From our editor
Dear reader , We are halfway through the year 2021 and it certainly has not been uneventful . The third wave of COVID-19 has thrown us yet another curveball and GSSA Congress 56 had to change from a hybrid to a full virtual event . However , the organising committee kept a clear head and put together an exciting programme ( Well done Charné and her team !). A special thanks to all the delegates who are sharing their interesting research and are keeping our Society going .
Highlights of this issue Craig Morris wrote an insightful feature article , “ To kill a grassland forb ” where he addresses the role of fire and overgrazing in the mesic grasslands .
As with many parts of the world , the Karoo has been undergoing desertification and in the article “ Guardians of the Karoo Rangelands ”, we learn how regenerative land management is bucking this trend . Two farmers from the Eastern Cape also share how they use technology and regenerative farming to successfully manage livestock .
The ARC employed a soil testing lab on wheels to assist farmers in rural areas , meanwhile , in Australia and New Zealand , farmers are participating in the “ Soil Your Undies ” Challenge . The state of cotton underwear after being buried in the soil for 8 weeks is used to indicate the health of the microbiome .
We revisit the horrific Cape Town fire that destroyed UCT ’ s Plant Conservation Unit to assess the damage , miracles , causes and what we learned from it . The role of invasive alien plants in this event is also discussed . Be sure to check out the new guide on “ how to best get rid of invasive alien plants ”.
Lastly , we pay tribute to one of the world ’ s greatest scientists , Bob Scholes , who passed away earlier this year ( make sure to watch the video tribute by ReWild ). Grassroots would like to extend our sincere condolences to his family , colleagues and students .
Enjoy the Congress , the Workshops and of course , Grassroots too !
Best regards
Malissa
Editorial Committee
Editor Malissa Murphy
Sub-Editors Charné Viljoen Marnus Smit
Layout and Design J . C . Aucamp
Administration Erica Joubert
Contact us If you have any feedback , comments , or suggestions , feel free to contact us at : info @ grassland . org . za
Grassland Society of Southern Africa
Despite the care and attention that we devote to the structure of this newsletter and the information it contains , the Grassroots Editorial Team cannot guarantee the completeness and accuracy of the data . The opinion expressed in each article is the opinion of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial team .
Grassroots Vol 21 No 2 July 2021 02