Word from the CEO
Yolan Friedmann
One of the trees most commonly associated with all things Africa is the Marula Tree, Sclerocarya birrea, a deciduous fruit-bearing tree found throughout Africa and Madagascar in various woodlands habitat types. Whilst many people associate the Marula tree with alcoholic beverages and the ‘crazy’ behaviour of monkeys and elephants after consuming large volumes of the fermented fruits in summer, their true value to the widest variety of many species is perhaps less known.
Not only does this single-stemmed, ~18m high tree provide critical shade in the blazing African sun, but every single part of the Marula tree has value and is prized by humans and animals alike. The fruits are a rich source of vitamin C, around eight times higher than an orange. Boiled marula fruit skin makes a refreshing drink, while burnt skins make a coffee substitute. Marula wood is soft and used for carving and rope, and brown dye can be made from the bark. The bark contains antihistamines and can also treat dysentery, diarrhoea, rheumatism, insect bites, and other ailments. It is also used as a preventative to malaria., while the green leaves of the marula tree are eaten to alleviate heartburn.
Caterpillars and wood-boring beetles are removed from the marula tree and roasted for consumption, and the oil is used as a skin cosmetic. Essence from the leaves is said to remedy abscesses, spider bites and burns. The tree’s large, shady respite from the Afrinca sun often serves as a village meeting place. Over centuries, dozens of wildlife species have also benefitted from this much-needed shade and derived important nutrition from the tree’s leaves, fruit, and bark. This life-giving tree is often associated with species such as elephants, rhino, baboons and monkeys, many birds, warthog, giraffe and ostriches. Over centuries, humans and wildlife have benefitted from and enjoyed the spoils of this life-giving force of nature.
A commonly asked question is, if you were a tree, what tree would you be? Would most people quickly reply with the Marula as their answer? Despite all these attributes, maybe not. Perhaps not everyone wants to be all things to all species and communities of life. However, I will bet that if the EWT staff were asked that question, the reply would be a resounding “The Marula Tree” for that very reason! For over 50 years, the EWT has been the Tree of Life for countless species, ecosystems, and communities across the African landscape. This we have done by providing refuge for species at perpetual risk of conflict with humans and nourishment for people through sustainable livelihood development with our community partners and securing safe space for wildlife populations to expand and prosper. The EWT has left its indelible footprint across Africa’s savannahs, woodlands, wetlands, catchments, grasslands, mountains, and oceans, has benefitted communities of people, mammals, plants, birds, reptiles, insects, and amphibians, and is as much associated with all things Africa as our beloved Marula tree.
Like a tree – our power lies in our ability to convene, support, and assemble- bringing together our team’s brightest minds and most passionate hearts – and those of our partners and associates. As we forge a pathway to achieve even more over the next 50 years, it is through these people that we draw our inspiration. Inspiration for the next 50 as the race against extinction and to stem the impacts of climate change and ecosystem destruction ramp up.
To help us celebrate 50 Years of Conservation in Action, send us your thoughts on #50YearsOfEWT to help us create the next 50. Like the Marula, the EWT is here to serve our environment and has thousands more sunsets to share and sunrises to welcome. Help us craft #TheNext50 together.
Drop us a line at ewt@ewt.org.za or visit www.ewt.org.za, where you can share your vision for our planet 2073 and what the EWT will have achieved by then.
Happy Birthday, EWT.
Yolan Friedmann