Growing a Greener Future: WILDTRUST’s September Arbour Month Activities

This Arbour Month, WILDTRUST celebrated the power of indigenous trees to restore ecosystems, support community livelihoods and bring people together for a greener future. The initiatives supported the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s (DFFE) 1 Billion Trees milestone. Together with our various partners and stakeholders, the teams planted more than 3000 trees.

Throughout September, our teams and partners took part in tree-planting initiatives around KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and educational activities that highlighted the importance of caring for our natural environment.

Learning, teamwork and friendly competition at Arbour Week (Northern KZN)

WILDTRUST’s three-day Arbour Week tournament brought teams together for learning, teamwork and friendly competition. On the final day, teams proudly represented their project areas: Marula (Bhekula), Fig (Tembe Hub), Fever Tree (Mbazwana), Mohagany (Mabasa) and Quinine (KwaJobe).

For the first challenge, the teams participated in a quiz testing their knowledge of Arbour Week and trees. Followed by a presentation challenge on their innovative climate-resilient green hubs that could reduce erosion, cool the environment and thrive with minimal water, all within a fictional budget.

The final activity was the Eco-Obstacle Relay, where teams tested their environmental knowledge and practical skills at three stations: filling planting pots with compost and soil, sorting indigenous and invasive alien plant species, and transporting water across a balance plank. Team Fever Tree from Mbazwana won the final challenge and was crowned overall tournament champion.

To celebrate their win, the KwaJobe team presented the champions with a Fever Tree grown by a WILDTRUST Tree-preneur. The tree was planted at the KwaJobe community hub, extending the tournament’s message beyond the day’s activities. During the tournament 216 indigenous trees were planted.

The tournament was a joyful reminder that environmental awareness can grow through shared learning, teamwork and community spirit. A special thank you to the KwaJobe team and Fanele, our Living Lakes Trainee, for helping make the day a success.

Planting trees, creating livelihoods with CCI South Africa (Durban)

On 23 September, WILDTRUST joined long-standing partner CCI South Africa at the Maharishi Invincibility Institute in Tongaat to plant 1,000 trees in support of CCI’s One Job, One Tree initiative.

The initiative supports CCI’s sustainability commitment to plant an indigenous tree for every new job created. Over the past year, the partnership has helped CCI plant more than 2,000 indigenous trees sourced from WILDTRUST Tree-preneurs in KwaZulu-Natal.

This partnership creates a three-fold impact: supporting CCI’s commitment to creating jobs for South African youth, providing livelihood opportunities for community members who nurture indigenous plants and trees, and restoring ecosystems through the planting of indigenous species.

The trees help enhance biodiversity, strengthen environmental resilience and contribute to healthier ecosystems. We thank CCI South Africa for its continued support. Together, we connect, regenerate, restore and empower people and the planet.

Restoring grasslands through indigenous tree planting (Pietermaritzburg)

WILDTRUST also marked Arbour Month with an indigenous tree-planting event at the Ukulinga Research Farm at Bisley Nature Reserve in Pietermaritzburg. The event was hosted in partnership with CHEP, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Msunduzi Municipality and Friends of Bisley Nature Reserve (FOBNR).

A total of 200 indigenous trees were planted to support the restoration of degraded grasslands within the reserve. The species included White Pear (Apodytes dimidiata), known as umdakane; Forest Fever-berry (Croton sylvaticus), known as umhlakuvane; and Water Pear (Syzygium guineense), known as umDoni.

WILDTRUST CEO Dr Roelie Kloppers welcomed guests and thanked CHEP for donating the trees, and highlighted the work of WILDTRUST’s Tree-preneurs, who go door-to-door to teach community members how to grow indigenous trees. These trees are then harvested and replanted at restoration sites, linking environmental restoration with community livelihoods.

CHEP’s Ian Lindsey welcomed the partnership and the opportunity to take part in an initiative that benefits both communities and the environment.

Adrian Nel from UKZN’s Geography Department shared the history of Ukulinga, explaining that the site had previously been contoured and ploughed. He noted that restoring and preserving the grassland biome is a long-term process with significant ecological benefits, and that planting indigenous trees is an important step in restoring ecological balance.

A heartfelt thank you to our Youth Employment Services (YES) employees, CHEP, UKZN and Msunduzi Municipality teams, FOBNR and Team WILD for helping make the event a success.

Growing environmental awareness across uThukela

During the same week, WILDTRUST’s Ocean and Awareness Team, through the uThukela Marine Protected Area (MPA) Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Project, marked Arbour Month with tree-planting events across the project’s three nodes.

The initiative supported the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s (DFFE) 1 Billion Trees milestone. Together with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the team planted 1,500 trees.

Facilitated by WILDTRUST’s Dudu Vilane, the team visited schools across uThukela, where learners recognised as Eco Heroes received gardening tools in recognition of their commitment to ecological sustainability.

The events began with knowledge-sharing sessions, giving participants an opportunity to discuss the importance and benefits of trees. Learners then put their knowledge into action by planting trees and contributing to greener school environments.

Mary Basson from Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife highlighted the ecological risks posed by the Brazilian pepper tree, an invasive alien species, and strongly discouraged its planting. She also discussed gum trees and their high water consumption, while acknowledging their range of uses.

The initiative was made possible with the support of the Blue Action Fund.

We thank all our partners, employees, Tree-preneurs and community teams who took part. Together, we continue to connect, regenerate, restore and empower people and the planet.