The Hermanus Botanical Society heartily congratulates Chairman Dr Di Marais on winning the 2018 Mayoral Award for Environmental Conservation. The awards ceremony took place on 4th October.
Di’s award is richly deserved. She has worked tirelessly to promote the priceless botanical assets of the Hermanus area, vigorously defending the Society’s constitutional mandate to promote the integrity of the Fernkloof Nature Reserve.
She has chaired the Hermanus Botanical Society for four years. The international scientific community has benefitted by her facilitation of the digital recording of the entire plant species of the Fernkloof Nature Reserve.
Her enthusiasm motivates a growing team of volunteers to increase and disseminate their knowledge of the Cape Floral Kingdom within the local community.
Under her editorship, Society members wrote and published the acclaimed guidebook “Fernkloof Nature Reserve”.
Her latest project, the new Research Centre at Fernkloof, will be officially opened in December. It will serve as a general information hub for the public, host environmental courses and be a satellite centre for the Millenium Seedbank Project of Kew Gardens, London.
Deirdre Richards
Di Marais
HERBS 
Well done and congratulations on this well deserved award
Lots of love Yvonne