Ferncliffe Forest Wilding

03/05/2026

Dr Costas Zachariades releases a biocontrol agent for Tradescantia fluminensis (Small-leaf Spiderwort) at Ferncliffe. Native tree seeds don't stand a chance of germinating under the thick carpet of Tradescantia, so we're very excited to test a Brazilian s**t fungus that targets it. Dr Alan Wood couriered samples of s**t covered leaves from Stellenbosch which Dr Zachariades carefully set out. We'll be monitoring the apread of the fungus with great interest!
A big thank you to Alan and Costas of the Agricultural Research Council.

09/04/2026

Who needs chocolate? A troop of Vervet Monkeys (Cercopithecus pygerythrus) made short work of a bunch of bananas in the garden. A strict pecking order was visible. The dominant male; who managed to cram at least ten bananas down before relinquishing his position. Then other adults, and females with babies. Finally, the rat pack of teens and youngsters, by which time the larder was just about bare...
The monkeys stuffed their cheeks, a bit like hamsters.

PS: Vervets can swim... but maybe not after a whole bunch of bananas

24/03/2026

World Rewilding Day 2026 recap!
At least 36 indigenous mistbelt forest trees were planted on the old farm we've saved from development: the first of hundreds more!
Over 25 species were planted.
Over two dozen friends and local residents made the morning special.
Volunteers this year included fellow Global Rewilding Alliance friends Operation Songamanzi (for the third year running, thanks guys!) and a team from Mount Verde. 🌳🌳🌳

20/03/2026

World Rewilding Day is happening on all levels 🕷
Hugging my thumb is an African Rhinoceros Beetle (Oryctes monoceros) who flew in especially.

Ferncliffe forest wilding is celebrating World Rewilding Day on Sunday. We're excited because we're going to be rewilding a derelict farm, starting with tree-planting this weekend 💪🏽🌳

Rewilding is the future 🐵🐆🦌

18/03/2026

Come and plant trees with us! This Sunday, 22 March, from 9am to 11.30am. It's a beautiful shady spot with easy access. Holes are prepared, and trees come free. Good for kids of all ages (even the 65-years olds😉!) Bring a picnic if you like.
RSVP essential for further details: [email protected] or [email protected]
Top of Warwick Road, number 90.

Let's restore Ferncliffe Ferncliffe is a mistbelt forest in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Blessed with a high rainfall in a largely dry country, it’s a magical tangle of vegetation at the edge of a city. It habours unexpected, often secretive creatures that dwell in and depend on the profusion of i...

15/03/2026

Members of BirdLife (KZN Midlands club) spent the morning with us, searching for elusive forest species. As summers draws to a close, opportunities to spot migrant birds lessen. No cuckoos seen today!

09/03/2026

Join us to celebrate the rewilding of an overgrown 5-hectare citrus farm! Over 85 people donated an incredible R3.6 million to stop this land being sold for a housing development and give it to nature instead. Every inch will now be dedicated to the wild things that should and could live here: bats and damselflies, bugs and bushbuck, and maybe, bushbabies... It is time to turn Glengarriff farm back into indigenous forest! We’ve chosen to celebrate WORLD REWILDING DAY 2026 by inviting you to a special tree-planting event where we’ll plant the first new individuals of the forest-to-be on this precious land. All are welcome. Please rsvp so that we have enough materials for everyone. Children will love it.

Need to know: The event is free, but you’re welcome to donate to the greater cause – the rewilding and restoration of the greater Ferncliffe Forest area. A selection of trees will be waiting for you. Please bring a drink, and gloves. Wear longs for comfort and protection. Also, a spade if you have one (we have extra). And a foldable chair and some supplies if you’d like to picnic or explore afterwards. The terrain is relatively flat and accessible, but wear comfortable closed shoes that can get muddy

04/03/2026

A call for help. Please do what you can.

27/02/2026

No one said planting a forest was easy! Here, the team works on steep slopes above the city. Getting the trees, bamboo, and compost to the site took sweat and grit: thanks guys for taking on the challenge. (And for watering the saplings afterwards.) Twenty more trees will hold the soil here, and add seeds and fruit to the denuded ridge in future.

15/02/2026

Daniel, a student from Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences (the Netherlands) has just ended a six-month internship with us. Daniel brought valuable GIS skills to our project, which we are very grateful for! He spent much of the time gathering data, enabling us to monitor our restoration progress and create a Ferncliffe map. More about the map in a future post. And he helped with everything from looking after volunteers to watering...
Thanks, for all your hard work and smiles! Rocket & Pixley (and us) will miss having you as part of the pack