GIANTS OF THE SAND FOREST

Lebombo wattle

Newtonia hildebrandtii

By Matt Yardley

Descriptions of the sand forest might sound like a fantasy story-book world: a place so old that when you walk among the ancient

trees you walk backwards in time and find yourself in a living world from millennia ago.

This extremely rare stretch of vegetation is tucked away between the Indian Ocean and the Lebombo mountains in hot and humid Maputaland in KwaZulu-Natal. There are only about 6000 hectares of sand forest left in the world – and 1000 hectares is here, protected in the northern sections of Phinda Game Reserve: a unique and hidden gem.

If you were to stand atop the Lebombo mountains and look towards the Indian Ocean, you’d notice that the topography ripples as it heads for the coast, the hills gently rising and falling until finally reaching the beach. These ripples are in fact ancient sand dunes, and each is a snapshot of where the coast once was. Distinct vegetation types run along the ridges of these old sand dunes: torchwood, false tamboti – and most noticeable of them all – the ancient Lebombo wattle. These giants of the sand forest lift their heads above the canopy in a struggle for sunlight. It’s believed that the Lebombo wattle grows one to two millimetres per year in diameter, and it’s argued that some of these trees are 1500 years old or older.

‘A family is like a forest: when you are outside it’s dense, when you’re inside you’ll see each tree has its own position.’ – Swahili proverb

The vegetation under the dense canopy of the sand forest is sparse due to the harsh soil, and because the light is blocked by the taller trees. Dominant trees will try to push out other trees by releasing toxins through their roots and leaves, making it difficult for other saplings and seeds to take hold. This creates an ‘empty’ forest floor, which is a unique characteristic of the sand forest. Barring a few species such as lemon rope and crotons, the soil doesn’t allow many plant species to grow – making the sand forest a beautifully open yet densely covered paradise, with beams of sunlight breaking through from above.

In this harsh environment, how is it that the forest giants do so well? Well, look to one of the most important critters in the natural world: the termite. In the centre of any patch of sand forest, you may find a gigantic circular termite mound. The termites break down leaf litter and any other matter found on the forest floor and recycle the nutrients back into the soil.

In this unique place you find exceptional fauna and flora. You might catch magnificent pops of colour from a variety of birds such as the narina trogon, African emerald cuckoo and dark-backed weaver. In the right season, you may spot the white and yellow of the many species of orchid, which are abundant in the forest, and of course the butterflies and moths that are attracted to them. You may even be lucky enough to find rarities such as the elusive African broadbill or the tiny pin-head orchid; you may find yourself staring at the Phinda rain frog or the Phinda button spider, a brand-new species discovered only a few years ago. The sand forest never disappoints; I desperately hope we can protect its unique existence.