Families encouraged to grow Amanzimtoti’s green footprint
The forests are an incredible way to preserve the heritage of a family, a group of friends or a company.
Enhancing Amanzimtoti’s green footprint while introducing more indigenous trees to the area is the aim of the conservancy’s first forest initiative. The initiative was started almost 20 years ago at the Amanzimtoti Country Club. More recently the concept of family or group forests was introduced. The organisation has planted 15 family forests and is currently in the process of completing two more. Since the formation of the conservancy in 2002, more than 2,000 indigenous trees have been planted in the forest.
“The conservancy has been able to prove that we recognise the golf course as more than just a good sporting venue,” said coordinator of the conservancy, Ted Holden. “The area is a lung of the community and we slowly aim to enhance the indigenous tree footprint. Our plan is slowly to eradicate alien and invasive plants, bush, trees and whatever greenery the river washes down into its lowest reaches and then into the sea. And in doing so, we plan to replace all of the alien plants with local plants such as coral, umdoni and yellowwood.”
The forests are an incredible way to preserve the heritage of a family, a group of friends or a company. He encourages others to support the initiative by either donating trees or cash. Once the trees are planted, a plaque in honour of the family is placed in the middle of the designated area. Ted also hopes that more members of the community recognise the importance of the forest.
“The most important aspect of the forest is that it acts as a valuable and much-needed green belt. We need to recognise this area as a very valuable community asset. We all need to do our bit to ensure that the environment is cared for and the best way to do this is to respect it. Residents often discard their rubbish along the roadside and cut down trees in their homes. We all need to actively do our part to protect the environment. One way we are doing this is to plant as many indigenous tree family or group forests on the edges of the golf holes, where alien bush and invasive trees are growing.”
ALSO READ: Amanzimtoti conservancy’s indigenous forest keeps growing
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