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
Verloren Valei recently received its first visit from South African members of the Millennium Seed Bank Partnership. On the 8 March 2023, a team from the South African National Biodiversity Institute’s Millennium Seed Bank Partnership Project visited Verloren Valei, their … Read more
Mpumalanga Wetlands Forum hosts event at Verloren Valei. World Wetlands Day is celebrated worldwide each year on 2 February to raise awareness about wetlands and the important environmental role they play. The theme for 2023 is “It’s time for Wetland … Read more
Frans Krige led a very lucky group of Friends of Verloren Valei members and almost-members for a day of exploring. The majority of field trips on the Reserve take place along the tourist route. This makes perfect sense given the … Read more
Susan Abell and Geoff Lockwood once again shared their enthusiasm and expertise with us. Friends of Verloren Valei and Escarpment Bird Club were delighted to welcome Susan Abell and Geoff Lockwood for another two-day exploration of the floral and avian … Read more
Three white Disa orchids are Verloren Valei specials, although infrequently seen. By Gerrit van Ede There are three Disas found on Verloren Valei that are basically white with some spots. While they are specials on the Reserve, they are not … Read more
The renowned orchid expert shared his knowledge with a mostly young group. Doug McMurtry, one of South Africa’s leading orchid experts, kindly agreed to lead a field trip to Verloren Valei on 26 February 2022. Accompanied by fellow expert, Shane … Read more
