Taboa do Cabo, or Table of the Cape, was the name originally bestowed on Table Mountain by the first European to land in Table Bay. In 1503, Portuguese sailor, António de Saldanha, made the scramble up what is now Platteklip Gorge - not as a
Freshwater ecosystems are an irreplaceable feature of the Cape Floristic Region. Can you imagine our Cape wilderness areas without the pristine rivers, wetlands and mountain streams that give life to our fynbos and its fauna? This prospect becomes frighteningly real when we consider the fast-growing
Leucadendron: a rather serious-sounding title for this lively fynbos shrub that we see dotted across the mountain in a rainbow of different hues. Its common name ‘conebush’ sounds quite ordinary too, but species like silver tree, spinning top, golden sunshine and silky-ruff begin to paint
In this week’s #TMFInTheField we introduce you to the Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor Small Grant funded project “Reconnecting the youth with nature”. The project team believe that sustainable conservation of natural resources and the fulfilment of the lives and potential of young people will only
In this week’s #TMFInTheField, we celebrate Youth Day, by introducing you to The Cape Town Environmental Education Trust (CTEET) Learnership Programme. The programme was started in order to provide learnership opportunities to young individuals, with limited educational opportunities, from communities adjacent to nature reserves. In 2014,
Proteas are to fynbos what salt and pepper are to the spice rack: the golden children. The dazzling King Protea is our national flower - an iconic symbol of South African heritage - and proteas of all shapes and sizes are celebrated in décor and
As we climbed out of the car, we were met with a shroud of mist and the chilly pitter patter of rain; sideways rain, as is often the case in the blustery Cape. As the forecast had assured us it was nothing to shout about
One of the most awe-inspiring things about the Cape Floral Kingdom (CFK) is how much more there is to it than meets the eye. What could easily appear to be a monotonous carpet of dull scrubland is really just the opposite: an abundant plant paradise,
The humble tortoise. A peculiar, prehistoric creature with ancient origins dating back 260 million years. Originally a ‘fat lizard’, whose ribs broadened out and eventually united to form a complete shell, the tortoise we know today uses its suit of armour as a potent form
While its name doesn’t instantly conjure idyllic images of a pristine nature-lover’s haven; if you visit Silvermine, that’s exactly what you’ll find. In 1675, prospectors believed that the mountains in the area contained silver, but when shafts were sunk to locate it, there was in fact