The struggle to learn about trees
Especially during the winter months, when I did the course, it was sometimes hard to identify the trees without their leaves, and we struggled a lot to learn about them. But trees have so much to offer. At first glance, you may not have many associations. Maybe the name of the tree comes to your mind, or you’re astonished by its mere size, or you enjoy looking at the beautiful flowers. Only after you take some time to see it will you realize what a tree means because it contributes so much to the life in the bush.
The meaning of living trees
Trees provide shelter in heavy rain and shade on hot sunny days, which is lovely during the coffee break on your game drive or for animals like the Impala. The temperature under a tree can be up to 5-10° C lower. They offer a safe space for birds to build their nests and raise their offspring. They absorb the carbon dioxide in the air and convert it into oxygen, which we, humans and all breathing animals on this earth, need to survive. One big tree can produce enough oxygen that ten people need to breathe. With their widespread roots, they help to keep the water within the soil, spending life on other, smaller plants. The roots also help to control erosion and landslides and conserve the landscape. Trees provide so much food for a variety of wildlife. Fruits are a loved food source for both mammals and birds. You can watch elephants, for example, that love to pick the marula fruits from the marula tree. Maybe after a lovely day out in the bush, you have already enjoyed the typical African Amarula cream liqueur, which is also made of these fruits. The leaves serve as a primary food source for all the browsers, like the giraffe. Their thick, leathery tongues can even feed off branches with thorns or spikes. One day my group and I witnessed a young elephant bull pushing over a giant knob thorn right next to our car to feed on the nutritious roots that then stuck out of the ground.
The meaning of dead trees
Often, on your game drive, you drive past dead trees that died because of a pushover by an elephant, a disease or other causes. Even then, they still contribute a lot to the wildlife around them. They offer a habitat for numerous plants, small animals and fungi.
Thousands of microorganisms, insects, and plants decompose the wood and bring the nutrients back to the soil. Holes in trees can serve as a home for birds like the woodpecker, arboreal rodents, small reptiles or bats. Leaving the safari vehicle and investigating decomposing wood on the ground can be exciting.
Love and talk about them
Trees offer sustenance to both animals and people, and they contribute tremendously to life in the bush. Sometimes, I struggle with the identification, but I learned to love them and their meaning. And when you are on a game drive with your guests, and nothing interesting shows up, it can offer a variety of topics and stories you could talk about to ensure they still have a pleasant time.
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35-Day Field Guide Practical
Today we join EcoTraining students Debbie, Maurice and Stephane at Pridelands. They started their journey with EcoTraining by enrolling and completing their Online Field Guide course and then decided to come and do their practical component. They came together at Pridelands, where they started their 35-day Field Guide Practical course—thrilled with the real-time experiences and incredible wildlife sightings one can only have when in the field.
