This land stewardship project focuses on ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation and invasive plant management
This land stewardship project takes place on the Koehorst’s family property in Wilderness Heights in the Garden Route of South Africa. The intention behind the project is to restore the 5.5 hectare property into a biodiversity corridor for local wildlife, while simultaneously experimenting with homesteading and local food production.
Interventions on the property have included an indigenous tree planting festival where 1000 indigenous trees were planted in a single day, ongoing invasive plant management in collaboration with the South African National Parks and the national Working for Water program, small scale vegetable gardening and edible forest gardening, mushroom cultivation for eating and ecological restoration, installing watering holes and dams for local wildlife and more.
Before: Tree planters taking part in the 1000 trees in a day planting event in 2014. This photo is the same area as the one above.After: A mix of planted trees and naturally occuring ground covers, 3 years after planting
Plants were divided into 4 distinct zones based on their niche, function and needsApproximately 100 people showed up during the planting to get stuck in!It’s about happy people, and a happy environmentRed beech (Protorhus longifolia) growing well at approximately 8 years old. Over 15 indigenous tree species are planted regulary on the site, with many shrub and brush and ground cover layers occurring as wellVegetables grown in a ‘cage’ to protect from the animals that frequently migrate past the homesteadA cluster of indigenous trees naturally seeded on the lower portion of the property near the river.
