Traditional healers, under the auspices of the Mbofho Traditional Healers Association, visited the Kruger National Park last Thursday to observe the indigenous plants nursery that was started for the conservation of traditional herbs in the Vhembe district.

The indigenous trees will be transplanted to the Vhurivhuri village, where there are 300 hectares of in-digenous trees suspected to play a significant role in the curing of different deceases.

The president of the association, Mr Mbulaheni “Mbilivhili” Neluvhola, said his organization has established a joint venture with the Kruger National Park’s management and the park subsidized them in their project.

The planting of indigenous trees will help in the restoration of the indigenous forests. “In most of the areas, healers are uprooting the trees, searching for herbs. It is not good to uproot these trees and ignore planting other trees to replace them,” said Neluvhola. “This project will employ many people during the transplantation of the indigenous trees,” he ads.

Kruger Park spokesperson Mr Raymond Travens said the joint venture of healers and the park will produce significant results in the conservation of the environment.

Dr Bandile Mkhize of Sanparks presented the first 10 trees of various species to traditional healers from the surrounding communities.

“The process is being managed by the Kruger National Park’s People and Conservation Department (formerly called Social Ecology) and is yet another way in which the KNP strives to improve relationships with the communities living outside its boundaries,” he said.

“This initiative is based on the concept of sustainable utilization of natural resources as put forward by organizations like the IUCN (World Conservation Union) and to help traditional healers,” Mkhize added.