A collaboration between the Cape Parrot Project (a project of Wild Bird Trust) and the Greenpop Foundation, the Mistbelt Habitat Restoration Project aims to improve land management in Bowden Forest near Hogsback, South Africa. In 2021, the project will focus on restoring 14 hectares of land through alien invasive plant management, natural regeneration management, and, where needed, active planting of 6000 indigenous tree seedlings. The expected outcomes of this project are climate change mitigation, improved soil quality and stability, increased species biodiversity, decreased alien invasive vegetation, and increased community income. Following implementation, the project will be monitored and evaluated on an annual basis for the first 4 years and every 5 years thereafter.

Additionally, as per previous projects, this project will provide financial support to local communities by purchasing 1000 seedlings from the local communal Sompondo nursery, thereby providing an income to those who run the nursery and supporting the propagation of indigenous trees in the area. The remaining 5000 seedlings will be coming from the CPP local nursery, as the community has not yet managed to germinate the variety of species needed for this site. Eight community members from surrounding villages are also employed and upskilled on a permanent basis to help restore the land. Furthemore, the project will provide support and rural development opportunities to a key forest-edge community in close proximity to the restoration site at Bowden Forest, namely, the iZingcuka community. This will be done through the temporary employment of a team of community members to assist with pre-planting AVM and planting efforts; and, as a more long-term way to support the community, the development of a second community–run micro-nursery in association with this work.

Year planted = 2021
Total trees planted = 6000 trees
Hectares restored = 14 Hectares

For more information on our work, visit:
https://www.greenpop.org
https://www.wildbirdtrust.com/projects/cape-parrot-project