Solutions for Queen of the Night
The Queen of the Night Cereus jamacaru BioControl Project is a pioneering effort that addresses the ecological challenge posed by a succulent Alien Invasive Plant (AIP). Its vigorous spread, fuelled by it being planted in gardens abutting natural areas and spread by birds eating its fruit caught the attention of conservationist John Wesson in 2007.
Bankrotbos Project
“Almost every time I visit the Waterberg, someone asks me about bankrotbos… And this has had me thinking for some time. I am now gearing up to try and get funding for a project to look at the impacts and control of this species. I also have a new PhD student, Mr Yondela Norman, who we think will now be doing his research on this beast.
BECOME A CITIZEN SCIENTIST
The Waterberg Mountain Complex is a region of special conservation concern. Despite this, there has never been a comprehensive and structured biodiversity survey of the WMC, which will provide much needed data and information for the management of the various Waterberg conservation areas and bordering regions.
Regenerative Cattle grazing project on Swebeswebe
In the later part of the 20th century, the Waterberg was still relatively unknown. Large predators roamed its valleys and plains, and herds of big game periodically entered the area seeking grazing and shelter. Then, as farming established the area’s economy, the herds gave way to cattle and crops. Tobacco became a popular cash crop […]
LOOK OUT FOR: Queen of the night
This highly invasive plant Cereus jamacaru has been declared a category 1b species in terms of the Alien and Invasive Species Regulations (AIS), National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (Act No 10 of 2004), which necessitates its control, or removal and destruction if possible. It is quite prolific in the Waterberg and needs to be irradicated
Ringing birds in the Waterberg
For the last 14 years a dedicated team from SAFRING and LEDET have been travelling to the Waterberg to spend a week each November capturing, collecting data, and ringing birds before re-releasing them. This data is sent to SAFRING to be inserted in the SA Ringing database.
A new home for rescued pangolins
Lapalala Wilderness is a conservation area in the Waterberg spanning 48,000 ha of breath-taking and diverse habitat. In a historic milestone, Lapalala was declared a formally protected nature reserve by LEDET in 2020, making Lapalala the largest privately owned nature reserve in Limpopo.
Saving the Rhino under another name
Save the Waterberg Rhino has been supporting the prevention of poaching and the protection of rhinos, other wildlife, and people in the Waterberg for the last decade. More than R13 million has been raised directly through STWR for security equipment and infrastructure, training, assistance to clusters,
Look Out For Pompom weed
November/December is the time when Pompom weed propagates. This is the time to control it from taking over as an invasive here in the Waterberg.
Resurrection Bush (or Myro to the moon?)
The resurrection Bush or Myrothamnus flabellifolia, is a common plant in the Waterberg with remarkable attributes. Professor Jill Farrant grew up in the Waterberg and devoted her life studying these unique plants. She is the world’s leading expert on them and is currently DSI-NRF Research Chair, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, South Africa.