How to balance the need to conserve plants with the demand from traditional healers is crucial for reserves like Verloren Valei. By Jenny Botha, Phomelelo Malatji, and Lufuno Konanani For millions of South Africans, traditional medicine is not an alternative … Read more
Interactions between plants and insects have evolved over the past 100 million years, resulting in the most fascinating and bizarre adaptations by both parties, writes Renier Basson, senior field officer, Drylands Strategic Conservation Landscape, Endangered Wildlife Trust. Across South Africa, … Read more
Steve Vincent reports back on the first two official field trips to the nearby De Berg Nature Reserve. The two Friends of Verloren Valei (FVV) field trips to De Berg took place on 21 and 28 February 2026. I previously … Read more
A group of lucky people explored a part of the reserve few members of the public get to see. Steve Vincent reports back. Map showing the blocks into which the reserve is divided. These blocks are burned in rotation each … Read more
Some practical tips to identifying an often confusing plant. Gladioli are some of the most striking flora found at Verloren Valei, but this large genus can be tricky to identify. The genus Gladiolus belongs to the family of Irises or … Read more
An attempt to understand more about this somewhat varied family of succulents. Crassula alba, one of the more spectacular Crassulas found on Verloren Valei (Photograph: Steve Vincent) Ten genera comprising 350 species of the Crassulaceae or Stonecrop family of herbs … Read more
A glimpse of the rich birdlife of the recently proclaimed Santa Estate Nature Reserve, which abuts Verloren Valei’s southeastern boundary. Waterfall at Santa Estate (Photograph: Chrissie Curtis) After weeks of overcast and rainy weather, it was absolutely fantastic to be … Read more
The Flowers and Orchids Field Trip on 25 January 2025 lived up to expectations. Members of the group pose in typical Verloren Valei setting (Photograph: Greg Jones) This field trip—my first one for Friends of Verloren Valei—was originally scheduled for … Read more
Alan Lee, Ian Davies, and Carrie Seltzer profile iNaturalist, eBird and the African Bird Atlas Project. With a limited number of conservationists and ornithologists across Africa, the importance of the contributions of citizen scientists to our understanding of birds cannot … Read more
It’s a familiar sight at Verloren Valei but there’s more to this distinctive species than meets the eye. A colony of Kniphofia porphyranta (Dwarf Red-hot Poker) at Verloren Valei (Photograph: Gerrit van Ede) Over the years, red-hot pokers have become … Read more
