Where bushveld meets grassland

The bushveld, a subtropical woodland ecoregion, has grassy spots with only few trees, particularly where it borders on open grassland such as here in the Pilanesberg. Some parts are also gradually increasing in forestation due to the prevalent veld management practices and particularly winter fire incidence.

Similar to overgrazing, the absence of livestock or game also weakens the veld; too little being as bad as too much. Long ago, when there were no people and no fences, huge animal herds would migrate to find food, removing or reducing the thick covering of dead grass for the new shoots to respond freely and effectively to the spring rains. The browsers, ignoring the grass, would prune the trees, stimulating their growth. 

Patient and knowledgeable veld management can do much to retain, even retrieve some of the good that existed in the (mythical?) good old days. And so can continued study of the changing, living veld and humility about what we still have to learn.