Protect the Pepper Bark from poachers

NELSPRUIT – A poacher of a different kind is threatening another endangered species of the Kruger National Park. The Warburgia Salutaris, or Pepper-bark tree, was the focus of the Earth Kind function hosted in the Lowveld Botanical gardens on Wednesday afternoon. The event was hosted by SAPPI and attended by representatives of the Honorary Rangers, KNP Rangers, Makro Nelspruit and SAPPI managment.

The focus of the function was not only to highlight the plight of the endangered Pepper-bark, but also the importance of conserving, and protecting it. This tree is widely regarded in African traditions for its many medicinal uses and it is because of this, that it has almost been stripped into extinction.

Makro Nelspruit came on board with the KNP Warburgia Salutis Programme in conjunction with SAPPI and Typek to assist in giving the rangers who protect these trees, the right tools for the job.

Makro donated a total of ten bicycles to and along with Typek and Sappi handed over a cheque of R100 000 to Michelle Hofmeyer, of the project, to be utilized in various areas such as research and development and protection of the trees.

“The Pepper-bark species is protected under the same legislation that protect the rhino of our park,” Hofmeyer said. “We have rangers dedicated to protect the trees in their natural habitat who are also armed just like the ones protecting the rhino which makes it extremely dangerous for these tree poachers to come into the park at night and strip the bark from them. Most of the sites are situated far from our headquarters in the KNP and so often the rangers would have to walk for an hour and a half before they reach the first growth cluster. The poachers know this all too well and by the time the rangers get onto the scene, the poachers have stripped the bark and are gone. These bicycles will be of great assistance to them.”