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February in Amatigulu Nature Reserve

The reserve had some rain in the last week of February causing some damage to the roads and breathing some life into the veld, which is now lush and green. The veld is full of flowers at the moment.

Looking North on the 4 x 4 trail

The grassland is in excellent condition

The roads on the 4 x 4 trail have deteriorated considerably

Digitaria spp

Aloe humanea or the Dwarf Aloe, is flowering in the grassland in various places in the reserve

An unidentified small herb in the grassland

Wild dagga plants are currently in flower

Last year's crop of young giraffe are looking quite adult now

Despite the recent rain the pan on the 4 x 4 trail has not retained any water.

Invader plants at Amatigulu Nature Reserve - November 2014

Much work has been done at Amatigulu Nature Reserve in the last year or two, to eradicate invader plants. In 2013, the alien plant eradication team worked on several large blocks in the reserve, removing Lantana and Chromolaena. This is a very expensive program, but  these invaders had taken over vast tracts of land in the reserve.

Follow-up programs ensure that the invader plants do not recur.

Unfortunately, the Lantana is growing back in many parts of the reserve, and appearing now in other stands as well.

Bugweed is currently covering large stands of land in the sections along the 4x4 trail.

This illustrates the difficulty in managing these invader plants in our reserves.

Large stands of bugweed in the forest sections along the 4x4 trail.

Lanata regrowth in many parts of the reserve

The grasslands are also suffering from bush encroachment by Acacia species. This can be kept at bay by bulk grazers or by burning. The grass load on this section of grassland indicates that burning has not taken place on this piece of grassland for some time.