A Draft Environmental Maintenance Management Plan (EMMP) has recently been released for public comment regarding proposed repair and maintenance works to the Barend Koen track and bridge within the Boosmansbos Wilderness Area, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The proposal has generated significant discussion among neighbouring landowners, conservationists, and members of the broader conservation community — not only because of the practical implications of reopening the route, but also because of broader questions regarding wilderness management, protected area legislation, and the long-term vision for these landscapes.

​This review aims to provide an overview of the proposal, outline some of the key issues being raised, and encourage informed public participation in the comment process. 

For many conservation projects, success is measured in hectares restored, invasive species removed, or trees planted. While these ecological indicators are critical, they overlook a vitally important question:
How does restoration change the lives of the people doing the work?

In 2024, we started implementing a restoration project supported by the IKI Small Grants programme, part of the International Climate Initiative of the German Federal Government. From the outset, the project was designed with two equally important goals: restoring degraded ecosystems and strengthening the livelihoods and skills of the local people working in these landscapes.
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While the ecological outcomes focused on restoring forests, the project also aimed to create meaningful employment opportunities, build restoration skills, and deepen participants’ connection to the natural environment.

To better understand these social outcomes, we conducted a social and livelihood assessment among restoration team members who participated in the project.

Some of these results are summarised below

South Africa is currently facing renewed concern around the spread of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs (WOAH, 2025). While the disease poses little risk to humans, it can have devastating impacts on livestock health, farming livelihoods, and the agricultural economy (WOAH, 2025).
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Recent outbreaks in several provinces have prompted the national government to intensify efforts to control the disease. Containing FMD requires a coordinated response between farmers, veterinarians, government departments and agricultural organisations.

​As the new year begins, we’re filled with excitement for what lies ahead at the Grootvadersbosch Conservancy.

We certainly didn’t ease into January. A serious wildfire swept through the Grootvadersbosch Valley, turning the landscape into a scene of urgency. In the face of a threat far greater than any single landowner or team could handle, the community came together in an inspiring show of solidarity. Firefighters, neighbouring landowners, and support teams worked side by side, sharing resources, information, and support. Despite challenging flare-ups, the outcome could have been far worse.  We are grateful that damage to infrastructure was minimal, and even more grateful for the people who stood together when it mattered most.
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The total area burned was estimated at 6,310 hectares, including Renosterveld, Fynbos, and the forest boundaries (forests play a major role in controlling fires and cooling them down; that is one of the reasons we protect them!).

Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone involved, from those on the fire lines to those coordinating communications, to the many who prepared and delivered food parcels to keep teams going.

A few weeks ago, the Grootvadersbosch Conservancy had the privilege of hosting a fascinating and insightful workshop with Wesley Soule from SoilScopes. SoilScopes is a new organisation that was established in 2022 and has already left a big impact on the South African agricultural world over the past few years. SoilScopes brings in modern, regenerative agricultural practices to farmers on how to tend to their soil more naturally.