“Working on the plant rescue and restoration project has really removed a veil from my eyes and made me aware of how much we lose through everyday activities such as road building or mining. On a recent trip out to the Garden, the gravel road that runs past the Garden – the C26 – was being graded, and the impact this had on the plants along the road was quite shocking. No forethought was given to rescuing plants prior to grading operations commencing, and as a result so many plants — some of them endangered — were sacrificed. We aren’t taught to pay attention to the smaller plants, even though the loss of a population of shrubs is as important as the loss of a tree. There is a huge need to create awareness about the spectrum of plant loss, and the impact of it all. Whether it is aimed at tourists, the public, or even those involved in plant conservation, there needs to be more education and collaboration, and for people to understand how collectively every contribution towards preserving Namibia’s floral wealth, no matter how small, makes a difference.

 

I think the DBGN has a very important role to play in creating this awareness, and I’m very excited about the future, especially in terms of continuing my research and collaborating with other institutions such as Gobabeb while working towards making a meaningful impact.”

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Monique Groenewaldt - Natural Resource Management Masters Student