456
G. Wilson and R. W. Pretorius
3.4 More on Telperion Nature Reserve
Telperion Nature Reserve is located in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. It
covers an area of 7349 ha and accommodates a diversity of game animals. The fact
that there are no large predators or very dangerous animals to be found at Telperion,
provides students a safe environment to work in and gain the required skills without having the additional stresses associated with providing continual protection for
students while they are working in the field. The dominant vegetation is Grassland
with large pockets of Mountain Bushveld (Fig. 2), typified by jagged red sandstone
rocky outcrops covered in a diversity of tree species. There are numerous freshwater fountains across Telperion, which feed into streams and eventually into a large
perennial river, which dissects the reserve. Associated with the presence of this water
are well-formed wetlands and deep and densely vegetated valleys. In terms of conservation status, the vegetation type at Telperion is poorly conserved and subjected
to alien plant encroachment and soil erosion (Wilson and Pretorius 2017). This fits
with the historical use of the area being agriculture and stock farming, while current
land use focuses on biodiversity conservation, with related educational and research
activities.
Fig. 2 The contrasting landscape between Grassveld and Mountain Bushveld in the Telperion
Nature Reserve (© G. Wilson 2013)
G. Wilson and R. W. Pretorius
3.4 More on Telperion Nature Reserve
Telperion Nature Reserve is located in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. It
covers an area of 7349 ha and accommodates a diversity of game animals. The fact
that there are no large predators or very dangerous animals to be found at Telperion,
provides students a safe environment to work in and gain the required skills without having the additional stresses associated with providing continual protection for
students while they are working in the field. The dominant vegetation is Grassland
with large pockets of Mountain Bushveld (Fig. 2), typified by jagged red sandstone
rocky outcrops covered in a diversity of tree species. There are numerous freshwater fountains across Telperion, which feed into streams and eventually into a large
perennial river, which dissects the reserve. Associated with the presence of this water
are well-formed wetlands and deep and densely vegetated valleys. In terms of conservation status, the vegetation type at Telperion is poorly conserved and subjected
to alien plant encroachment and soil erosion (Wilson and Pretorius 2017). This fits
with the historical use of the area being agriculture and stock farming, while current
land use focuses on biodiversity conservation, with related educational and research
activities.
Fig. 2 The contrasting landscape between Grassveld and Mountain Bushveld in the Telperion
Nature Reserve (© G. Wilson 2013)