Millstream Farm Conservation Update – February 2026

By Dumisani Mtshweni, Farm Environmental Officer

Hello team! Here's the latest easy-to-read summary of the farm's environmental status as we wrapped up 2025. From an eco perspective, this has been an incredible growing season, the land is thriving, water is plentiful, and wildlife is booming. Let's break it down.

1. The Land & Weather – A Wet & Green Paradise

• Our natural grasslands are in outstanding shape right now. Flowering plants are everywhere you look – it's like the whole farm decided to celebrate spring and summer at once.

• The last three months of 2025 delivered serious rain: our fishing dams were all overflowing by end of October, and the wet trend continued.

  • October: 103 mm

  • November: 293 mm (wow!)

  • December: 109 mm These totals sit a bit above our normal quarterly average – exactly what the ecosystem needed after any drier patches earlier.

• Temperatures are climbing as we move into full summer:

  • Oct: 8–18 °C

  • Nov: 11–19 °C

  • Dec: 13–22 °C Early, persistent rain starting back in August has kept everything lush and green.

• Wildflowers are taking turns blooming beautifully according to their natural seasons. Among the stars in the last few months: Schizocarphus nervosa and Haplocarpha lyrata lighting up the veld.

 Two gorgeous wildflowers captured on the property – nature's confetti

Haplocarpha lyrata

Schizocarphus nervosa

Haplocarpha lyrata Schizocarphus nervosa

2. Tackling Invasive & Overabundant Plants

Blue gum trees (Eucalyptus sp.) remain our main alien invader headache – those plantations keep pumping out seedlings that could quickly take over if ignored.

• Continued control along the road to Cottage 15: cut-stump method with 5% eco-friendly herbicide mix – effective and targeted.

• On the flip side, an indigenous plant Helichrysum splendidum (classified as an increaser 1 species) is growing thick in under-used spots like parts of the Lake Millstream dam wall. We selectively sprayed there with a grass-friendly herbicide to keep the balance without harming the good native grasses.

3. Game & Veld Management – Thriving Naturally

• Veld condition is so exceptional that we stopped all supplementary feeding months ago. The big game animals are in excellent shape purely on natural grazing.

• Fantastic breeding season: no mortalities recorded, and every major species produced calves/lambs/foals.

• Latest count (2 December 2025): 18 blesbok offspring added, plus 3 zebra foals.

• Zebra numbers look set to jump another 5–10 this coming mating season – exciting growth!

Here's the updated population trend (males/females/juveniles + total) from late 2023 to now:

Date	Blesbok Total	Springbok Total	Zebra Total
Nov 2023	58	59	32
Feb 2024	66	65	40
May 2024	68	67	40
Sep 2024	66	77	40
Oct 2024	67	75	40
Dec 2024	76	73	42
Feb 2025	83	73	47
May 2025	85	67	46
Sep 2025	87	72	46
Oct 2025	85	76	46
Dec 2025	101	72	49

Healthy upward trend overall – the ecosystem is supporting strong reproduction.

4. Fences – Holding Strong

• Fences remain in good nick. Last patrol: 9 December 2025.

• Replaced three perimeter gates.

• Added a new gate at the Witpoort river inlet – now links smoothly to the Steve Vincent trail with that stunning Vincent's view.

5. Fire & Veld Management Plans

• No prescribed burns happened this year – the consistent rain made it unsafe and unnecessary (burning would've risked bare soil and erosion during such a wet period).

• Larger areas will be scheduled for next fire season when conditions are drier.

• Coming up in January: full vegetation surveys to score veld condition, check grass composition, and get a precise read on ecological health.

6. Erosion Prevention

Drains along the main road (down to reception and toward Cottage 15) have been cleared ahead of any big summer storms. Gravel sections will get attention soon to keep everything stable.

7. Other Wildlife Highlights

• Summer migrants are in full swing: whiskered terns and white-winged terns spotted on the water pans; diderick and red-chested cuckoos calling loudly over the past couple of months.

• That exciting first-ever sighting from October still stands out: a female knob-billed duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos) swimming with the yellow-billed ducks at Wordsworth dam on 23 October. A common freshwater species elsewhere, but brand new to our farm bird list – biodiversity bonus!

The farm is in fantastic ecological shape heading into 2026 – abundant rain, vibrant veld, happy animals, and new bird arrivals. We're in a sweet spot right now. Let's keep protecting and enjoying it!

Best regards, Dumisani