Prince Edward’s visit: Indigenous plants a solution to climate change
His Royal Highness Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh was given a lesson or two about effecting climate change, attended a demonstration of how people with disabilities cope while visiting botanical gardens, and departed with traditional headgear.
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, welcomed His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, on January 22 for a courtesy visit to the Pretoria National Botanical Garden.
They were accompanied on the tour by the South African National Biodiversity Institute’s CEO, Shonisani Munzhedi.
The Duke of Edinburgh was on a working visit to South Africa on January 22 and 23.
His visit to the botanical garden comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the Royal Botanical Garden, Kew, in November 2022.
This marks the long-term collaboration between Kew and Sanbi to ensure the survival of South Africa’s rich plant diversity.
“We welcome His Royal Highness to show him the rich diversity that our botanical garden, even if it is in the middle of a city, can offer visitors,” said Creecy during the welcoming.
During his visit to South Africa, HRH also met eco-friendly and conservation stakeholders from the World Wildlife Fund South Africa, the Endangered Wildlife Trust, GreenMatterZA, TRAFFIC, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Birdlife, and Conservation South Africa.
Prince Edward was enamoured with the bonsai garden at the botanical garden.
“A remarkable collection of indigenous trees,” he said after going on a tour of bonsai plants such as thorn trees.
At the enabling garden, where visitors with disabilities can easily access plants like medicinal and fragrant plants, HRH met up with a retired teacher from Eersterust, Aubrey du Preez and his wife Ann.
Ann is in a wheelchair after having two knee replacements and explained to the delegation how much the garden meant to her during her confinement to the wheelchair.
Her husband has been a visitor to the botanical garden for 40 years and found the Enabling Garden to be just the place to take her to.
Prince Edward took a keen interest in the explanation by environmental interpretation officer Lynette Ferreira of how the Enabling Garden can help people with disabilities.
“He was very interested in the enabling garden’s design in the way it accommodates people with disabilities, as well as the medicinal properties of the Plectranthus madagascariensis, a semi-succulent, aromatic, perennial herb,” said Ferreira.
Prince Edward received a traditional hat from Mamelodi environmentalist, Dr Ephraim Mabena at the Mothong African Village, a traditional village in the gardens.
“We have a solution here to climate change,” Mabena told Prince Edward.
“The use of indigenous plants can mitigate much of the harm done in the past and prevent future harm if used correctly and in abundance,” he said.
Cebo Mabena of Mamelodi showed the delegation including the minister, some of the products made of such indigenous plants in Pretoria.
“I am glad the royal house could visit us. I hope they would be interested in our projects in Mamelodi so we can produce even more products from indigenous origin,” said Mabena.
Click here to see a video of the visit to the bonsai garden at the National Pretoria Botanical Garden.
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