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To conserve southern African indigenous orchids in their natural habitat.

To engender a real interest in indigenous orchids which will render them valuable and worthy of protection.

WOSA supports and partners in efforts to preserve orchid habitats and works with land managers and owners to create conservancies and reserves as well assisting with restoring indigenous orchids where populations have declined. WOSA aims to establish seed and fungi collections to support research and conservation.

To develop protocols and procedures for the propagation of indigenous orchids to assure successful establishment and maintenance in natural habitats where populations are declining or have been lost due to development.

Indigenous orchids are a natural treasure and their survival can only be assured by an effective education program to elicit the support of the public, Government, agriculture and industry. This will be achieved by informative articles in the media, social networking, exhibitions and active engagement with all roll players.

Wild orchids have highly complex reproductive systems ( often dependent on a specific pollinator ) and interesting system for nutrition ( involving a symbiotic relationship with a fungi ) that assures the species survival. This helps to explain why most orchids cannot be grown in captivity. Take a photo and conserve the orchid in situ, for future generations to enjoy it in its natural habitat.

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The WOSA Constitution incorporating amendments required by SARS for registration as a Public Benefit Organisation, reference number 930050871 dd. 2015.11.14

 

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Welcome to WOSA

Very little is known about indigenous orchids by the public who are largely unaware that there are just under 500 species of which 45 are endemic (only occur in South Africa). Very little research has been carried out regarding ecology, conservation and propagation although a number of species have become extinct and habitat destruction is progressing at an alarming rate. Up until now there has been no attempt to address these issues on a National scale and Provincial legislation and cooperation is fragmented. Only through a focused National integrated effort that engages the public and all roll players will survival of orchids be assured.

Flowers of Verloren Valei Field Guide

Field Guide to the orchids and selected flowers of the Verloren Valei Nature Reserve

  

 

A Field guide to the wonderful floral diversity of the Verloren Valei Nature Reserve in Mpumalanga - A RAMSAR Wetland Site. Compiled by Gerrit van Ede whose intimate knowledge of Verloren Valei and its botanical treasures makes this a must have for all lovers of indigenous wild flowers.

  

  • 180 Plants, including 66 orchids comprehensively described with fine colour photographs of each
  • Pages colour coded for easy identification 
  • Order now to ensure that you secure one of these Limited Edition copies
  • Available from selected Dullstroom destinations

 

  

PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF THIS GUIDE WILL GO TO FRIENDS OF VERLOREN VALEI TO DEVELOP THE RESERVE

   

Field Guide Order

Flowers of Verloren Valei Field Guide Order Form

Please make payment by EFT

Bank: Nedbank
Account: Friends of Verloren Valei
Account Number: 1122836902
Branch: Melrose Arch
Branch Code: 19660500

Use your full name as the reference, complete the form below and attach proof of payment into the form.

Please note all fields are required to process an order.

The Cost per Field Guide is R200.00

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Book Review

by Elsa Pooley

Field guide to the orchids and selected flowers of Verloren Valei Nature Reserve
by Gerrit van Ede

What a great little book! I visited Verloren Valei with Frans Krige and some visiting French orchid enthusiasts last year. We spend the most amazing day with someone who knows the area and its plants intimately. We walked, paddled and drove a full day over the breadth of this amazing Ramsar site. I can attest to the success of this field guide because it illustrates and describes just about everything we saw during our intensive 1-day exploration. Calling it ‘little’ is a compliment. It means that it is easy to take along in one’s pocket or backpack and yet provides all the information you could want.

I must congratulate Gerrit van Ede for the beautifully illustrated guide with all the information one wants. The Wild Orchids Southern Africa must also be congratulated for recognising the need for such a book, for raising the money and producing a real ‘pocket’ guide which is so easy to use. To produce it within a year is also a great success story. Birds and animals are generally well served with identification guides. Verloren Valei now has a guide to enthral wild flower enthusiasts and to help open up the world of orchids for those who are just starting out.

The map is very useful, but I would recommend that anyone who wishes to explore the area, take along a guide. The only thing the book doesn’t do is to provide enough photographs of the habitats, something that a second edition might include. A vast area such as this Ramsar site, at first glance just rolling low hills and marshes, actually has a great variety of vegetation types. A first time visitor might miss the subtle changes.

I suggest that any orchid and wild flower enthusiast buy this book, whether or not you have been to Verloren Valei – and then start planning your visit. I hope to get to know the area more intimately in the years to come and to put the book to good use.out

 

About

Elsa Pooley

Elsa Pooley is a practical botanist whose wide ranging experience over 45 years has led her into fields as diverse as research, landscape and garden design, rehabilitation, training, botanical art and publishing. The author of best selling field guides on wild flowers and trees, she conducts specialist botanical tours in southern Africa and runs an indigenous landscaping and rehabilitation company in KwaZulu-Natal.

For more information regarding the preservation of South Africa's wild Orchids or if you would like to get involved please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or complete this short form Contact Us and we will contact you.