Outeniqua Yellowwood (c) Cape Parrot Project
Wild Olive (c) Cape Parrot Project
Yellowwood Seedlings (c) Cape Parrot Project
The Cape Parrot Project aims to link the continued survival of South Africa’s only endemic and endangered parrot to the empowerment of the local communities that surround its’ habitat. The Cape Parrot (Poicephalus robustus) is dependent on the small pockets of remaining afro-montane forests in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo provinces. However, historical harvesting of yellowwood (Podocarpus/Afrocarpus sp.) trees and present degradation of forests from invasive alien plants has left the Cape Parrot with limited sources of food and nest sites.
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The Cape Parrot feeding on Yellowwood. (c) Rodnick Clifton Biljon
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In an attempt to save the Cape Parrot the Wild Bird Trust has started a forest expansion and rehabilitation project in the Hogsback region of the Amathole Mountains working with local communities to create sustainable livelihoods. To date the project is achieving its aim through: using local labour to clear invasive alien plants; creating micro-nurseries for community members to germinate and grow up indigenous tree seeds; sourcing seedlings from micro-and other local nurseries to plant in cleared and degraded areas using local labour.
All community members who are part of the project, from general labour to tree growers, are provided with skills training that will enable them to create a sustainable livelihood for themselves .Our partnerships with the Wildlands Conservation Trust and DEA/DAFF, as well as bringing in an education outreach component to our project, seeks to secure our long-term plan for working closely with the community to help conserve the Cape Parrot.
Speakers of the X. International Parrot Convention: ...
July 21st, 2022
Speakers of the X. International Parrot Convention: Ant...
June 13th, 2022
Speakers of the X. International Parrot Convention: Mar...
May 22nd, 2022
Speakers of the X. International Parrot Convention: Ju...
May 16th, 2022
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