30/09/2026
In August, we joined conservation practitioners from across the region at the Fynbos Forum at ATKV Goudini Spa Resort, sharing ideas, experiences and stories about the future of fynbos conservation.
It was a valuable few days of learning, with presentations from practitioners and researchers working across the Cape Floristic Region, and a great opportunity to hear about the many passionate people and innovative initiatives contributing to its conservation.
Kim Gordon, who manages our Small Grants Facility, presented on our grassroots conservation work, supported through a long partnership with Table Mountain Fund. Since 2017, the facility has supported 42 projects and distributed R1.15 million to community-led conservation initiatives, from indigenous gardening, wetland and coastal clean-ups, and cultural excursions, to nature-immersive experiences for children, youth leadership, and restoration of critically endangered Cape Flats Sand Fynbos and Swartland Shale Renosterveld.
But the value of a small grant goes beyond the funding itself. Every grant is paired with mentorship, skills development, building networks and connections into the wider conservation sector, helping young organisations build the capacity and relationships they need to keep going once the grant is spent.
We were also part of the team presenting the โUnlocking Sustainable Finance for the Cape Floristic Regionโ workshop, exploring how practitioners, funders, policymakers and the private sector can diversify and strengthen conservation finance. Kim shared examples of where we have secured conservation levies that are incorporated into environmental authorisations, which have generated sustained funding for biodiversity management on several of our managed conservation sites.
A highlight of the 3-day forum was a field trip led by Johann van Biljon to Intabaโs Rehabilitation Nursery near Rawsonville. We saw the hard work going into rehabilitation following the recent floods that devastated the Breede River system and local farming communities, alongside the nurseryโs role in growing locally indigenous plants for restoration projects. The visit took us behind the scenes, from the seed storage room and staff preparing cuttings, to the greenhouse where seedlings are nurtured, and the undercover nursery where plants grow, establish and prepare for planting out. It was a reminder of the patience, skill and care that sits behind successful ecological restoration, and of the many people who make conservation happen long before a plant finds its place back in the landscape.
The Forum was a great opportunity to connect with like-minded practitioners, build new networks and strengthen existing ones, while reflecting on the incredible breadth of work happening across our sector. Letโs keep sharing that work, supporting the people behind it and building the partnerships that help conservation efforts grow.
