Although it may seem counterproductive to conservation, there are quite a few plant and tree species that require the heat of fire to allow their seeds to germinate.  The Lodgepole Pine is one such example, where the heat of the fire burns off the resin that normally seals the seed laden cones.

The South African Fynbos is another.  The Africaans name refers to “fine bush” for the fine needled leaves of many of the fynbos species, that are endemic to the Cape Floristic Region.  An area of incredible biodiversity, located along the southwestern coast of South Africa, the nearly 90,000 km2 region is famous for its dramatic and varied land- and seascapes and its astonishing diversity of plant and animal life, including the protea, South Africa’s national flower.

While many mountainous areas have been set aside for conservation, the endemic vegetation of the region’s lowlands has increasingly been removed to make way for agriculture, resort development and urban expansion, and ecosystems have also been damaged by the invasion of alien plants.

This is where the Table Mountain Fund has stepped in, along with UNDP, WWF as well as other government agencies and NGOs to build a biodiversity economy that can include sustainable harvesting of wild protea as well as fynbos horticulture.  Vegetation restoration and training of volunteers to clear alien plants only describes a portion of the projects under way in the region to protect this hotspot of biodiversity.