By Dr Sarah Venter

Climate change and baobabs: what’s the real story?

As global temperatures continue to rise millions of life-forms around the globe are under threat. Plants and animals differ in their ability to cope with variable climate conditions with many being sensitive to the slightest change and thus may be the first to die.  In contrast, baobabs are well adapted to changes in temperature and rainfall as can be seen [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Baobab Books to 1000 Primary School Learners

On completing my PhD on the ecology of baobabs in northern Venda I decided to write an easy-to-read booklet on baobabs.  The purpose of this booklet was to share the importance knowledge of baobabs I had gained with South Africans and in particular the people who live in the area I did my research.  In 2016 I completed the booklet [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Learning from Ratho – how to protect riverine forests

Baobabs are not the only species being destroyed by elephants.  Many species of trees along the Limpopo River are disappearing at an alarming rate.  Ratho, a citrus farm situated west of Pont Drift and opposite the Tuli Block of Botswana took action before it was too late.  They have used electric fencing to protect riverine forests and where the forests [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Another baobab gone – do we need more proof?

Three large baobabs form an avenue on either side of the track leading up to Schroda Dam view in Mapungubwe National Park.  These trees have stood on this hillside for hundreds of years.  Last month one of them died as a result of elephant damage as many other trees in this National Park. Fortunately, the other two trees were meshed [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

A fence and gate for Domboni Preschool

There are so many unforeseen needs of a preschool, the most important is a fence.   A few moths ago the Baobab Foundation helped Principal Mavis Tshiwela renovate a rundown building to create a classroom for her learners.  The next job was to put up a fence and a gate that would keep the children from wondering off and the preschool [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Equipment for protecting baobabs donated to SANParks

Protecting baobabs from elephants is an ongoing effort.  There are over 600 baobabs on Mapungubwe National Park.  Every few moths a baobab collapses and dies from elephant damage in the park.  Mapungubwe National Park has limited resources and is unable to dedicate equipment solely to the protection of baobabs.  The Baobab Foundation has put together a pamphlet on How-to-mesh-a-baobab, which [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Baobab Foundation helps new Matatani Preschool with equipment

Matatani PreSchool opened its doors in February 2024, but the classrooms were bare.  There were no chairs and tables for the teachers, no buckets to collect water, no cooking pots for making food and so much more was missing that the school was about to close just as it opened. The container-buildings were donated by the University of Johannesburg as [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Lets learn about baobabs

Surrounded by majestic baobabs, Domboni Primary School is situated on the edge the remote village of Domboni in northern Venda.    I arrived at the school in the middle of one of their English lessons.  It must have been a relief to the children, when I switched to TshiVenda, their home language,  to talk about environmental conservation and baobabs.  I’m sure [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Grow your own baobab

Baobabs produce a large fruit which are filled with hard kidney-shaped seeds.  These seeds are “nature-designed” to survive harsh conditions and to germinate at exactly the right time so that the young seedling can grow and survive in the wild.  Our job is to crack that code by mimicking the natural conditions that stimulate germination and allow the seedlings to [...] Continue Reading