h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I wish you success in raising them. Aren't there groups in SA that try to support these propagation plans for various plants. If you had a facebook page and used social media maybe you could encourage this and get a campaign going. Also maybe you could get local governments interested.

Hi Elektra! I don't know about propagation groups. Over here it is a very, very tricky thing to get into. For instance we have here a society dedicated to trying to propagate our rare cycad species. The government decided to require EVERY cycad, whether it comes from nature or from the propagation of growers, to have a certificate (and if you have any idea of the SA bureaucracy, you can get an idea how 'easy' it is to get such a certificate), making cultivation efforts almost impossible for them. I'm very afraid of stuff like that ... I try therefore to be 'under the radar' and do what good I can without attracting the attention of the authorities. I'd rather not have them know what I'm growing or they might try to stop me or to get money from me (which I'm NOT making since I'm not doing this for money).

Oh groan. Sorry, people can manage to bureacratize anything just like they can weaponize anything. I can understand not wanting to come to their attention. You don't even need a tin foil hat to see that it would be a bad idea. I hope there is a chance that there will be a better batch of elected officials when you have the new election over there. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Mandela is gone now and more responsible people need to take over.

I think my best bet over here is to get in touch - discreetly - with more local plant enthusiasts, and to work along with some of our universities.

That sounds like a great plan!