Green Gems

Thabazimbi – Internationally the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve is recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, a specialised agency of the United Nations, as an area of natural and cultural significance.

One of the core conservation areas of the biosphere and the highest point in the district at 2,088 metres, is in the Marakele National Park… a one-hour drive from Thabazimbi. Waterberg or Thaba Meetse in northern Sotho is a water reservoir in a semi-arid region. The Waterberg Biosphere Reserve is mainly savanna and is home to several Red Data plant and animal species.

When a species is Red Listed it means that it might become extinct if the authorities do not enforce environmental regulations and laws. There are also many endemic species in the Waterberg. Endemic means that we find the species nowhere else in the world. One example is the Waterberg Cycad which people have poached from natural areas and resold as a garden ornamental. This illegal activity separates male and female plants, so they cannot produce new seeds.