Our Sustainability Manager, Juan Ferreira, has vast knowledge of environmental protection and planning. Below, he explains more about Jabulani’s role and plans to prevent desertification.

Written by Juan

At Jabulani Safari, we align ourselves with the global goal of combating desertification through sustainable land management. Arid and semi-arid regions are extremely susceptible to overexploitation, which leads to desertification. We at Jabulani Safari have made it our goal to formulate and implement a management protocol to achieve land degradation neutrality.

The first step towards achieving our goal is compiling an Environmental Management Plan (EMP). The EMP forms the cornerstone of our operations on the Reserve. It provides the team with a working document to track and measure our progress. We understand all too well that working with the environment is such a fluid concept, and we find ourselves constantly adapting and changing our techniques until we find the right solution.

Correctly identifying ecologically sensitive areas is crucial and should be prioritized according to the severity and scale of the problem that needs solving and the scale and time frame required to implement the solution. Solutions implemented should be effective at addressing the problem and as ecologically sensitive and economically viable as possible.

Let’s discuss the above using examples. One of Jabulani’s most important projects is the restoration of an old mango plantation. The lack of a basal grass layer in the above-mentioned area leaves the delicate soil open to many threats, such as crust formation and accelerated soil erosion. This, in turn, leads to decreased carbon storage capacity and inevitably contributes to micro desertification.

To combat this, we have started the rehabilitation process of the area. Ripping the compacted soil is a good start, as it allows grass seedlings to penetrate the soil easily. After ripping, the process of brush packing started.

Brush packing involves the removal of small encroaching tree species and excess dead branches from adult trees and tightly packing them like a sheet over the soil. The dappled shade and freshly exposed soil create the ideal microclimate for seed germination and facilitate the growth of a basal layer that will not only protect the soil but also increase the carbon storage capacity of the area and lower the relative temperature of the microhabitat. This relative temperature decrease is made possible by the grass (and trees) absorbing the sunlight during the day and slowly releasing it throughout the evening.

To further help the rehabilitation process, grass seeds harvested from slashing activities elsewhere can be sowed in the area before brush packing occurs. This may speed up the process as grass seeds are in the immediate area, and the operations’ success does not rely only on factors such as wind, rain, and animals to carry seeds into the area. Many instances are scattered all over the reserve where similar interventions are required.

This is one of many projects we undertake to combat desertification. Although our actions may not change the world, they may set off a chain of events that inspire more landowners and managers to do the same. The collective actions of the many may very well change the environment we live in.