By Maeder Osler
Last week, Les and I stopped over in Prince Albert in the southern Karoo on our way to Colesberg. As usual, our first stop was the wonderful indigenous plant nursery run by the renowned plant ecologist and conservationist Dr Sue Milton-Dean, co-founder and current owner and manager of the Wolwekraal Nature Reserve.
We then came across the start of a hugely exciting project – the construction of a dedicated Conservation Research and Education Centre in the village, linked to the reserve and aimed at supplementing its work.
Architect’s drawing of the northern elevation. Image supplied by Dr Sue Milton-Dean.
The centre will initially consist of a lecture room and archive/library, plus several outdoor facilities. The project cost is R1,3 million. Most of this is being funded by a bequest from the renowned ornithologist Richard Dean, Sue’s late husband, who died in 2022.
Sue and her team are seeking R350,000 to complete this project, and have launched a Backabuddy crowd-funding campaign which is well under way. We’ve already contributed, and we hope our readers will do so too!
The centre has been designed by Willem Freysen, a young architect born in Prins Albert. The design is simple but striking, echoeing the traditional Karoo venacular. At the time of our visit, the foundations had already been dug, and a few courses of bricks had been laid.
The Centre begins to rise from its foundations. The builders are Isoba Bitterness and Piet Koot. Image: the author.
More about the project
An informative statement on the Backabuddy website reads as follows:
‘Wolwekraal Nature Reserve is a jewel of the Karoo landscape. Earmarked in 2005 for its rich natural and cultural diversity by Karoo ecologists Richard and Sue Dean, the property was declared a protected area in 2011. It is lovingly managed by the Wolwekraal Conservation and Research Trust, originally founded as a non-profit organization in 2013. Our mission is simple yet vital: to protect the reserve’s precious biodiversity and cultural heritage while fostering environmental education and research in the Prince Albert area.
‘Through research and knowledge-sharing we aim to inspire local communities and future generations to care for the land that sustains them and drive support for conservation and sustainable land management across the region. To bring this vision to life, we are embarking on an exciting new chapter: the creation of a dedicated Research Centre and Karoo knowledge hub in the heart of Prince Albert.
‘Our vision is to build a vibrant, welcoming space on Van Dyk Street that will include a lecture hall for 30 people and a library/archive. This archive will initially house the Karoo archaeological and literature collections of Dr. Judy Maguire, the ornithological library and data of Dr. Richard Dean, and the botanical library of Dr Sue Milton-Dean. From rare books to digital resources, these collections will be accessible to researchers, students, and the community at large.
‘Beyond its walls, the grounds will feature medicinal gardens and engaging displays of the history and culture of the indigenous peoples of the area. Visitors will discover rich stories of the pre-colonial lifestyles, including traditional dwellings, foods, artwork, and trade routes that shaped the region.
Architect’s drawing of a lapa, one of the linked outdoor spaces envisioned for the Centre. Image supplies by Dr Sue Milton-Dean.
‘The lecture hall will host workshops, training sessions, and public talks on topics ranging from geology, hydrology, ecology and archaeology to conservation, indigenous knowledge, and cultural history of the southern Karoo. We aim to spark curiosity and cultivate a deep appreciation of this unique landscape in the minds of school groups, researchers, and visitors.
‘Our Research Centre will not only complement the renowned Fransie Pienaar cultural history Museum in Prince Albert but also serve as a dynamic environmental knowledge hub for the southern Karoo. It will strengthen conservation efforts, promote research, and boost education, tourism, and environmental stewardship in this extraordinary part of South Africa.’
Economic sustainability
In a supplementary message, Sue has written that the centre is meant to be economically sustainable. Measures being considered include entrance fees for themed lectures; paid work by members, including biodiversity assessments and nature reserve management plans; and income from guided walks (natural history, birding, heritage). In time, it will also benefit from a bequest to be left in Sue’s estate.
Contact details
Anyone who would like to contribute towards the construction, outfitting, maintenance and marketing of the Wolwekraal Research Centre may contact Sue by email, or WhatApp her on 082 770 0206.
FEATURED IMAGE: A perspective drawing of the Wolwekraal Conservation Research and Education Centre. The designer is Willem Freysen, a young architect born in Prins Albert. Image supplied by Dr Sue Milton-Dean.
This sounds like a fantastic plan. The cultural medicine is really very interesting as many of our modern day medicines often use plants.
Storing of seeds in proper conditions is marvelous, as many of these plants die out with people over picking many of these plants.