Between March 2024 and February 2026, the Upper Letaba Catchment Restoration Project transformed the landscape of the Upper Groot Letaba catchment while strengthening partnerships, creating jobs, and securing vital water resources for the region. What began as an invasive alien plant clearing initiative evolved into a landscape-scale restoration effort that is now helping to catalyse long-term stewardship, scientific research, and community collaboration across the Wolkberg escarpment.

On 8 November 2025, the community of Phalaubeni in Limpopo marked a milestone many thought impossible just a few years ago: the official launch of its community-led Eco-Tourism Office and newly established hiking trails. But the true story is not about buildings or trails – it is about a profound shift in identity and mindset.

Earlier this month, the world marked the International Day of Biosphere Reserves (3rd November) – a day dedicated to celebrating the 748 UNESCO-designated regions that safeguard biodiversity, while supporting sustainable livelihoods across the planet.

Across South Africa a growing and often hidden threat is quietly stripping our landscapes of unique and irreplaceable plants. Driven by demand for rare succulents and locally sought-after ornamental species, the illegal harvesting of protected plants (often referred to as plant poaching) is pushing some species toward extinction and undermining efforts to conserve our natural heritage.