Thatching materials and tree trunks

[Grantmissy]

The typical Kruger buildings all have thatched roofs. At face value a lot of thatching grass is needed to do repairs, maintenance, for new roofs etc. Does anyone know whether all the grass for thatching the roofs and the tree trunks/poles and other materials used for the stoeps and roofs are harvested and treated in Kruger or is it obtained from outside the Park?

[Rooies]

I would guess that the thatch is obtained from outside Kruger (Job creation and involving the communities next to Kruger springs to mind) With regards to the roof poles, it is normally treated pine poles but the tree trunks supporting the verandas are sourced from inside, albeit on a limited scale. The idea is to leave the park as pristine as possible without interfering too much, inter alia, collecting wood from the veld.

[tletter]

This summer we passed the Thatch Harvesting Project 2011 as shown in the following photos:





Hence thatch harvesting occurs in Kruger and it was welcome since the height of the thatch along the road made seeing anything off road very difficult.

[DinkyBird]

Hi Grantmissy

Here is a reply for you from Kruger:

• Thatch harvesting in the Park takes place during the late winter until the first rains.
• The number of thatch bundles harvested inside the Park depends on the early summer rains and availability.
• Additional thatch to supplement our own harvest is also purchased; mostly from sources as close to the Park as possible to reduce travelling costs and to provide benefits to surrounding communities.
• All the treated poles that we use in the Park are procured from outside the Park.

Hope this clarifies Grantmissy’s enquiry.

Kind regards

Laura Mukwevho
Public Relations