Garden for plants and people
A new outreach project linking people to the plants of the Eastern Cape is underway.
Garden for plants and people
A new outreach project linking people to the plants of the Eastern Cape is underway.
The walled indigenous garden of the Department of Botany, Rhodes University, is to be developed as a useful garden to demonstrate the importance of plants to school pupils, students and the general public.
This is a joint initiative between Rhodes Botany, Inkcubeko Nendalo Bio-Cultural Diversity Conservation Programme and the Albany branch of the Botanical Society of South Africa.
The garden already features many indigenous Eastern Cape plants, which will be supplemented with additional species.
Makana Municipality lies in the heart of the acclaimed ‘Albany Hotspot’, home to an enormous diversity of plants, many of which are useful to humans and have helped shape the cultures of the province. Many species are also endemic to the region and require urgent conservation attention.
The garden will retain its delightful wild and natural feel.
Existing pathways will be used to lead learners and visitors through the display of living plants, with the aid of educational signage and other interpretive aids, which will be developed in both English and isiXhosa. A preliminary list of additional plants to supplement current plantings has been drawn up
. The two main proponents of the garden, Dr Craig Peter and Tony Dold, hope the garden will be ready within the next couple of months. Contributions of plants or assistance with writing and designing posters and booklets, or helping in the garden in future work parties are all welcome.
For more info contact Craig Peter at c.peter@ru.ac.za.
Comment on Makana's environmental policy
There is still a window of opportunity to comment on the draft environmental policy for the Makana Municipality, drawn up by the municipal environmental manager, Ndumiso Nongwe.
The eight-page document can be downloaded from www.ru.ac.za/environment/resources/local/makanaenviroforum/ or contact Nongwe directly at n.nongwe@gmail.com.
The deadline for comment is 11 September 2013.
Enviro awards up for grabs
There's still time to nominate deserving candidates for a Rhodes University (RU) Environmental Award, and this year there's a category for individuals or organisations in the Makana community. A total of four categories will be considered for annual awards: RU department, institute or section (within division); RU student society or residence; RU individual (staff or student); and Makana community (non-RU individual or organisation).
The deadline for nominations is 30 August 2013. For more info and the nomination form, visit www.ru.ac.za/environment/committee/environmentalawards or contact Nikki Köhly at environment@ru.ac.za.
Newspapers for Umthathi
Just a reminder that the Umthathi Training Project has a constant need for newspaper in their community garden permaculture projects.
Layers of newspaper help to keep the soil temperature and moisture content stable, reduces weeds and disintegrates to form compost.
There is a collection point in Pick n Pay and also at Kisma Kreative in High Street.
People with a lot of newspaper can contact Umthathi on 046 637 0012 to arrange for collection.
Umthathi has established many beds in the community garden behind their office and sells vegetables to the public.
More info: www.umthathi.co.za.
Contacts for Makana Enviro-News: Nikki Köhly: n.kohly@ru.ac.za, 046 603 7205 / Jenny Gon: j-gon@intekom.co.za, 046 622 5822 / Ruth Krueger: g10k2679@campus.ru.ac.za, 076 295 8045 / Nick James: nickjames@intekom.co.za, 082 575 9781; Philip Machanick: p.machanick@ru.ac.za, 046 603 8635 / Strato Copteros: strato@iafrica.com, 082 785 6403
