Event information
FynbosLIFE Fair is a well curated selection of fynbos and nature conservation organisations and fabulous fynbos artisans. The fair aims to give fynbos its place in the sun by showcasing the plants' beauty, conservation value, versatility and diversity of fynbos products.
Visitors can expect a fanfare of fynbos-inspired artwork, ceramics, fabrics and homeware; fynbos-distilled or -infused gin and rum, food featuring fynbos and much more.
Children can explore the 'fun-bos' play area for a range of fun environmentally themed activities with the Butterfly Art Project, Nature Connect and Shark Spotters.
Over 30 conservation, environmental groups and hacking gurus aim to ease any eco-anxiety guests may experience and inspire guests to take action and join in with the work that they are doing.
The program also includes two workshops, Cyanotype Artwork, and Elderflower Fynbos Plant Casting, a talk and book signing of Cape Wild Foods: A Cook’s Guide by Loubie Rusch and during lunch the incredible film screening: Older than Trees Save Our Seas Foundation, Pippa Ehrlich, Sea Change Project.
Local DJ Kola extraordinaire from The Commons, Muizenberg, plays vibey tunes for the day.
The growing threat of climate change highlights the need to reassess what is best ecologically suited in terms of what our future gardens look like, and locally indigenous fynbos most certainly makes sense. The FynbosLIFE Fair, which is run on a volunteer basis, puts the spotlight on fynbos in all its forms.
Cape Town is considered both the biodiversity and extinction capital of the world, within a buzzing Cape Floristic Region (CFR) biodiversity hotspot. Found only in the CFR, the Fynbos Biome is globally renowned for its exceptional plant species richness and endemicity. The team showcases this and all things fynbos at the second FynbosLIFE Fair.
Dr von Witt speaks about FynbosLIFE, fynbos propagation and restoration, and her team members will give insight on FynbosLIFE projects KURUfynbos, BoSSIES, FUNDAfynbos and the retail Cape Flats Fynbos Nursery. Stellenbosch University’s Prof. Nox Makunga speaks about her research and work on fynbos in medicine, Tracey Bodington of 'Mini Mo Shows' is present to enchant both kids and adults with fynbos snakes, UCT’s Prof. Muthama Muasya talks on fynbos graminoids, Sea Change Project Leader Dr Jannes Landschoff talks about their 1001 Seaforest Species project, UCT Future Water Institute’s Prof. Kirsty Carden discusses urban wetlands and water resilient cities, and Andy Jamieson shares his experience on creating natural pools.
FynbosLIFE has created five Veld Circles which highlight the variety of fynbos vegetation types specific to these areas. In Muizenberg is the Zandvlei Strandveld Circle with Cape Flats Dune Strandveld [CFDS] plants. The Grootboschkloof Granite Fynbos Circle with Peninsula Granite Fynbos [PGF] plants is located at the Grootboschkloof Walk greenbelt in Constantia Hills. Recently created is the Doordrift Wetland Circle with Cape Lowland Freshwater Wetland [CLFW] species in the Doordrift Walk, Plumstead. In Newlands is the Papenboom Forest Circle full of Southern Afrotemperate Forest [SAF] understorey plants. Lastly the newly planted Meadowridge Sand Fynbos Circle showcases Cape Flats Sand Fynbos [CFSF] at the Meadowridge Common.
FynbosLIFE is currently working on three ecological restoration projects located at the Blaauwberg Nature Reserve, Haasendal Nature Reserve in Kuils River, and Tokai Park, as well as rehabilitating a large stormwater retention pond in Mitchell’s Plain.
