Garden Route in top 10 in City Nature Challenge

Update

GEORGE NEWS - The City Nature Challenge (CNC) prize-giving was held at the Marshmallow Garden Café at the botanical garden on Saturday 22 May. The Garden Route Botanical Garden along with SANparks and CapeNature sponsored the prizes which were handed out to winners for the most observations, species and participation.

The CNC is an international competition aimed at raising awareness of global biodiversity by encouraging citizens to participate in collecting data of the natural environment.

Certificates

Individual certificates were handed out to Virginia Hirons for contributing 206 observations covering 162 species, Mike Cameron for contributing 206 observations covering 179 species, Val Marsh for contributing 137 observations covering 99 species, Mary Hunter for contributing 189 observations covering 139 species, Brenda Fantozzi for contributing 121 observations covering 90 species, Marge Webster for contributing 159 observations covering 107 species, Erick Munro for his dedication and commitment in the identification of 2 691 observations, Sandra Falanga for observing of 458 species, and the Outramps team who achieved 6 204 observations covering 1 811 species.

Sandra Falanga of Outramps observed 458 species.

Garden Route

The Garden Route was in 10th place for logging 19 977 observations, and in 5th position for an impressive 3 073 species recorded. In total, 244 observers took part in the event, with an average of 81,87 observations per observer. Of the 9 614 species recorded in the Garden Route to date, 31,9% were recorded over the four-day period this year.

In the Garden Route, more than 2 170 species of plants were recorded, as well as more than 50 species of mammal, more than 190 species of birds and more than 20 species of reptile. In addition, several species of fish, fungi, insects, snails, and spiders were recorded.

"The 2021 CNC once again proved how a little competition can bring together amateur enthusiasts and international experts to document and promote the natural environment," said the botanical garden's manager, Corné Brink.

"We look forward to the Great Southern bioblitz where the Garden Route will compete against the rest of the southern hemisphere in documenting species diversity."

The Garden Route Botanical Garden's manager, Corné Brink.