Category: Rehabilitation & Restoration Projects

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A New Rehabilitation Story – Eastbrook Wildlife Biodiversity Corridor

eastbrook wildlife biodiversity corridor precious tree project

Our rehabilitation & assisted reforestation efforts are targeted at existing identified as well as potential new wildlife corridors spanning the area between Wilderness and Sedgefield. We have now added a third wildlife corridor rehabilitation project into our Projects portfolio – the Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor, in Karatara.

The corridor passes through a number of privately owned pieces of property, so buy in and collaboration with landowners is key. The corridor is significant as it runs between the Karatara and Hoegekraal Rivers, giving wildlife access to vital water sources that are often cut off as a result of impenetrable or electrified fences erected around property boundaries.

A big thank you to Chrissy Bosman for recognizing the need to restore biodiversity, protect and rehabilitate the wildlife corridors in her area, as well as for her commitment to helping us achieve our own long term vision.

Click here if you would like to sponsor an indigenous South African forest tree towards our wildlife corridors in the Garden Route – OR – visit www.payfast.co.za/donate/go/precioustreeproject to make a donation.

Check out the YouTube video below!

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Nothing but benefits to planting out trees

Nothing but benefits to planting out trees - Workforce -Libertas Farm 25 March 2021 - Precious Tree Project

In the best of economic times, finding employment in the Garden Route is a difficult task. Here the economy is largely driven by the tourist industry and is mostly seasonal for many local businesses and individuals. Covid and lockdown regulations impacted heavily on this already limited earning potential of the local community members living around the breadline, particularly as more businesses struggled to keep afloat and their doors open. The move into Alert Level 1 at the end of February and the slow regrouping of local businesses has not eased the situation for most of them.

The need to address the employment situation in the short, medium and long term has always been on our agenda and as such, PTP commits a percentage of all funds received towards its job creation program. Two primary activities that are part of the assisted reforestation process is clearing invasive non-indigenous trees and planting out pockets of endemic forest trees. Creates the perfect opportunity for employment for those who have basic level skills… All it takes is guidance, on the spot training, a spade and/or a panga and off to work we go!

Thank you Kevin Coyne, Coyne Healthcare SA for your sponsorship that has made it possible to provide employment to those who sorely need it!

If you would like to support our ongoing efforts of assisted regeneration of our forest biome, click here!

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The Bigger Business of Assisted Reforestation

The Bigger Business of Assisted Reforestation -Libertas Frm 27 February 2021 - Precious Tree Project

Assisted reforestation is more than just planting out indigenous trees in bio-mimicked forest patches, creating much needed jobs, restoring biodiversity, filtering the air, water and soils etc. Ultimately, in the bigger picture, it is about assisting the natural balancing of our ecosystems and restoring the health and well-being of our natural environment upon which our own the health our own health and well-being depends. It may well take a decade or two, but we are investing in the future in terms of what we are leaving behind for the generations (of both human and animal) to come.

So of course, we love it when the bigger businesses get this Big Picture and get involved. Kevin Coyne and Coyne Healthcare SA have been contributing to PTP’s vision of expanding the indigenous forests in the Garden Route with their ongoing sponsorship and we have been directing these funds towards the rehabilitation of one of the wildlife corridors running through the farmlands in Hoekwil.

Our happy group of VIP’s got their hands dirty yet again in a volunteer planting session to put more these precious trees in the ground.  We’ll keep you posted on the growth and expansion of this corridor.

Thank you Kevin Coyne, Coyne Healthcare SA and our very important planters who have made this expansion possible!

If you would like to support our ongoing efforts of assisted regeneration of our forest biome, click here!

#endemictrees #bio-mimickedforests #precioustreeproject #naturalhealth #gardenroutereforestation #treeplanting #indigenoustrees #ringbarking #clearinginvasivetrees #wildlifecorridor #coynehealthcare #libertasguestfarm

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Leaving with A Full Heart

Leaving with a Full Heart - Volunteer Tree Planting - Precious Tree Project
Leaving with a Full Heart - Volunteer Tree Planting - Precious Tree Project

We have concentrated much of our tree planting efforts on one section of Heartland Organic Farm. This month, we shifted our focus to a previously cleared area (primarily invaded by pine trees) and started our tree planting efforts on the northern side of the property.

More attention to this side over the past two years had to be given attention before we could begin our planting activities here, since the area not only had to be cleared of non-indigenous saplings springing up in their thousands after the fires and rains, but the soil (which had become too acid)had to be rehabilitated to ensure the right pH balance for our precious trees.

