Roll of honour

For being a kindred spirit who believes every special bit of wildness left deserves care, and who takes action to ensure that happens. For exploring beyond your world, finding a small organisation on the other side of the planet, and delivering hope time and again (and again! December 2025). For help turning dreams into action, which is what really matters. And for telling us about the speed of trust, and letting such lightness enter our restoration work. Thank you.

For matching funds raised through crowdfunding to save this beautiful property for rewilding. For loving birds in all their glory. For your unexpected, generous donations that helped us continue our restoration and rewilding work in 2024 – and introduced more people to Ferncliffe’s beauty. For stepping in so quickly after hearing of a tough event. For your gracious personal messages, which are such a pleasure in this modern world of officialdom and bureaucratic boxes.  A thousand thanks.

For his interest in Ferncliffe invertebrates and birds (Alan has logged a total of 15,000 species on iNaturalist; Ferncliffe represents a fraction). Alan helped us to build up our invertebrate species list. For generously donating the proceeds of his consulting work for GroundTruth to Ferncliffe forest wilding. For volunteering his time at one of our BioBlitzes.

For his many free hours and days and weeks of skilled work on our lovely website, and his belief in letting life live.

For their ongoing support, both the material and the emotional kinds. Thank you for your appreciation of Connor’s prints, for sharing them with many of your friends, and for being Ferncliffe champions in South Africa and abroad. A 2024 update: your generosity knows no bounds! And 2025: you are champions and helped the crowdfunding succeed.

For making a special journey to KZN especially to see the forest, no matter the weather, and for bringing the sunshine with you. For sharing our enthusiasm for all the beauty to be found at Ferncliffe, from teeny-tiny fungi to moss-covered boulders. And for offering inspirational support: our team cleared many more invasive plants thanks to you! We also repaired a bridge on the way to Bat Cave. And planted more lovely indigenous trees. Thank you for the magical day! Thank you too for the additional support that helped us keep working, and attain our crowdfunding total.

For believing in the dream from the first, helping us with the intricacies of registering a non-profit and attaining the necessary PBO status, and your continued accounting and tax support – at a fraction of the usual costs. Thank you for your commitment to the environment and small businesses.

For your wonderful donation towards tree-planting, coming unexpectedly in the midst of the growing season — just the right time! We have planted 10 magical trees on your behalf in a special corner of the forest-to-be, where they will be admired and appreciated by future walkers, birders and visitors. What’s more, your donation allowed us to employ the team for extra days. Thank you for your kindness and thinking of the future.

For somehow finding us, tucked away in KwaZulu-Natal, and sending us this unexpected gift to continue our tree-planting work. And thus contributing to the hope for the future that we believe Ferncliffe Forest represents. It was a very special thing to do. We have reached our 500-tree objective in part thanks to you. Update: thank you for the 2026 donation that will help us care for more forest habitat in need of restoration, and ensure the work done to date is continued.

For making such a difference to the team’s working days. Your quality workwear – from staunch boots to warm hoodies, and beautifully stitched hats and branding – have made life so much more comfortable and better-looking! Thank you for kitting us out. We’ve got the best-dressed team in town.

For his still and drone images that adorn many of these pages, including the beautiful opening shot on the home page that you’ll see on many of our social media channels too.

For bringing a new generation to Ferncliffe via the Husqvarna Schools Forest Rehabilitation Challenge in 2024 & 2025 – so much fun, and so many trees in the ground as a result! For two spanking-new brushcutters and a chainsaw, from your wonderful ‘Silent Nature‘ range. These are electric (battery-driven), which means no petrol spills in the field, and far less noise and disturbance for our wild and human neighbours. They also asked their trusted distributors and service partners Industrial & Chainsaw to help us look after our new assets. Thank you for this wonderful gift, which speeds up clearing operations dramatically.

Of WildLandscapes International, for his early interest and faith in the project and his generous personal donation. Thank you for the advice and inspiration.

For caring as much as we do about trees, wild places, and their restoration. Your support at a difficult time ensured we made our crowd-funding target. May trees cover the hills in tribute to Hayley. Thank you for caring and sharing a desire for things to get better.

For your connection to this forest, which so many of your staff know so well. For sending volunteers to tackle a wicked patch of Lantana and Mauritius Thorn, and plant some indigenous trees a few years back. And in 2025 and 2026, for following up with a truckload of essential, smart uniforms and PPE, a hefty selection of essential tools, and nursery supplies. Thank you for being a locally-based business that cares.