The Butterfly Effect

Small changes, big impact

In our garden

Garden Acraea, below. Larvae eat leaves of the Wild Peach and they are preyed upon by the Diedrek cuckoo. I planted a Wild Peach five years ago, when we moved in, and I think I heard a cuckoo recently.

This week’s green spaces newsletter is all about fixing what’s broken and small acts of caring that make a big difference.

Steph and I are making floor mats for children to sit on in an art room. An art room should encourage relaxation and creativity, a sense of ease. We’re using fabric samples donated by a friend. At this point, we’re cutting out the samples and arranging them, prepping for a process involving a hot iron and an industrial sewing machine. Ultimately, we’ll have a patchwork mat. Stay tuned for updates.

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Eco Bites with Branch Out Youth

Branch Out Youth launched its first eco bites event with SANParks Honorary Rangers on Saturday 21 February. There was a good turnout, and the rangers explored the valley’s rich biodiversity, and explained about local conservation efforts.

See @BranchOutYouth on Instagram.

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Fernkloof’s magical mystery tour for children

A colourful, child‑friendly flyer introducing school groups and youngsters to Fernkloof’s wonders has been released free at the reserve in Hermanus.

Designed as a map‑style eco‑treasure hunt by Kathie Buley with illustrator Theodore Key, it highlights plant and animal landmarks, encourages hands‑on discovery and meets educational goals that support botanical garden accreditation. Intended for children from about seven with an accompanying adult, the flyer was tested successfully and may be followed by an activity book pending sponsorship.

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Save the date!

I’ve lived in a lot of places, discovered green spaces, and found fellow greenies sharing our ecosystem. Sharing is caring, tribe. Corny, I know.

Currently living in Clovelly, Cape Town, within the Table Mountain National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.