Talks from visiting South African horticulturists

[Maggi Young]

From David Gwynne-Evans of  CASABIO  - Collaborative Archive of South African Biodiversity 
( www.casabio.org )

Hello,
My colleague Fran Siebrits and I are planning a series of talks at various institutions in the UK to raise awareness and funding for the conservation of South Africa's unique flora through our NGO, CASABIO.org. We are both passionate about documenting and conserving flora. This will also serve as a tremendous learning opportunity, and a platform for the exchange of horticultural and botanical ideas.
A bit about us:
I have a diploma in Horticulture, and will submit my botanical PhD in a month (a taxonomic treatment of the genus Hermannia). I have an intimate knowledge of South African flora. My colleague, Fran Siebrits, has a diploma in Nature Conservation, as well as in Journalism. Her experience in the field includes four years working for a local garden centres in Cape Town, as well as work as a horticulturalist at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens in 2013.

Please let me know any thoughts or suggestions you may have, particularly if you would like to host a talk from us in June or July - amended to May - June.

Kind Regards

David Gwynne-Evans
CEO of CASABIO
The Home of Biodiversity
 ----
capebio@gmail.com
Mobile: (+27) 72 368 9244
Work: 021 685 7206
----
www.casabio.org
www.thenakedbloganist.blogspot.com
www.casabio.blogspot.com



David Gwynne-Evans was born in Cape Town and loved exploring the wilds of Kirstenbosch as a kid. He has always held a fondness for nature and, while at University, has spent the majority of his spare time "botanising" i.e. exploring wild areas of Southern Africa, and collecting and photographing plants, along with other enthusiasts. This exploration has uncovered many rare and unusual findings and even several undiscovered species. Dave initiated the CASABIO project in response to the outdated methods of data capture, storage and syndication that he observed in his dealings with herbaria, and inaccessibility of Botany for the man on the street. Dave is currently completing his Phd at the University of Cape Town, with a thesis which focusses on the taxonomy of the genus Hermannia.

About CASABIO:

   Rationale: South Africa has extraordinary biological diversity but many species are threatened with extinction due to anthropogenic changes and activities. In order to better conserve species, we need information on their abundances and distributions, but current information is scattered, outdated, inaccurate and insufficient. We also need to increase the value that South Africans place upon our remaining natural areas and the species that inhabit them by educating people about our biodiversity, encouraging them to visit and enjoy our natural areas and allowing them to actively contribute to the conservation of our biodiversity.

      Goal: CASABIO aims to create an Internet database where photographs and information about South African biological species can be stored and made available to scientists, conservationists and the public. Any organization or individual with useful photographs or information will be able to submit this to the database. As well as acting as a central location for the safe storage of valuable photos, locality information and other data, the database will serve as an educational resource for learners and the public and will collect useful locality and other information for conservation and scientific research. In support of the database, CASABIO aims to collect new photos and locality information, train future field biologists and tour guides through employing them in the running of the project and the management of the database, and establish public outreach projects relating to the database, such as inter-school competitions and photographic competitions.

Primary Aims:

    To collect and database digital photographs and associated information about biological species, including submissions from the public or other persons / organizations.
    To facilitate conservation and scientific research through the dissemination of information and photographs and collaboration with appropriate organisations and authorities.
    To foster an interest in biological species and the environment by involving learners and the public in participation in CASABIO projects.
    To create an internet resource which will present biological photos and information to the public in a user-friendly way and allow interested people to share their information and expertise.
    To train field biologists / guides to document and identify species by employing them to populate and maintain the database.

These statements incorporate:
databasing; capturing information; storing information; disseminating information; public participation; conservation; research; training; employment.

If you are interested in arranging a talk from David and Fran, please make contact direct to  :
David Gwynne-Evans
CEO of CASABIO

capebio@gmail.com
Mobile: (+27) 72 368 9244
Work: 021 685 7206

[Maggi Young]

A poster for the Tour:

[Tim Ingram]

With grateful thanks to Maggi and the SRGC Forum we have arranged a talk from David Gwynne-Evans in Kent on Friday 20th June - see poster below.

Entrance to AGS and SRGC members is FREE. Please contact us for more details or access the new website for the Kent AGS: www.alpinegardensocietykent.com (where more information will be posted). These are details David and Fran have sent us:-

"The Naked Botanist has had a camera in his hand through 18 years of botanical adventuring. Now he's teamed up with Fran Siebrits, former Kirstenbosch horticulturalist, to bring you a presentation of some of their most unusual discoveries in the Cape Floristic Kingdom. 
 
University of Cape Town graduate David Gwynne-Evans, The Naked Botanist, has been collecting botanical stories and images from around Southern Africa his entire adult life. He has sheltered in caves, climbed cliffs, and drunk festering water to survive the highest olive-topped mountain in Namibia. He brushed with death during an expedition to a recently discovered forest in Mozambique. And together with Fran, he has trekked into the depths of De Hel where a community lived isolated until the 1960's. It was here that he discovered a further three new species to the more than 60 that he's described during his PhD, a revision of the sixth largest plant genus in South Africa, Hermannia.
 
David has made it somewhat of a lifestyle-hobby poking his macro lens into the eyes of bugs and sexual organs of flowers. He is finally ready to reveal some of these enchanting botanical journeys. However, he is here on a mission.
 
