Our neighbourhood is at the foot of an escarpment that would have been part of a mosaic of Afro-montane forest and grassland prior to extensive exploitation of the forests for timber and the widespread introduction of intensive agriculture and the establishment of urban areas, which commenced with the colonial era.
Continue reading “For the birds: Forest and woodland habitats”
An African tree renowned for its beauty is the Cape chestnut, which is a larval host plant of the citrus swallowtail butterfly that featured in last week’s post. We are fortunate to have one of these trees at the bottom of the garden and it is mature enough to flower each summer. Continue reading “The beautiful Cape chestnut: Host to the citrus swallowtail butterfly”
Moving in after last week’s broader view of mistbelt forests, here is a more micro perspective with a selection of photos to celebrate forest treasures, and there are fewer words too. (Cue smiley face here.) Continue reading “Mistbelt Forest in close up”
The suburb I live in nestles up against commercial plantations on the edge of town. Pre the colonial era and the development of urban settlement, what is now plantation and suburbia was part of a mosaic of mistbelt forest and grassland. Continue reading “Mistbelt forests of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands”
A Grey Duiker picks its way through fallen leaves as it forages at the margins of a patch of mistbelt forest in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Continue reading “Weekly Photo Find: Forest Foraging”
A section of a spider’s web, photographed in mistbelt forest in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Continue reading “Weekly Photo Find: Web design”
My find this week takes us to the indigenous mistbelt forest patches of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. In this photo, the huge base of a Lemonwood (Xymalos monospora) suggests the size of this impressive old tree. Continue reading “Weekly Photo Find: Survivors in the Mistbelt Forest”
letting nature back in 