Xolobeni mining – shady ’support’ from locals

I have written about the proposed mining of the Xolobeni area. See blogposts here, here and here. The local mining company says that it will bring employment to the area. Those opposed say it will bring destruction. I feel that an area of such biodiversity and uniqueness should be preserved as a heritage site. This will allow for sustained livelihoods and the preservation of the natural environment.

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Roadside Aloe

I have posted these elsewhere and Niall also posted some pics but I thought I should share these beautiful Aloes we came across on the side of the road in the Eastern Cape. Happy Monday!

Beautiful Aloe 1

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Happy Bloggity Birthday!

Sprig is 1 year, 196 posts, 212 tags and 716 comments old today – happy birthday!

Thanks to all who contributed, commented and read this blog in the past year.

Photograph by Amber S. Wallace

some flowers in hogsback

for those of you who haven’t visited hogsback… it is a small village in the eastern cape, in the mountains overlooking alice, where fort hare university is situated. there is a big movement to reclaim the area from the pines and wattles, revitalising the indigenous vegetation. i go relatively regularly to visit friends who live in the area. these are a small selection of photos of some of the flowers i saw.

keeping with the theme of hydrangeas… this was taken in someone’s garden.

i am not sure what this flower is but there was a pretty tree full of them.

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Rare Visitors

The summer has brought with it an incredible display of the Natal Watsonia (Watsonia densiflora) transforming a section of grassland on the Westville campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal into a burst of brilliant colour.  Cultivation, urbanisation and invasive plants have destroyed almost all the grasslands in the Durban area, making this an incredibly rare sight and the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Environment Committee ensures every effort is made to rehabilitate and preserve this heritage as a research and education resource.

Watsonia densiflora