Pine Busters

🌲 Mission Prep Underway!

We're gearing up for our next mission into the Cathedral Peak area, where we'll be tackling the Upper Fern Valley, an area heavily invaded by Pinus patula.

Every mission is another step towards restoring the Berg's natural grasslands, protecting vital water catchments, and giving indigenous vegetation the chance to thrive again.

A huge thank you to our dedicated volunteers who give up their time and energy to make this work possible. Stay tuned as we share updates from the field! 💚⛰️

💚 Thank You for Your Generosity 💚

A big thank you to Roxanna Dix for donating two hiking backpacks to Pine Busters.

These packs have spent many years exploring the Drakensberg and we're delighted that they are heading back to their happy place, this time helping our volunteers protect the mountains we all love.

We are incredibly grateful for the support of people who share our passion for conservation. Every donation, big or small, helps make a difference.

Thank you for helping us keep the Berg beautiful. 🌲⛰️

From 13–16 June, our team tackled the Thutumi Valley in Didima, enjoying exceptional winter weather and some spectacular mountain scenery along the way.

Richard, Fred, Rod, Linda, Morgan, and a warm welcome to newcomers Megan and Nathan, cleared over 330 invasive pine trees during the weekend. Most were smaller trees clustered around old ring-barked pines, but there were some larger challenges too, including a 60cm seed-spreading tree that Rod successfully brought down.

Working on steep slopes and deep in the valley made for tough going, but the effort was well worth it. Alongside the conservation work, there was time for braais, sundowners, star-filled skies, and great conversation around the fire.

A special thank you to everyone who gave their time and energy to help protect our beautiful Berg. Every tree removed makes a difference. 💚