Tag: Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor

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A Gift to our Wildlife

git to wildlife eastbrook wlc precious tree project

In another rehabilitation effort to offer up land in our wildlife corridors back to nature, we started with the usual clearing out of alien invasive species on a patch of land in our Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor. This was done to prepare the area for the next mini-forest pocket of indigenous trees to be planted while also making room for the local flora to pop and thrive in between the newly planted trees. The methodical clearing out of aliens is the challenging yet necessary part of the process but is always an opportunity to create jobs for the locals, especially here in the Garden Route where the economy is a strongly tourist-driven one with jobs more often than not, seasonal.

And then there is our volunteer group of Very Important Planters who regularly enthusiastically jump in to assist with the “fun” part: planting the mini-forest pocket! This tiny patch of green stands as a gift to wildlife patrolling the corridor in the future – thanks to all the amazing sponsors who donated trees on behalf of another! Your gift is a gift to our wildlife!

Want to plant a tree in honour of someone special?
We have selected 11 of our favourite endemic forest tree species from which you can choose in honour or celebration of a loved one. Click here to Gift a Tree

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“Trees in the ground are like the candles on a birthday cake” 

Today, we brought more life and greenery to Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor in a “pocket space” previously cleared by the landowner, single pockets of rehabilitation at a time, thoughtfully cleared beforehand for our planting efforts.

This particular planting session was extra special as our focus was both planting out a new bio-mimicked forest pocket in the corridor on behalf of all our individual sponsors while celebrating our Chair’s 57th birthday.

We took the opportunity to combine the planting session with a lovely birthday celebration for Ray right by the river’s edge running through the corridor.

It was a beautiful convergence of community, nature, and celebration!

If you would like to Gift a Tree in honour/celebration of a loved one click here, or Sponsor Trees to support our assisted reforestation and socio-eco regeneration efforts in the Garden Route click here.

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A Tapestry of Remembrance: Planting Seeds of Love in Eastbrook

planting seeds of love eastbrook wildlife corridor precious tree project

The year 2023 etched itself onto our hearts with both sorrow and the quiet promise of renewal. For many, it was a year marked by personal loss, a time when the absence of loved ones left an undeniable void. It was in this spirit of remembrance that The Precious Tree Project embarked on a deeply meaningful activity: planting mini memorial forest pockets, living tributes dedicated to those who have passed on.

This particular planting session held a unique poignancy as we gathered at Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor to create two such pockets, side by side. These verdant spaces were lovingly dedicated to two cherished individuals: David Oldfield and Carol George. Each tree that took root in this shared earth was sponsored by the family and friends of David and Carol, a testament to the enduring impact they had on the lives they touched.

The atmosphere was one of quiet reflection interwoven with a gentle sense of community. Many who held David dear came to participate in the planting, their presence a comforting embrace of shared memories. While no one present had the privilege of knowing Carol George personally, her pocket was intentionally placed beside David’s, creating a shared space of remembrance. We held a ceremony for her too, acknowledging the life that was and the love that surrounded her.

Throughout the process, the air was filled with the gentle rhythm of song and the grounding beat of drums, a harmonious blend of remembrance and the vibrant energy of new life taking hold. Thereafter a meal was shared by all who attended this special gathering.

The groundwork for these pockets was laid by Chrissy, the landowner of Eastbrook WLC, who diligently cleared the chosen space that is free of alien invasive species, and prepared the earth to receive these native trees. This act of stewardship underscores the collaborative spirit of the project, where landowners play a vital role in creating spaces for these mini forests to flourish.

These two pockets at Eastbrook stand as more than just collections of trees. They are palpable expressions of love, remembrance, and connection. They are spaces where memories can breathe, where the rustling leaves whisper stories, and where the cycle of life continues, honoring those who are no longer with us in their physical form. The Precious Tree Project team is humbled to facilitate these acts of enduring love, one tree, one forest pocket, one memory at a time.

