Especially as we have battled a recent drought and the effects of water shortage in the reserve, more than ever, seeing to the land that supports the elephants at HERD is vital. We are working on restoring water security for the herd and other wildlife, while also sustaining the land around the homestead and orphanage where the elephants traverse regularly. This includes water provision, tree protection, brushpacking, grassland restoration, and erosion control.
Our land management plan covers various areas of the reserve, looking to create more sustainable processes. Our project targets reducing and preventing the environmental impact of the rescued elephants on the land around the orphanage and homestead. To let just one year pass without restoring the land the elephant's traverse can be extremely detrimental to the environment. Following a severe drought where our waterholes almost all ran dry, we are engaged in further water security measures.
Our plan includes removing encroaching tree species and alien or invasive plant species, and reusing plant matter for veld management techniques like Brush-Packing. Indigenous grass seeds are used to speed up restoration. The soil is prepared using a tractor and elephant dung compost for nutrition. We are protecting big trees using mesh and cement pyramids and creating hollows to slow down run-off water during the rainy season so water is retained within the restored area.
The long-term impact of our project includes the regeneration of essential elements to help the environment thrive, as well as to manage corrosion and to ensure a greater diversity and growth of plants and trees. This will help restore balance in grazing areas. It is vital to help ensure the longevity of the conservation as well as the health and well-being of wildlife grazing in these areas, especially for the elephants in our care.
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