Lowveld trees

The beauty of the Lowveld has much to do with its trees. Shrub or giant, they all add to the awe-inspiring diversity of shapes on the distant skyline, the assortment of bark, leaves, flowers and fruit that intrigue at close quarters.

Fully grown Natal mahogany, weeping boer-bean, jackal-berry, sycamore figs and other big trees won’t be pushed over by the elephants that still wander through the game reserve parts of this region.

In other parts saws and bulldozers constitute bigger risk, some trees finding favour in the eyes of the beholder, the saw-holder, the artist, the conservationist, the landowner and the project supervisor. These and more human roles have to be balanced for maintaining harmony and the beauty of nature.