Kloof Conservancy

06/08/2026

Camphor trees are a listed invasive species NEMBA 1b
The attached poster will help you meet your legal obligations 😊
This applies to the Upper Highway area

04/08/2026

Another busy and productive day for the Kloof Conservancy team. Earlier today we organised an outing for 52 children from our 5 Eco-club Schools in Molweni to visit Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve in Yellowwood Park. The goal of the visit was to bring to life the lessons from the Eco-club sessions done at the schools (unfortunately we could only take a representative group from each school and not all the Eco-club learners!)

The Primary schools involved are:
• Bazamile
• Sizimisile
• Lamula
• Molweni LP
• Dawede

The children were accompanied by our four Eco-club facilitators (Rasta Reuben, Mbali Xaba, Makhosonke Mchunu and Thokozani Xaba) and guided through the reserve by Andre Steenkamp who is a qualified nature guide.

At the reserve they were given a talk on the environment by Andre and then guided on a walk through the reserve where they saw Zebra (including a 4 day old foal), Bushbuck and Impala. For most of the children this was their first visit to a Nature Reserve and the first sighting of some of the animals. It will most likely also be their only school outing of the year.

We were also privileged to have two of the Stainbank Nature Reserve Honorary Officers involved, Mary-Anne and Colin Gleimius. They accompanied the group on the walk and added their local knowledge to the event with Mary-Anne also highlighting the important work done by the Honorary Officers.

The walk was followed by a lunch break and a discussion and feedback session on what they learnt in the reserve.

The outing was made possible thanks to generous donations from three of our members.

03/08/2026

Earlier today eThekwini’s Working on Fire contractor (Msenge Environmental Landscaping) carried out a controlled burn at the Msinsi Grassland which is a Kloof Conservancy Project.

Fires are important for grasslands because they remove dead plant buildup, return nutrients to the soil, and stop trees from taking over.
Key Benefits of Fire
• Clears old growth: Removes dead, dying grass (moribund material) so sunlight can reach new shoots.
• Enriches soil: Burns old plants down to ash, releasing fast nutrients back into the earth.
• Stops woody plants: Prevents shrubs and trees from turning the open grassland into a forest or thick bush.
• Stimulates new life: Triggers fresh, green plant growth that grazing animals love to eat.
• Reduces the risk of accidental fires

Thank you to the Biodiversity Management Department who control the burning programme for including the Msinsi Grassland in their schedule (the property is still under the control of KZN Public Works Department)
Thank you also to all the residents for putting up with the inconvenience of the smoke and ashes!

31/07/2026

30/07/2026

From the KZN Conservancies Association:

KZN Conservancies Association – Winter 2026 Newsletter
The latest edition of the KZN Conservancies Association Newsletter is now online!
This issue highlights the inspiring work of Conservancies across KwaZulu-Natal, conservation successes, environmental initiatives and opportunities to get involved.
📖 Read the full newsletter here:

https://kznconservancies.org.za/kzn-conservancies-newsletter-winter-2026/

If you enjoy the newsletter, please Like, Share and help us spread the word about the important work being done to conserve KwaZulu-Natal's natural heritage.

30/07/2026

It was an exciting day yesterday (29 July) at two of the schools in Molweni that host our Eco Club programme.
We arranged for the Durban Natural Science Museum’s (DNSM) mobile Go Wild unit to visit Dawede and Sizimisile Primary Schools.
The young learners had access to some the DNSM’s displays with a focus on wildlife. The DNSM team presented the various species and interacted with the learners who enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to see the display.
A sincere thanks to the entire DNSM staff and volunteers for their highly participative and effective engagement.

27/07/2026

https://le.kloofconservancy.org.za/how-kzns-birds-raise-the-next-generation/

Our current edition of our biannual e-magazine The Leopard’s Echo features a series of articles on how some species look after their young.

Well-known birder, ecologist and photographer, Nicolette Forbes article, “Nests, Neighbours, and Nursery Tricks: How KZN’s Birds Raise the Next Generation” provides some great insights into this topic. Her intriguing comment that “Not all chicks hatch equal” is a teaser to a fascinating article in which you are sure (even if you are a dedicated birder) to learn new facts about our local birds.

You can access the online article by following the link above.