The Manukelana/KwaMsane Urban Greening Project has two
main focus areas. In order to provide the trees to KwaMsane it is first
necessary to develop the Manukelana Indigenous Nursery. This nursery was
identified at the outset of the project as being key to the urban greening
of KwaMsane.
The nursery was initially started in the early nineties
by dedicated wood carvers, who realised the need for propagation of
indigenous trees, due to restrictions imposed by government against local
communities utilisation of Dukuduku Forest. Natural knowledge and
understanding of plants, consultation with elders and relevant stake
holders, workshops and conferences, armed them with adequate information
to begin this process. Through their tribal structures they obtained the
right to use 5ha of land and began the process of establishing the project
in 2001. They obtained poles and shade cloth and erected a shade house and
shed. They obtained water from a nearby dam by hand. Over time they were
assisted by various people and volunteers and had a water storage tank
built (the Alex Frisby Water Tower) and a foot pump system to fill the
tank. Local companies assisted with fencing materials, gravel to harden
the entrance drive ways, tools, basic business management skills and a
block building to be used as an art gallery.
The African Conservation Trust
gratefully obtained National Lottery funding from the National Lotteries
Distribution Trust Fund to improve the capacity of the nursery by the
following:
-
Electrical connection to the national supply (in
progress)
-
Build office within the art gallery (completed)
-
Erect fascia boards and gutters on the art gallery and
install two 5000l rain harvesting tanks (completed)
-
Drill and establish a borehole for water supply
(completed)
-
Build an ablution block for workers/visitors and
students (in progress)
-
Erect an additional 40mx12m shade house for the
propagation and growing of trees (completed)
-
Install two 10000l water tanks and piping as required
for the nursery (in progress)
-
Fit and install various pumps for water movement.
-
Develop composting techniques/training and source raw
material
-
Supply all equipment and consumables necessary for the
urban greening project
-
Assist the nursery in obtaining a vehicle
-
Employ two Horticultural students-in-training to assist
in technical nursery management (one employed to date)
-
Erect a demonstration/training food tunnel and
experimental area (completed)
The Manukelana team has great dreams for the nursery
and the ACT team is encouraging and guiding them in such a way that at the
completion of the funding they will be able to run a multi functional self
sustaining enterprise providing valuable livelihoods for a number of
people. In addition to the above development they would like to:
-
Build a kitchen and establish two tea gardens at the
nursery to increase income and visitor numbers with spin-offs for all
aspects of the project
-
Build a boardwalk across the wetland area to the other
side of the property.
-
Build traditional thatch beehive accommodation huts for
volunteers/students and visitors
-
Build a new workshop and storeroom.
-
Build a butterfly house
-
Build an open air stage for live performances
-
Build a sports field
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