Greenpop hosts Reforest Fest at Platbos

Platbos is an ancient forest near Stanford in the Overberg region just one-and-a-half hours from Cape Town. A coming together of coastal and mountainous forest, Platbos has a unique mix of indigenous trees and is one of South Africa's natural treasures.

Like many natural forests around the world, parts of Platbos have been cleared over the past decades for cultivation. Today, many of these cleared areas are being taken over by dense invasive alien vegetation, which pose a serious fire risk to the forest.

In response to this issue, Melissa and Francois Krige of Platbos have launched the Trees for Tomorrow reforestation programme. Through this, endemic seeds are harvested from the forest, reared in the Platbos Forest Tree Nursery and then replanted to extend and grow the forest. It's important to plant these endemic trees because they are adapted to drought and serve as an important food source for the bird and animal species that live here.

Every year, just before the rains come in May, Platbos prepares to plant out the saplings. Last year at the first Greenpop Reforest Fest, 100 people lent a hand and 1324 trees were planted in one weekend to help replant and grow the forest. This year Greenpop are aiming for even more.

Over 100 people will be camping under the magical forest canopy. On the Saturday attendees will plant all day and in the evening, festival goers will be treated to great live music. There will be delicious food, morning yoga, forest walks and interesting talks.

Musical performances by:

• Jeremy Loops and Co
  
• Nate Mainguard
  
• TouchWood
  
• Bobzyouruncle

By actively planting trees in these once forested areas, the group will be:

• Helping to restore the forest to its former glory.
  
• Halting the advance of the encroaching alien vegetation (the alien seed is unable to germinate beneath the forest canopy.)
  
• Conserving the biodiversity of this unique forest environment and increasing its surface area for future generations and the many creatures that depend on it.
  
• Extending the forest's carbon sink capacity through tree planting and by so doing contributing towards world-wide efforts to counteract the effects of global warming and climate change.

Booking form: http://goo.gl/9Rk0S

Reforest Fest special deals

1. Book for 5, bring 6! Bring 5 friends and get a 6th place free.
   
2. Trees for Fees! Raise 10 trees for the Platbos forest and get a free place to come along for the weekend. Start an Activist page on GivenGain to raise money for trees easily. For specific details on this, please email charlotte@greenpop.org
   
3. Trees for Fees (personal tree purchase) - If you'd like to gift trees to the Platbos Forest and get a certificate afterwards with GPS coordinates, you can add trees to your invoice to 'own' some of the trees that will be planted that weekend. If you choose to buy 10 trees, you get a free placement on the weekend. Details on booking form link (http://goo.gl/9Rk0S).
   

Sponsors and partners for the Reforest Fest 2012

• Makhulu Productions - http://makhulu.blogspot.com/
  
• Builders Warehouse - www.builders.co.za
  
• Neutrog - www.neutrog.co.za
  
• Bos Ice Tea - www.bosicetea.com
  
• Green Shebeen - www.greenshebeen.com
  
• Rogers Fruiterers - http://www.facebook.com/pages/rodgers-fruiterers/75420232293
  
• The Green Cab - www.thegreencab.co.za
  
• SunFire Solutions - www.sunfire.co.za
  
• Fry's Vegetarian - www.frysvegetarian.co.za
  
• Knead - www.kneadbakery.co.za
  
• Aurecon - www.aurecongroup.com
  
• Three City Events - www.3cityevents.co.za
  
• Earthdance - www.earthdancecapetown.co.za