![]() ![]() Historical data from weather stations within the trees’ range also showed rising temperatures over the past few decades. She also found higher mortality rates in the north of its range, towards the equator, than those found in the south. The first was that with populations found on slopes, mortality was much higher at lower elevations than at higher ones - that is, where it would be warmer on a slope. She said observations at over 50 sites throughout the trees’ range in Namibia and South Africa highlighted two disturbing trends which could clearly be linked to climate change. “They are in the early stage of a poleward (southward) range shift,” Wendy Foden, a researcher at the South African National Biodiversity Institute, told a conference on climate change science in Johannesburg.Ī shift towards the poles and away from the equator is precisely what one would expect as a response to warming conditions, Foden said. With a stocky trunk topped by a tangle of forked branches, this tree has iconic status in Namibia, where its blue-green crown vividly stands out against a parched landscape. JOHANNESBURG – A famed desert tree used for generations by Africa’s bushmen to make quivers for their arrows is threatened by global warming. Known as Choje to the indigenous San people, the quiver tree gets its name from the San practice of hollowing out the tubular branches of Aloe dichotoma to form quivers for their arrows. They are referred to locally as “quiver trees" as the branches and bark are used by Kalahari San Bushmen to make quivers for their arrows. You can watch them feed the resident cheetahs.Quiver Trees (Aloe dichotoma), are also known as kokerboom, and are a species of aloe indigenous to South Africa, specifically in the Northern Cape region, and Namibia. Oh, and they have animals - farm, domestic and even tamed wild animals. Bed, breakfast and dinner is available if you’re staying at the guest houses or bungalows but if you’re camping you must self-cater. There is no restaurant so you eat home cooked meals. As long as you’re pretty self sufficient and don’t expect much luxury, you’ll be happy. Look out for ground squirrel, dassies, mongoose. Want to see the forest at night, then stay. So, if you liked geology at school and you like looking at how crazy rocks have made Planet Earth look, you’ll be chuffed here. We’re talking about 170 million years ago. They were actually caused by the erosion of sedimentary rock a while back. ![]() To be frank, they’re a geological phenomenon. They’ve been variously described as “giants playing with Lego” or a “giant toddler playing Jenga”. Whilst you’re on the farm you can also explore the dolerite rock formations of the Giants Playground. No one knows quite how old the forest is and botanists can’t agree, but it’s thought the large 5 metre trees could be 200 years old. Local bushmen used to cut off them off, hollow out the spongy tissue and use them as containers for their poisonous arrows. The green succulent leaves are full of it and so are the branches. Which makes it surprising that a plant can survive and thrive. And most of the time it’s bone dry and devastatingly hot. It is one of the most interesting and characteristic plants that grows in this hot, dry southern region of the country. ![]() Look at the shape, size, colour of the leaves. The forest’s a natural one, no tree was planted, and it’s made up of aloe plants. ![]() And they run the camp and accommodate passing tourists who have come for the day to visit the forest and and Giant’s playground. They farm full time with Dorper sheep, Brahman and Bonsmara cattle. The farm was bought in 1990 and the owner built the rest camp up from scratch. ![]()
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