Blogs
Photo credit: Tanya McKenzie
My amazing experience at NVT
by Nicole Aebersold So many happy memories, I don’t even know where to begin! Leaving the cold winter in Switzerland behind and flying into summer in South Africa already puts you in a great mood. After visiting a couple of friends in Cape Town that I still know from...
Tiaan’s Farewell
by Tiaan Botha I was first introduced to the thought of coming to Nature’s Valley in 2022 when my head supervisor of my Honours project approached me during a Herpetological excursion for the Honours in Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology program and proposed a...
A boreal summer in an austral Eden
by James McCulloch Descending down the winding road, coursing past the precolonial trees of the Kalander Kloof, ears popping from the sudden change in air pressure, I knew I was about to arrive somewhere very special. Then eight weeks and 4,000 insects later, my time...
A memory I will hold with me forever.
by Will Mann I first landed in Plettenburg Bay on Friday 30th June 2023 with little knowledge or expectation about what the next 3 months would have in store for me. From the interview that got me a place on the internship programme, I was told the place had many...
Natures Valley, a Reinvigoration of Passion for the Natural World.
by John Cooke As the title of this blog suggests, my time at Natures Valley has reopened my eyes and given me focus for what I want to achieve in the field of conservation. In 2020 I graduated in Marine Biology at Swansea University. Through this I gained valuable...
An aura of untouched natural beauty
by Tegan Allison Nestled along the picturesque coastline of South Africa's Southern Cape, Nature's Valley shows an aura of untouched natural beauty. It's a place where the pristine waters of the Indian Ocean merge with the forest of Tsitsikamma, creating a paradise...
My experience at NVT
by Giulia Baldini This is the first time taking part in conservation and I realised how much I like it and most probably would see a future. These three months were amazing, I learned a lot and I had so many new experiences that I would have never done home. NVT gave...
Broadening the Horizon with Conservation
by Elizabeth Esser Nature's Valley not only lives up to its beauty but also the experiences that come with it. I came here not knowing what to expect. The memories I would make, the people I would meet and the knowledge I would gain. But I can honestly say that this...
My time at Nature’s Valley
by Lexi Brennan-Craig In January of 2023, I decided to apply for the conservation internship at Nature’s Valley Trust for the upcoming summer, “winter.” In June, after graduating from a long and amazing 5 years of college and university within the environmental field,...
What I learnt from Nature’s Valley
by Jez Harrington-Hayes I learnt that South Africa is beautiful. I learnt that Nature’s Valley lives up to its name. I learnt that dolphins enjoy surfing. I learnt that octopuses are as amazing as I always expected they would be. I learnt that clawless otters look...
Science leads the debate against Seismic Surveys
The Nature’s Valley Trust is a small community-driven NPO working at the cutting edge of integrated conservation in South Africa. Nestled in the magnificent Garden Route, and situated in the world-renowned Nature’s Valley, we are a passionate group of conservationists...
Week One of an NVT internship
by Jax Bath On the 5th of July, I arrived in the sleepy town of Nature’s Valley, excited to begin a 6-month conservation internship with the trust. My first interaction with NVT was back in March of 2019 when I was lucky enough to attend a marine evening dedicated to...
The Chapter of a Lifetime
Where to even begin… In early 2019 I was afforded the greatest opportunity of being selected as one of 50 individuals to take part in the WWF-SA Environmental Leaders Internship Program. I still remember waking up to an email from Mark offering me a position at...
Leap day for frogs!
by Ben Wilson The 29th of February 2020 not only adds a whole extra day to our calendar year, but it also celebrates a leap day for frogs! The Endangered Wildlife Trust initiative aims to raise much-needed awareness of the plight of our froggy friends and serves as a...