CLIMATE · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
South Africa's Spekboom Restoration Sector Gains Momentum
WHY IT MATTERS
The successful restoration of the spekboom biome could help mitigate the effects of climate change and promote biodiversity in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, where widespread deforestation has led to soil erosion and flooding.
What happened
A new gold rush is emerging in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, driven by the restoration of the spekboom plant biome. The spekboom, also known as the bacon tree, has been stripped by generations of livestock farming, but a small restoration initiative, Return to Thicket, is working to revive the ecosystem.
The project, led by environmental policy graduate Nick Hamp-Adams, aims to restore the Albany thicket plant biome, which has been largely destroyed by mohair-producing goats.
The spekboom's ability to spread and carpet the soil makes it an ideal candidate for restoration.
PRIMARY SOURCES
South Africa’s new gold rush: Big money, high stakes in emerging spekboom restoration sector
Mongabay · John Cannon · Discovery and factual synthesis only; publisher copyright terms apply