#GROW

Ushering in the Richtersveld Desert Botanical Garden

Photos by: L. Labuschagne & W.VOIGT

 Ushering in the Richtersveld Desert Botanical Garden

In 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 brings 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 SANBI’s Karoo Desert and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens.

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.

Since 2007, SANBI has developed and revised strategies for the establishment, expansion and maintenance of it’s network of botanical gardens across South Africa. The goal of these strategies is to raise awareness, contribute to education about biodiversity, and to support conservation. This goal will be achieved through a) establishing at least one national botanical garden in each province of South Africa, b) establishing a botanical/demonstration garden representative of each biome in South Africa, c) the use of opportunities to expand existing national botanical gardens, where considered feasible and appropriate, and d) entering into agreements with other institutions that manage botanical gardens in South or Southern Africa.

A nursery and garden take shape at Sendelingsdrift

Through the collaboration agreement and the establishment of the Richtersveld Desert Botanical Garden Steering Committee, a number of projects were prioritised between 2019 and 2024. The steering committee made several visits to the park and held monthly meetings with the park’s management to better understand the needs and challenges faced and to plan accordingly.

Upgrades to the existing nursery and the development of additional holding spaces for plants, were added to the nursery to support the establishment of theme beds in the botanical garden. As more plants were received from plant rescue and anti-poaching operations, the growing need for even more nursery facilities became evident, and soon two large climate control conservation greenhouses were erected. Massive amounts of soil and locally sourced rock and gravel were brought in by the nursery team and used for landscaping, while technical teams constructed paths, gabions, potting benches, steel tables and stone walls to ensure a consistent look and feel throughout the garden and nursery.

SANBI’s interpretation officers worked with the curators and park management to design and produce two phases of interpretation signage and labels featuring information ranging from geology, routes and maps, flora and fauna, history and culture, taxonomy, climate etc. From 2021 to 2024 these interpretation signage projects were implemented. With the good rains that fell in the Richtersveld in 2023, the garden looked spectacular, with flowering beds, labelled plants and themed signage depicting the unique biodiversity of the Richtersveld.

The nursery had been overhauled and fitted with two new landscaped greenhouses as well as water fountains to create a tranquil and refreshing atmosphere, especially during hot days. With the addition of an info hub at the park reception building, 10 large teaser signs welcoming visitors as they enter the botanical garden, and all work completed during the first half of 2024, the garden and nursery were finally ready for a big celebration!

CELEBRATING PEOPLE

I love the quotation from Karen Lamb that says, “A year from now you may wish you had started today.” For the teams of dedicated, enthusiastic and hard-working people at the Richtersveld National Park, Karoo Desert and Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens, the project started almost five years ago was coming to fruition. The Richtersveld Desert Botanical Garden Steering Committee, with the support of SANParks and SANBI, invited guests, community members and staff for a celebration event which took place on the evening of 19 August.

The night started with a sundowner on the river, followed by the Nama Stap (traditional Nama dance) performed by the young people of the Richtersveld. Later that evening, a special recognition awards ceremony was held followed by a wonderful dinner. The following day was dedicated to special speeches and addresses delivered by SANParks, SANBI and the Richtersveld Community Management Committee. Some wonderful local entertainment was presented through song and riel dancing and a guided tour of the garden and nursery facilities made for a truly special experience by all in attendance. Of course, this was a wonderful and truly inspiring experience, I thought to myself, as we headed back to Cape Town. I also felt a sense that the work will never stop and that is good. Groot Rivier continues to flow – sometimes slow, sometimes fast, but always flowing and that it is a sign that life is present, even in the harshest of places. So, too, we have so much still to offer, and how much more can we accomplish if we go at life together? As Henry Ford said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”