By Wicus Cronjé
My 2-month tenure at the NVT, from January to March in 2025, was nothing short of spectacular. As a recent graduate from Stellenbosch University with a BSc Conservation Ecology degree, I could find a much-needed break in addition to field experience at NVT. I had one of my favourite holiday destinations as a place of work!
My primary responsibility was shadowing under and taking over NVT’s Forest Programme. It involved managing invasive species, maintaining trails, monitoring the restoration site, putting up camera traps and analysing the footage as well as stakeholder engagement at Hebron Private Nature Reserve, a 14-hectare forest en route to Nature’s Valley. Besides that, I was an environmental educator for NVT during SANParks’ Kids in Parks Programme, teaching and presenting different activities in different habitats, with the main area of focus being forests.
A few highlights of mine included meeting Prof. Coert Geldenhuys, an expert in Afro-Temperate Forest Ecology and whose papers I read with fervent interest. The snorkelling at Poortjies beach in Plettenberg Bay to witness the camouflaged Knysna seahorses was certainly another highlight. An insightful presentation on estuarine ecology by Prof. Janine Adams and sampling meiofaunal invertebrates with Dr. Linda Harris at Keurboomstrand were other invaluable experiences that will stay with me for a long time.
I have immense appreciation for NVT and the work that they do. To maintain the operations of a non-profit company for 24 years could only be done with the care of Nature’s Valley’s residents and the work of the team and board of directors. Navigating the non-profit sphere requires a lot of creativity and innovation to fulfil funding requirements and address other challenges, and I believe that they have done it brilliantly thus far.
I thank Prof. Hendri Coetzee, who saw and fulfilled my need to gain field experience by letting me participate and take over the Forest Programme. His 90-minute introduction of NVT’s work to me made me feel a part of NVT’s vision and mission and that I had an important role to play.
I thank Giorgio Lombardi for his continuous enthusiasm and for inspiring me to be impactful in my next career and field.
I thank former NVT staff member Sky Beveridge for his patience and mentorship while I was learning about forests.
I thank Lauren Moriarthy for her commitment to sharing NVT’s work on all platforms and attention to detail to cement the organisation’s role as a leader in conservation.
