Workshop - Biodiversity in your garden or park: Reconnecting Joburg’s Egoli Granite Grasslands
Join us for a practical and inspiring community workshop on urban ecological restoration in Johannesburg’s Egoli Granite Grasslands. This session is designed for community members, gardeners, homeowners, environmental groups, educators, and anyone interested in helping restore and reconnect natural habitats across the city.
- Date: Sunday 18 October 2026
- Time: 8-10AM
- Venue: Delta Park Environmental Centre
- Cost: R100 at the door
Workshop details
Johannesburg is home to unique grassland ecosystems that support a remarkable diversity of plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife. However, these natural areas are under increasing pressure from development, invasive plants, pollution, inappropriate landscaping, and habitat fragmentation. Restoring even small patches of natural habitat, such as gardens, sidewalks, school grounds, parks, and open spaces, can make an important contribution to biodiversity and ecological resilience.
During the workshop, we will introduce the Egoli Granite Grasslands vegetation type, the distinctive highveld grassland ecosystem found in and around Johannesburg. Participants will learn about its characteristic plants, natural cycles, ecological importance, and the pressures affecting it. We will also explore how small restoration actions in urban spaces can contribute to a larger connected network of habitat.
A key theme of the workshop will be the difference between conventional gardening and ecological restoration. While gardening often focuses on appearance, individual plants, or maintaining a particular design, restoration aims to rebuild ecological relationships and processes. This includes using locally appropriate indigenous species, improving soil and habitat conditions, supporting pollinators and other wildlife, managing invasive species, and allowing natural systems to function over time.
The workshop will also introduce Braamfontein Spruit Ecological Corridor and the work currently being undertaken to create or strengthen ecological connections across Johannesburg. Participants will learn how individual properties and community spaces can form part of a wider corridor, helping plants and animals move through the urban landscape and improving the health of fragmented natural areas.
We will provide a guided tour of the Garden Planning Tool on our website, showing participants how it works, what information is available, and how the platform can be used to learn more about restoration activities and opportunities in different parts of the corridor. This will be followed by a step-by-step explanation of the sign-up process, including how community members can register their site, indicate their interests, and become involved in the project.
The session will also look ahead to future work in different parts of the corridor. We will discuss potential restoration activities, opportunities for local participation, and future training that can help community members develop practical skills in indigenous planting, invasive-plant management, habitat enhancement and ongoing ecological stewardship.
The workshop will conclude with an open question-and-answer session, giving participants an opportunity to share ideas, discuss challenges in their own neighbourhoods, and find out how they can take the next step toward restoring urban nature.
Whether you are already managing a natural garden or are simply curious about how your home, school, organisation, or community space can support the Egoli Granite Grasslands, this workshop will provide useful information, practical guidance, and opportunities to connect with others working toward a more biodiverse Johannesburg.
Programme:
- Welcome and introductions
- Why urban ecological restoration matters
- Getting to know the Egoli Granite Grasslands
- Gardening versus ecological restoration
- The Braamfontein Spruit Ecological Corridor: current progress
- Website tour
- How to sign up: step-by-step
- Future restoration work and training opportunities
- Questions, discussion, and next steps
- Close
Please bring: Questions, ideas or thoughts from your garden, and school, community space, or open area that could become part of the corridor.