Roger Graham, of Meadowridge, has received a nod for his contribution to conservation as chairperson of Friends of Meadowridge Common.
Mr Graham received the runner-up Wildlife and Environment Society of SA (Wessa) Award for Individuals at an awards ceremony held at Beaumont Primary School in Somerset West in March.
He hopes it will draw more attention to the Cape Flats Sand Fynbos Circle, a demonstration garden of the critically endangered vegetation at the common.
The annual Wessa Awards celebrate the efforts of individuals, groups, and institutions to advance environmental conservation and education in South Africa.
“Wessa recognises his outstanding contribution to local citizen conservation through having initiated and chaired the Friends of Meadowridge Common since 1997; and his inspiring leadership of its community conservation actions that are protecting the Meadowridge Common’s unique Cape Flats sand fynbos biodiversity,” said Cindy Cloete, Wessa’s acting CEO.
Meadowridge Common is a small protected area with a remnant of the critically endangered Cape Flats sand fynbos. However, Mr Graham said many people did not realise there was anything valuable in the fairly nondescript field.
Over the past few years, Mr Graham has been at the helm of getting a demonstration garden of Cape Flats sand fynbos installed at the common to raise awareness.
In 2022, the Friends approached Dr Caitlin von Witt, whose field is botanical restoration, to rehabilitate a degraded area of the common, and, with a grant from the Rowland and Leta Hill Trust, work on this project began. The City’s recreation and parks department cleared the area for planting (“Protecting our floral heritage at Meadowridge Common,” Bulletin letters, February 29).
After months of propagating many different Cape Flats sand fynbos plants, grown from seeds taken from the common and other areas of similar genetic type, more than a thousand were put into the circle. After heavy winter rains last year, some have been lost, but surviving plants have lasted without any watering.
Mr Graham invites those seeking ideas on what to grow in a water-wise garden to peruse the Meadowridge Common. He said the floral displays would be after winter and towards the end of the year.
“The things that grow here, like your Metalasia or proteas, don’t need a lot of water, and if you want to find out what grows in your area here in Diep River, Bergvliet, Meadowridge, this is a great place to come look at things and choose, and then go to the nurseries,” Mr Graham said.
