of those who care enough to act.