BOTSOC MEMBERS URGED TO RENEW MEMBERSHIP
Botanical Society of South Africa (BotSoc) members, and plant and nature lovers in general, are eligible for free access to national botanical gardens.
If you renew your BotSoc membership on or before March 31, or become a member for the first time, you will be able to enter all gardens managed by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) free of charge.
Depending on the BotSoc membership you choose, this means you can visit the Kirstenbosch, Walter Sisulu, Lowveld, Harold Porter and KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg) botanical gardens as often as you like.
BotSoc general manager Antonia de Barros, said: “Following negotiations with SANBI, this benefit will change going forward. So if your membership is due to expire shortly, or even if it isn’t, it’s a great opportunity to extend your free garden-access benefit by purchasing a new membership before end March this year.”
If you renew your membership or become a new member of BotSoc from April 1 onwards, you will receive a 10% discount on your garden entry for the next year.
BotSoc members enjoy a number of benefits, including getting a copy of the acclaimed Veld & Flora magazine, access to plant-focused webinars and the chance to join fun activities organised by BotSoc branches across the country.
The Botanical Society of South Africa is a civil society organisation whose members get to know, grow, protect and enjoy our country’s incredible indigenous plants.
“At the heart of our work as a non-profit organisation is our involvement in protecting our plants through our conservation activities,” said De Barros.
“We work to protect important plant areas and threatened species, and to respond to the plant-poaching crisis. Growing capacity of plant guardians – especially the youth is important to us. Given the terrifying rate of biodiversity loss, this work has never been more important.”
BotSoc has also, since its inception nearly 110 years ago, provided support to national botanical gardens, assisting with plant collections, guiding, plant propagation, flower shows and plant sales and any other help they needed.
“The value of our volunteers, as they give time, knowledge and lunch.
This is a Bioblitz organised by CREW, so, if you would like to take part, bring your cameras or cellphones to collect photos for iNaturalist (iNat).
For more information phone or WhatsApp Alison at 082 406 5638.
Please note: Hard copies of
Veld & Flora are no longer posted resources as a way of showing their love and connection to plants, is phenomenal. For the sake of our rich plant diversity, this support to the gardens will continue at this time,” said De Barros.
The revised collaboration agreement between BotSoc and SANBI will remain in place until March 31, 2024 and the benefits honoured until March 31, 2025. Memberships can be bought and renewed on Webtickets.
“This change in access to national botanical gardens for BotSoc members from April 1 onwards is a big change for our members, as we adapt to a new dawn for the Society,” De Barros said.
“But we have exciting plans in place to develop new relationships with new partners to help protect, support and enjoy in nature and in our urban environment.
“At the core, however, is our relationship to nature – how nature supports human survival, and how our collective efforts are needed to prevent the continued loss of our natural world. So watch this space as we evolve in our role as plant custodians, and join us!”
For more information, visit: www.botanicalsociety.org.za to members individually. Instead they are sent to the chairlady. These hard copies are kept with Gael and Alison and members can collect from them or they can be delivered to a place of your convenience. Contact Gael at 061 082 1962 or Alison at 082 406 5638 for your copy.
SZS Plant Hire and Construction staff mow the grass at Injoloba School.
The grounds and fields of schools in the Midlands are being transformed by residents, businesses and NPOs.
uMngeni Mayor, Councillor Chris Pappas, put out a call on social media asking people to offer their time and grass cutting equipment to help some of the most disadvantaged schools in the municipality.
Among those to respond were Love Howick, whose Renoverge team has been working in the blazing sun to transform the grounds of Zamuthule Primary School. Around 6 000 square metres of grass has been cut so far.
“When Love Howick heard of these schools, we knew we had to help,” said project coordinator Riana Fourie.
“It's easy to say the school must maintain their premises but when you consider that it took our Renoverge team three days to finish cutting the grass and look at what it cost us, you have nothing but respect for the management, staff and school community who do their best to keep things running and maintained.
“We were moved and humbled by contributions we received to help offset the costs of this work. Thank you to everyone who donated.”
Local businesses, SZS Plant Hire and Construction, Howick Mega Build It and VHA Accounting Solutions
The Love Howick Renoverge team gets ready to cut more grass at local schools.
have also stepped up to help.
Thanking them, Pappas said: “SZS Plant Hire and Construction took it upon themselves to assist with our no fee schools grass cutting programme. Injoloba School and Howick Secondary School are both looking great thanks to their efforts.
“Cosmo Primary is the first to benefit from Howick Mega Built It's drive to help ... and Jabula School in Lidgetton has been helped by VHA Accounting Solutions.”
The mayor said that while the work should have been done by the Department of Education, the local municipality and partner organisations had been happy to come together to help the area's no fee paying schools.
“If we all work towards a common goal our communities can and will thrive. Every small effort and contribution counts,” Pappas added.
The mayor also thanked Love Howick for its help, and the Brigadoon Family farm, which has cut the grass at the Curry’s Post Primary School.
He was also keen to pay tribute to a generous, anonymous donor for donating a brush cutter to use in the grass cutting programme and Midlands Power Equipment for giving the donor a significant discount and providing the consumables.