Help Save An Elephants' Home

We are happy to report back on our land restoration project at HERD Trust.

HERD’s land conservation team has been keeping busy this year with multiple ongoing projects, each aimed at improving the health and longevity of soil and vegetation throughout the reserve.

Parts of the reserve have become significantly barren due to excessive soil compaction and overgrazing. To combat these areas, HERD has ploughed the land and planted grass seeds. We then distributed elephant dung compost throughout the area and covered the surface with Acacia branches (sourced from trees pushed over by elephants). Due to the prominent thorns on these branches, animals are deterred from feeding on the new vegetation.

Conservation student at HERD, Nadine Jansen van Vuuren explained that this project is doing well. The soil health has improved significantly and as a result, new vegetation has begun to come through.

The Donga project required a slightly different conservational approach, as we are dealing with land affected by excessive water erosion. During the rainy season, the water runs across the land and takes all of the dirt with it. Elephant dung was spread across the entire area, and then a TLB was used to fill in the erosion, mix the dung into the dirt, and make the land level. Next, we are hoping to implement a large-scale grass project to encourage new vegetation. Finally, we will cover the area with Acacia branches to protect the land and prevent the over gazing of new vegetation.

The HERD conservation team has also been working to protect trees from being ringbarked by elephants. Elephants use their tusks and trunks to peel bark off trees to eat it. They also love to rub against tree trunks as a way of scratching themselves, especially after a swim.

Excessive ringbarking can cause significant damage to trees, so HERD has implemented a project aimed at protecting specific trees surrounding dams commonly visited by the herd.

We are confident that our measures will go a long way in helping us to restore our land and to look after the long-term sustainability of the elephants’ home.

Thank you for all your support for this vital project.

Warm regards,

Adine and the HERD Team