Global Recycling Day is observed annually on 18 March and aims to highlight recycling as an important global issue that requires an integrated approach and urges people to think “resource” not “waste” when it comes to the goods around us. With the mounting pressure on...
Fish monitoring within the GCBR region
by Nelisiwe Khusi and Xiluva Mathebula (Groen Sebenza/NRF-SAIAB Freshwater Taxonomy Intern) 1.1 The importance of Fish monitoring within the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve The GCBR has diverse freshwater ecosystems predominantly characterised by perennial headwater...
Hessequa: Your Guide to Indigenous Plants
As we learn more about the environment around us, we can equip ourselves with the needed knowledge to help us conserve and protect our local habitats. The Western Cape has a wide range of indigenous plants, and in this blog, we’d like to tell you more about them! What...
The Indigenous Plants of the Western Cape
Indigenous plants are plants that naturally grow in a specific area or region; usually, it is where it was first discovered or in their original home. These plants have evolved over time to be well suited to that area's climate, soil, and other conditions, and they...
Aliens in South Africa – Learning About IAPs.
Author: Boudine Kruger What do you think of when you hear the term “alien”? The first thing on your mind would probably be little green men with big heads. Now, while the aliens we will be learning about today are certainly green, they are nothing like the aliens...
Learn About Extension Work At The GCBR.
Author: Boudine Kruger Many things can contribute to the success of projects at GCBR. One thing, however, that we aim to prioritise is farmer education and awareness. Without proper resources and awareness building, we cannot expect farmers to understand the...
Stopping the Honey Mesquite Tree (Prosopis) Invasion
Author: Boudine Kruger | Article adapted from Ken Coetzee’s "Prosopis, a Deadly Green Cancer” The invasion caused by the Prosopis tree damages the ecosystem by affecting resources like water supply and grazing. The diversity and biology of smaller animals like birds...
How to Identify Prosopis Glandulosa var. Torreyana
Author: Boudine Kruger | Article adapted from Ken Coetzee’s "Prosopis, a Deadly Green Cancer” The Honey Mesquite Tree (or Prosopis Glandulosa var. Torreyana) is an invasive species that is fast becoming one of the more threatening, invasive plant species in South...
Why You Need To Know About The Honey Mesquite Tree.
Author: Boudine Kruger | Article adapted from Ken Coetzee’s "Prosopis, a Deadly Green Cancer” The Honey Mesquite tree (or Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana) is an invasive alien plant (IAP) species that is taking over large tracts of overgrazed rangelands in South...
Why are Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs) bad?
Invasive alien plants are defined as such when they are resistant to local diseases and have no natural enemies.