‘ED’S VALLEY’ – ‘Where hackers sweated to remove alien plants under the leadership of Edward Silberbauer’

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On Wednesday, 22 November, Hackers of the Kogelberg gathered to unveil the ‘Ed’s Valley’ plaque to commemorate not only a great hacker, Ed Silberbauer, but all those who hacked with him to return a large portion of our biosphere to its natural state.

‘Ed’s Valley’ is testimony to the tireless and unremitting commitment of many people over three generations to the restoration and conservation of this part of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, some of whom made significant contributions to the designation of the greater part of this area as a Biosphere Reserve in the first place.

‘Ed’s Valley’ is conclusive proof that, when it comes to conservation, the present and the future can be better than the past and that it is not inevitable that the natural environment is destined to be invaded by alien species.

The valley is confirmation of the relevance and importance of hope sustained over time, similar to the famous story of ‘The Forest Man of India’, Jadav Molai Payeng, whose 1360 acre forest, which he planted single handedly on a barren sandbar in the Brahmaputra River, is now home to millions of trees, Indian rhinoceros, elephants, tigers and a host of other wildlife.

Ed’s Valley may not be as famous as Molai’s forest, but it belongs in the same category of sustained hope and commitment over time to the restoration and conservation of the natural environment.

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‘Ed’s Valley’ is not the work of one man – as Ed will quickly remind any who will listen. But it is the work of many who have been consistently inspired, organised, equipped and skilled over decades by one man who has led from the front and of whom we are deeply fond and immensely proud: Edward Silberbauer.

There can be no better name for this lovely valley of fynbos than ‘Ed’s Valley’.

Tim Attwell.