The ongoing assault upon biodiversity due to harmful agricultural practices, urbanisation and maltreatment of the environment is continuing to increase. David has devised a cocktail of solutions to protect the flora that is among the most diverse and threatened on this planet. Practical measures include creating a new knowledge engine on biodiversity, creating the world’s longest and most species rich nature reserve, as well as creating a new botanical garden in the heart of Cape Town.
 
This is David and Fran's inaugural tour of UK and Europe. Don't miss this singular opportunity to witness a presentation and meet them. Feast on botanical and landscape imagery, experience their stories of adventure, and help support their visionary projects."

[Maggi Young]

This is very good news, Tim.
 
There will be an SRGC sponsored meeting with David and Fran in Edinburgh - the 11th June is the proposed date but full details are not available yet. Details will be published as soon as I get them. 

[Maggi Young]

A chance for folks in Western Scotland to see David and Fran at Logan Botanic Garden on Tuesday 10th June :


The fascinating flora of South Africa - an illustrated talk by David Gwynne- Evans

Tues 10 June 2014     2.00 pm — 3.00 pm
Location:
    Logan Botanic Garden   ( directions below)
Price:  £6  No booking required


Logan is situated 14 miles south of Stranraer in the Rhins of Galloway, off the B7065.

Please note that Logan Botanic Garden and Logan House Gardens (private estate) are separate sites. The entrance to Logan Botanic Garden can be found approximately 1.5 miles further south beyond the entrance to Logan House Gardens.Contact us

If you require any further information, please phone on +44 (0)1776 860231, email logan@rbge.org.uk

Logan Botanic Garden
Port Logan
Stranraer
Dumfries & Galloway
DG9 9ND

[Maggi Young]

 On 11th June there will be a joint SRGC/RBGE lecture on the Conservation of the Cape Flora  in Edinburgh - more details to follow!

[Maggi Young]

Excellent to have these Scottish Talks from David and Fran   

[Maggi Young]

The fascinating flora of South Africa - an illustrated talk by David Gwynne-Evans

Wednesday 11 June 2014 at the Lecture Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Inverleith Row,  Edinburgh EH3 5LR

Time:   2.00 pm

Price: Free    No booking required      ALL WELCOME

"David Gwynne-Evans has spent eighteen years documenting the flora of the Cape Floristic Kingdom of South Africa, the smallest plant kingdom in the world. In his talk, he will be detailing some of the greatest of his finds and the unique habitats in which they occur. Fran Siebrits was tasked with landscaping "The Boomslang" canopy walk at Kirstenbosch and is a part-time manager at the Kirstenbosch Garden Centre. Together they will be revealing South African gardening techniques and landscaping subjects.

"The Naked Botanist has had a camera in his hand through 18 years of botanical adventuring. Now he's teamed up with Fran Siebrits, former Kirstenbosch horticulturalist, to bring you a presentation of some of their most unusual discoveries in the Cape Floristic Kingdom.

University of Cape Town graduate David Gwynne-Evans, The Naked Botanist, has been collecting botanical stories and images from around Southern Africa his entire adult life. He has sheltered in caves, climbed cliffs, and drunk festering water to survive the highest olive-topped mountain in Namibia. He brushed with death during an expedition to a recently discovered forest in Mozambique. And together with Fran, he has trekked into the depths of De Hel where a community lived isolated until the 1960's. It was here that he discovered a further three new species to the more than 60 that he's described during his PhD, a revision of the sixth largest plant genus in South Africa, Hermannia.

David has made it somewhat of a lifestyle-hobby poking his macro lens into the eyes of bugs and sexual organs of flowers. He is finally ready to reveal some of these enchanting botanical journeys. However, he is here on a mission.

The ongoing assault upon biodiversity due to harmful agricultural practices, urbanisation and maltreatment of the environment is continuing to increase. David has devised a cocktail of solutions to protect the flora that is among the most diverse and threatened on this planet. Practical measures include creating a new knowledge engine on biodiversity, creating the world’s longest and most species rich nature reserve, as well as creating a new botanical garden in the heart of Cape Town.

This is David and Fran's inaugural tour of UK and Europe. Don't miss this singular opportunity to witness a presentation and meet them. Feast on botanical and landscape imagery, experience their stories of adventure, and help support their visionary projects."

[Maggi Young]

The SCOTTISH ROCK GARDEN CLUB AND ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN EDINBURGH are
to host a Joint Summer Lecture  on Wednesday 11th June 2014 at 2pm.
Lecture Theatre, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh EH3 5LR

"Botanical and Horticultural Discovery in the Cape Floristic Kingdom -
Documenting the Flora of South Africa"

David Gwynne-Evans and Fran Siebrits will talk about the conservation of the South African Flora

All are welcome, entrance  is free, no booking required.

Location: use the main entrance at 20A Inverleith Row, you will be directed to the Lecture theatre by the reception staff.

[Maggi Young]

It seems the talk went well - Tweet  by Leigh Morris of the RBGE/Institute of Horticulture :
 "Interesting talk  on the Cape flora of South Africa at the Botanics today. Good luck with his vision... "

[Maggi Young]

As mentioned earlier in this thread, Tim Ingram and the Kent Group of the AGS  also grasped the opportunity to have a talk from David and Fran.......  Tim's report on the talk in Kent on 20th  June  can be found HERE