A cycad conservation workshop, convened in the Waterberg in January 2023, identified the need to explore the use of drones to sample material from plants in inaccessible places. Drones can also be used to more effectively survey and monitor cycads spread across difficult terrain. Wild Cycad Conservancy (WCC) is working with several partners
Wild Cycad Conservancy (WCC) received its nursery permit from the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET) and our gene bank is beginning to produce material for restoration projects. Female cones of Encephalartos dolomiticus, E. laevifolius Wolkberg and E. dyerianus were pollinated successfully. To fully utilise this asset, WCC entered into a research
Are there too many cycad species in South Africa? By using existing genetic approaches, it is difficult to distinguish between several of the 37 Encephalartos species described from South Africa. This could mean that taxonomists have been too eager to describe new species or that the genetic methods are not refined enough to accurately resolve species.
Encephalartos middelburgensis occurs in the upper drainage basin of the Olifants River, at altitudes of 1100 to 1400m, between Middelburg and Loskop Dam. It grows in open grassy, rocky areas on steep slopes on slightly acidic soils. The mean annual rainfall in its distribution area is 600 mm and occurs mainly in summer. E middelburgensis grows well in full sunlight
Wild Cycad Conservancy (WCC) is leading research to address what appears to be an existential crisis for many of South Africa’s cycads: the extinction of cycad-specific pollinators! Studies over the past 10 years have revealed an alarming trend where beetle pollinators, which are specific to cycads, are absent from many cycad populations. Without pollinators, these cycads do
Over 35 years, I worked on some of the biggest issues in biodiversity conservation, including wildlife trade, the impacts of agriculture and biological invasions. Throughout this time, I have maintained an interest in cycad ecology and conservation and colleagues often ask why I invest time in this relatively small group of plants when there are so many bigger issues to worry about.
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