Honorary Rangers
"Birds and Forest Festival", Glendower Soutspansberg ,co-hosted by Marakele Honorary Rangers.
3 - 5 November 2006
Sponsored by Glendower Whisky, supported by BirdLife South Africa and co-hosted by the Marakele Honorary Rangers, the Soutpansberg/Limpopo Bird Route will host their annual Bird and Forest Festival from the 3rd to 5th November 2006.
For those of you not familiar with the Soutpansberg, it is South Africa’s northern-most mountain range, stretching from its foothills in northern Kruger to west of Makhado (Louis Trichardt) on towards the Blouberg. The southern slopes of the range are home to several forest patches of varying forest type, from evergreen high altitude Afrotemperate mist-belt forest to semi-deciduous scrub and mixed forest on the lower slopes. Forest is South Africa’s most endangered vegetation biome, because of its patchy distribution.
Some may be asking themselves what has this event got to do with SANPparks?
Firstly, the organisation and running of the event was supported by the Marakele Honorary Ranges. Secondly, although there is no National Park in the immediate vicinity, the Soutpansberg Route is the conduit between Northern Kruger and Mapungubwe National Parks. Along with Marakele, they are all important role players in the Greater Limpopo Birding Initiative, where the aim is to encourage avitourists (people who travel with the intention of seeing birds) to move between such areas to boost the tourism economy of Limpopo, one of South Africa’s poorest Provinces.
Lastly, although there is no National Park in the Soutpansberg, the patches of forest are of critical national importance to South Africa’s biodiversity and SANParks, as a major player in the country’s conservation effort, needs to lend support to efforts to create public awareness of conservation, particularly in marginalized habitats such as Afrotemperate mist-belt forest.
Although forest is arguably the toughest habitat to spot birds in, because of dense vegetation and the skulking, elusive and sometimes ventriloquial (ability to throw voice) habits of forest birds, with patience and effort, numerous species can be seen or heard.
Join us in celebrating the rich biodiversity of Southern Africa's Forests.
This activity driven event will focus on forest birds, mammals and trees within different forest types, and over the course of the event, there will be guided walks into different forest types and lectures by experts on various aspects of forest biodiversity and forest bird watching.
Contact: Sarah Venter on 082 374 9534 or
Eddie Cassani on 084 370 5255
Or contactus@limpopobirding.com
Glendower Southpansberg “Birds & Forest” Festival
Shiluvhari Lakeside Lodge, Makhado (Louis Trichardt)