Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area (KRCA) hosted a restoration event on the 11th of June 2022 as part of the Make A Difference Week initiative by the Society For Ecological Restoration. The annual global project allows volunteers to participate in local restoration events, and this year the week-long event was held from the 4th – 11th of June 2022. KRCA forms part of the Nature Care Fund programme, a unit from Nature Connect that supports and drives conservation initiatives in Cape Town. The organisation also creates gateways for youth to enter the green economy. What better way to achieve this is by allowing volunteers to come on-site to experience firsthand a day in the life of a conservationist.

The event was successfully attended and executed by volunteers from the conservation industry and surrounding community who generously dedicated their time to be part of the restoration process. The morning started with an informative guided walk through the conservation area, which led the public to a section that had previously been disturbed. The group started digging away using garden spades to plant 53 plants propagated from KRCA’s on-site nursery to re-vegetate the area. The plants were strategically planted in clumps just before the heavy rains to ensure the best possible chance of facilitating the restoration and veld’s recovery. Post-site inspections will monitor the success rate, which will inform future restoration activities for the site.

Kenilworth Racecourse Conservation Area and its affiliates encourage public members to join their local natural protected areas in conserving and enhancing it for future generations.