Theme: This excursion will include a description of the history of the area and people in the Knersvlakte, challenges of current land use and conservation but also the fascinating succulent flora, vegetation patterns, ecology of the unique quartz fields will be explored.
Participants have to have transport, no 4x4 required.
Porcupine Perusal: Hantam National Botanical Garden
Organisers: Christy Bragg
Theme: Catch an eyeful of the shy rodent-of-the-night. Porcupine foraging ecology will be described, active burrows will be visited and a night drive will be done on the Gardens. A porcupine viewing excursion will also be held. Limited places available and the trip will take place on the Tuesday 4th October in the late evening when there is no other conference activity.
Some participants will have to have transport, high vehicle clearance required.
Hantam National Botanical Garden
Organisers: Simon Todd, HNBG, Christy Bragg
Theme: The Hantam National Botanical Gardens (HNBG) was previously a farm called Glenlyon, famous for its botanical diversity and its tours guided by the late Conservation Farmer, Neil MacGregor. The Gardens were established in 2007 and Simon Todd and Christy Bragg, will share some of their long-term experimental research. This will include ten-year old exclosures and experiments on porcupine-geophyte interactions. The area is reported to boats as many as 20,000 geophytes per square metre. A large number of rare and endemic species will be on view.
Avontuur Conservation Area
Organisers: Noel Oettle
Theme: A farm bought by WWF for conservation. The property boasts a large tract of Bokkeveld Sandstone Fynbos as well as a large extent of Nieuwoudtville Shale Renosterveld. The Excursion will tour the site and look at some of the restoration and rehabilitation work and research that is currently being conducted on the property.
Kokerboom Forest
Theme: The Kokerboom Forest is one of the densest and most scenic aloe tree forests in the country. The excursion will visit this stunning site and there will be great photographic opportunities. The use of the aloe as a climate change indicator will be discussed.
Papkuilsfontein Farm
Theme: Papkuilsfontein is a farm on the Bokkeveld which is owned by the sixth generation of Van Wyks. The owners of the property are striving to diversify their activities and focus on sustainability, in what is considered a marginal farming landscape. Activities include sheep and rooibos tea farming and eco tourism. Many endemics and red data species occur here and the farm borders the Oorlogskloof River Valley and adjacent Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve. For many years the owners have tried to improve the conservation value of their farm and have participated in numerous conservation and research projects that have taken place on the Bokkeveld. Partnering with the Provincial conservation body (Northern Cape Dept of Environment & Nature Conservation) and locally based NGO’s, this property has contributed to our understanding and base line knowledge of the biodiversity of the Bokkeveld Plateau. The property lies east to west and includes transitions between Bokkeveld Sandstone, Tillite and Dolerite soil types, with their associated vegetation types. On the trip to Papkuilsfontein you will be taken to sites of interest including Vegetation transition areas, wetlands, and the viewpoint of the waterfall and Oorlogskloof gorge. You will be accompanied by Willem van Wyk, the farm owner and Mandy Schumann, Stewardship facilitator with DENC. If you are hungry after the visit we can arrange coffee and the renowned Papkuilsfontein chocolate cake at their Waenhuis Restaurant, a beautifully renovated wagon shed.
Organisers: Adrian Fortuin and Ute Schmiedel 
Organisers: Christy Bragg
Organisers: Simon Todd, HNBG, Christy Bragg
Organisers: Noel Oettle
Theme: The Kokerboom Forest is one of the densest and most scenic aloe tree forests in the country. The excursion will visit this stunning site and there will be great photographic opportunities. The use of the aloe as a climate change indicator will be discussed.
Theme: Papkuilsfontein is a farm on the Bokkeveld which is owned by the sixth generation of Van Wyks. The owners of the property are striving to diversify their activities and focus on sustainability, in what is considered a marginal farming landscape. Activities include sheep and rooibos tea farming and eco tourism. Many endemics and red data species occur here and the farm borders the Oorlogskloof River Valley and adjacent Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve. For many years the owners have tried to improve the conservation value of their farm and have participated in numerous conservation and research projects that have taken place on the Bokkeveld. Partnering with the Provincial conservation body (Northern Cape Dept of Environment & Nature Conservation) and locally based NGO’s, this property has contributed to our understanding and base line knowledge of the biodiversity of the Bokkeveld Plateau. The property lies east to west and includes transitions between Bokkeveld Sandstone, Tillite and Dolerite soil types, with their associated vegetation types. On the trip to Papkuilsfontein you will be taken to sites of interest including Vegetation transition areas, wetlands, and the viewpoint of the waterfall and Oorlogskloof gorge. You will be accompanied by Willem van Wyk, the farm owner and Mandy Schumann, Stewardship facilitator with DENC. If you are hungry after the visit we can arrange coffee and the renowned Papkuilsfontein chocolate cake at their Waenhuis Restaurant, a beautifully renovated wagon shed. 