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Planting In the Name of Loss and Love

planting in the name of love and loss

Our Gift-a-Tree platform is one of our popular avenues for sponsoring trees towards our wildlife rehabilitation corridors, where we plant out a range of tree species in bio-mimicked forest patches in one of our three wildlife corridor rehabilitation projects.

This planting was a particularly emotional one – for all those who gifted trees to the forest pocket as well as for the team planting them out. It was the first time we were planting an entire forest pocket that was dedicated in memory of the passing of a loved one. 102 trees were gifted through the Gift a Tree platform in honour of Michelle Butler, and we planted them out, with her mom and dad, in our Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor.

Michelle’s loss cannot be replaced… yet knowing a forest pocket was planted out in her memory that itself will support many forms of life going forward, has brought a greater sense of peace and ease to the family.

“Michelle, may your soul rest in peace between these beautiful trees in the forest with the sound of the wind and the sea in your ears and the eagles soaring above…”

Click here if you would like to GIFT A TREE.
To make a donation or sponsor a tree please visit www.payfast.co.za/donate/go/precioustreeproject.

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Capitalising on Green

Capitalising on Green

The rehabilitation process of a corridor is not a quick one… it is labour intensive, takes commitment and is a costly exercise, so sponsorship towards the corridor is a necessary and welcome one. Terebinth Capital, who prides themselves on responsible investment, turned 10 years old and, in honour of their clients, invested in a mini-indigenous forest pocket in our Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor. We say thank you! 

Responsible Investment – Terebinth Capital

If you would like to sponsor an indigenous South African forest tree towards our wildlife corridors in the Garden Route click here – OR – visit https://www.payfast.co.za/donate/go/precioustreeproject.

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The Benefits of Biochar

benefits of biochar_precious tree project

Wattle, pine, blackwood and gum are the predominant invasive species that have infested much of the region in which we operate. While wattle is a nitrogen fixer, invasive species such as pine and gum have more negative effects on the soil composition and consequently retard the regrowth of any endemic vegetation. Where pine and gum trees have pervaded an area, it is often necessary to regenerate the soil as part of the rehabilitation process, since natural soil regeneration post pine and gum removal can take many years. Time biodiversity in the area can ill afford…

Adding biochar in its activated form to the soil is a highly beneficial method to achieve good soil composition in which our indigenous trees can regrow and thrive. We were given a short talk and demonstration by Kevin Clack, at one of our tree planting sessions in the Eastbrook Corridor, where he gave us a demonstration on Activated Biochar and highlighted the numerous benefits of using biochar: improvement of soil structure and fertility, enhanced water absorption around the root bowl, carbon sequestration.

We’ll be comparing the rate of growth of the trees using biochar vs. those where biochar was not included in the mix. Watch this space!

Click here if you would like to GIFT A TREE OR visit www.payfast.co.za/donate/go/precioustreeproject to make a donation or sponsor a tree.

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Planting Action Speaking Louder than Eco Words

Planting Action Speaking Louder than Eco Words

Rock the Route and PANGEA Trails are local ECO Adventure Tourism businesses who have been ongoing supporters of Precious Tree Project since 2018. Both companies offer tours around South Africa and include multi-day tours to the Garden Route. Both companies recognise that the tourism services they have on offer come with an environmental footprint and remain committed to sponsoring trees with Precious Tree Project for every seat sold on every tour they conduct. This means that as the seats add up, so do the numbers of trees we get to plant out in one of our wildlife corridor rehabilitation projects.

This month we selected Eastbrook Wildlife Corridor as the site to plant out these trees in our usual “biomimicked forest patch” way.

Thumbs up to Rock the Route/PANGEA Trails for their contributions and making this planting session possible! This mini-forest will help restore biodiversity in the corridor, provide a valuable source of food and a safe haven for wildlife passing through.

Thumbs up to them also pitching in and helping us plant out their trees on the day!

Thumbs up to our very important planters for showing up every time to plant a mini-forest!

www.rocktheroute.co.za
www.facebook.com/rocktheroute

www.pangeatrails.com
www.facebook.com/pangeatrails

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

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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!