Reflections of spring on the Highveld plateau As Earth’s axial tilt brings the southern hemisphere closer to the sun, days become longer and the cold grip of winter loosens its hold. The shift in temperature and day length triggers the arrival of spring flowering across South Africa. While the iconic floral displays of the west coast signal the end of the growing season, the species in Gauteng are breaking dormancy in anticipation of the summer rains and the start of the new growth cycle.

n the far northwestern corner of our beloved country lies the world’s most diverse mountain desert landscape – home to an astonishing assortment of plant and animal life. For most of us, the idea of a desert landscape would bring up images of desolate sand dunes, extreme heat, the absence of water and indeed a place that is inhospitable to life. But That is not what you will find in the Richtersveld. Despite the harshness of its climate, it teams with life and biological diversity – making this unique region one of South Africa’s priority conservation areas. Over the past several decades, the steady decline in biodiversity due to the impacts of mining, habitat loss, land use change, climate change and plant poaching has once again focused the lens on the fragility of the arid and semi-arid ecosystems, particularly in the Ai/Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park located on both sides of the Orange River (original name !Garib meaning River or Great River, also known as Groot Rivier or Gariep). In response to these mounting conservation pressures, on the South African side of the river the Richtersveld National Park, with its unique joint management arrangement between the community and South African National Parks (SANParks), has been quietly partnering with the South African National Biodiversity Institute’s (SANBI) Karoo Desert and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. During the week of the 19th of August 2024, a historical celebration took place to highlight the importance of this partnership and to acknowledge the key role of the Richtersveld communities. The event took place at the Sendelingsdrift rest camp and was co-hosted by SANParks, SANBI and the Richtersveld Community Management Committee (RCMC). The main objective of the event was to pause, reflect and celebrate the amazing achievements of collaborative work that has taken place particularly over the past four years between these two sister organisations.

Rooted in resilience at this year’s 45th Fynbos Forum conference The BotSoc Conservation team recently participated in the 45th Fynbos Forum held in Stellenbosch, South Africa, from 6-8 August 2024. We were joined by conservation managers, land use planners, landowners, conservation practitioners, and researchers under this year’s conference theme - Rooted Resilience: Navigating the Future of Fynbos Conservation.

Safeguarding Our Flora: The Role of the Great Southern Bioblitz in the Summer Rainfall Region In the heart of South Africa's Summer Rainfall Region, a concerted effort is underway to protect and document the region's rich plant diversity. The Great Southern Bioblitz (GSB) 2024 is at the forefront of this mission, bringing together conservationists, volunteers, and local communities in a collective endeavour to safeguard our botanical treasures. The Botanical Society of South Africa's theme, "Protect," resonates deeply with the need to conserve our indigenous plant species, many of which face extinction threats.

About an hour from Cape Town, South Africa, lies the award-winning San cultural heritage centre, !Khwa ttu. Situated on former farmland, this centre focuses on preserving San culture and uplifting the San community in southern Africa. Over the past 28 years, !Khwa ttu has evolved into a bustling cultural hub, nature reserve, and restaurant that supports the education and training of San people, many of whom are now part of the permanent staff. The organisation demonstrates how cultural preservation not only uplifts communities but can also be an effective form of biodiversity conservation. Efforts to restore the land for cultural purposes have revived local biodiversity, creating a flourishing ecosystem.

Veld Fluister is a celebration of the quiet, unspoken connections we have with the veld, where every plant and every experience tells a story. In this new series, we shine a light on the personal journeys of our members as they immerse themselves in nature. Their stories remind us of the powerful, often unexpected encounters with biodiversity that are waiting just beyond our everyday view. Whether it's a blooming flower or the arrival of migratory birds, the veld speaks to all of us in different ways.

The Giving Garden - Rethinking the food-medicine continuum in the urban sprawl

Is the pepperbark doomed to die out in the Kruger National Park?