Volunteer Tree Planting: Precious Tree Project has been involved with Heartland’s rehabilitation process for almost 2 years this month. We spent Saturday afternoon on-site again, adding to the forest that we helped establish in 2017, and used the opportunity to assess it’s health. It is so heart-warming to see the rich growth that has taken place over two years and the high fertility of the soil in which these forest trees are being planted..

The more recent fires in October 2018 has meant a redirection of our attention to sites closer to home for the time being, but we left the site knowing that the forest is in good hands. We will be back!

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50 Precious Trees added to Heartland Forest

Volunteers add 50 more trees to Heartland Forest - Precious Tree Project
Volunteers add 50 more trees to Heartland Forest - Precious Tree Project

Date: 26 January 2019

The efforts of PTP and the  Heartland Organic Farm team have proven, over the last year and a half, that dedication, commitment and “heardt” work pay dividends. 

While there is still much to be done in the Heartland Forest –and when it seems like we cannot plant enough trees or clear out enough of the non-indigenous saplings showing there merry little heads  – we get to see, each time we go back, how the babies we have planted have taken root and are strong and healthy.

We added 50 more precious trees to the Heartland Forest this month, and this time around we had some of our workforce volunteer their own time to help us out. All that built up dirt and sweat washed off by a swim in the dam. Great way to finish the day!

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Closing up Offices for the year with a day of Planting

Precious Tree Project focused much of its tree planting efforts this year assisting Heartland Organic Farm with the regeneration of its natural environment. These efforts, together with the Heartland team themselves, are paying off.  It is heart warming to see the process of regrowth on this property from pure destruction. Animal and insect life are finding their way back here.

After a year of continual input into the restoration of Heartland, we said “au revoir” to the Heartland team for 2019. We planted out 60 precious filler trees in a very happy, healthy and growing indigenous forest. The combined efforts and team work between us, our VIPs and the Heartland team are reaping great rewards for all!

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Volunteer Tree Planting Session – Nirvana, Rheenendal

Tree Planting Session – Nirvana, Rheenendal - Precious Tree Project
Tree Planting Session – Nirvana, Rheenendal - Precious Tree Project

In August and September we turned our focus towards Nirvana in Rheenendal. This majestic property, like Heartland Organic Farm, was literally burned to the ground after the devastating fires of June 2017.

Much had been invested by the property owner who had spend millions of Rands clearing the invasive, non-indigenous trees, and planting out thousands of indigenous trees on her property. In recognition of the destruction and of her efforts and hard work, we used our monthly sponsorship to gift Nirvana 200 precious trees. And of course, our enthusiastic group of volunteers were there to help us plant them out.

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Arbor Day – Arbor Week – Arbor Month – Arbor Lifetime

The celebration of Arbor Day is an important one in light of the rate of deforestation around the world. Protecting our trees and regenerating our natural forest areas is a significant practice and should not be restricted to a specific month or a single day.  This said, we honoured this month of tree-planting by giving 50 of our precious trees a new home at Heartland Organic farm… a simple celebration of the inherent value that our precious trees have for this beautiful planet of ours. 

Arbor Day 2018 – Volunteer Tree Planting: The Board Members of Precious Tree Project sponsored 50 trees to be planted out in the Garden Route for Arbor Day this year. We spent the day with our VIPs digging new homes for them in the Heartland Forest. And since we are on a mission to plant millions of precious trees in the GRD, it’s Arbor LifeTime for us! Thank you Mother Earth for your Gift of Trees.

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Thinking future generations …. children, animals, birds, bees and Yellowwood Trees

This year, much of our focus has been on assisting property owners badly effected by the fires last year in the rehabilitation of their natural surroundings.

This month 200 trees were sponsored in total towards any recipient of our choice and the sponsorship went to Nirvana, Rheenendal.

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Feeding into the Heart of Heartland

Almost 1 year after the devastation of Heartland Organic Farm, our efforts to plant trees and establish a natural endemic forest patch on this beautiful property continues. 

Our group of volunteers continue to pitch up every month – connecting directly to Mother Earth as they get stuck in, their hands dirty, having some pure and simple fun.

What a delight to see our efforts over the past year take hold and the gratitude of the Heartland team working together to re-establish this amazing organic farm school. Every tree counts, and every individual input matters … no matter how big or small!