WATCH: Beachwood Mangroves nursery roots for indigenous flora

WHETHER they are seedlings, saplings or stem cuttings, the North Durban Honorary Officers (NDHO) nurture all the plant life in their nursery with dedication and care.

The nursery, situated within the Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve, is used by the officers to propagate indigenous species which are then sold to the general public.

Honorary officer, Pat Reddy said they use the funds raised from the sale of indigenous plants to further their cause of educating the public on the importance of the mangroves and other environmental projects they are involved in.

Reddy recently chatted to Northglen News about how the nursery has grown from strength to strength.

“One of my portfolios that I deal with is biodiversity and it includes the nursery. I have been lucky enough to work with fellow NDHO Rosemary Harrison, who has done a wonderful job with our plants and trees. All the plants and trees in the nursery are indigenous and hand potted by volunteers. We have various items in our nursery which include Agapanthus, Cape plum, Warburgia and Iboza and a number of Aloes to name a few.

“We have a wild flower license permit which allows us to sell indigenous plants commercially. All the honorary officers are volunteers so we do what we do for the love of the environment and the protection of the reserve. We pride ourselves in the quality of the plants we sell on our open mornings. We still have to put in some work but we are proud of what we’ve achieved in a short period of time. We hope for the continued support of the greater Durban community will help us grow even further,” Reddy said.

Fellow honorary officer and green-fingered volunteer, Harrison also spoke on the benefits of planting indigenous.

“I think most people aren’t aware of how much water alien invasive plants take up. Indigenous plants are much harder and require less water. The other great thing about planting indigenous is that they attract butterflies, insects and other wildlife to the garden which is a huge plus for the environment,” she said.