The Green Net is a network that promotes and teaches environmentally sustainable practices to nurture our natural environment and treat all life with respect as a safety net for the planet.
Since its formal establishment in 2020, Green Net has worked on many levels to build environmental awareness and encourage practical action. One of our most successful initiatives is our annual Biodiversity Calendar, now entering its fifth edition.
The calendar was created in response to a serious challenge facing the Ugu region and the entire province: the widespread infestation of Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs). These plants can smother or damage indigenous trees, displace natural ground cover, affect waterways, increase fire risk and reduce valuable habitat and food sources for wildlife.
The loss of indigenous vegetation contributes to declining biodiversity, affecting birds, fish, reptiles and mammals. It also has consequences for communities that depend on natural resources and for tourism, which is an important part of the regional economy.
The Biodiversity Calendar pairs an Indigenous Gem with an IAP every month, using beautiful colour photography and practical information to help people recognise what is growing around them – and make better choices for their gardens and environment.
In order to share the information as far as possible, we donate many calendars at events and talks, and next year we hope to target schools as well.
We are therefore aiming to substantially increase our print run.
If you’re interested in supporting this cause, please visit our Back-a-Buddy page (https://backabuddy.co.za/campaign/2027-biodiversity-calendar) to donate directly, or share the link far and wide. We now offer SARS Section 18a Tax Exemption certificates for those donations!
Each month includes plant names in English, Afrikaans, isiZulu, isiXhosa and Latin, together with ecological, medicinal and cultural information where appropriate. It also provides guidance on propagating and caring for indigenous plants, dealing with IAPs, and includes South African public holidays and important environmental days.
Know the invader, discover the indigenous gem. Help restore our natural heritage.
Through the calendar, the Green Net hopes to unite the coast around a common challenge and inspire everyone to become part of the solution.
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