Project Manager: Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers, SANBI
‘I have had a passion for trees since childhood but didn’t know I could get a job related to plants, so I opted for veterinary science,” says Domitilla. ‘For part of my BSc, I studied botany and realised this was for me. Ever since, I’ve worked in plant conservation, researching threatened fynbos and arid plants.”
One of her charges is the Cape floral region, which is so rich in plant species that it has been declared a World Heritage Site. But it is being threatened and becoming fragmented by ever-increasing human demands and impacts.
Domitilla works with residents and farmers to protect the last outposts of endemic species. She also encourages sustainable use of exported medicinal plants, chairing the regional working group studying the use of devil’s claw – a root used against arthritis – across the arid regions of South Africa, Botswana and Namibia. Many wild plants are difficult to cultivate commercially. In arid regions, harvesting wild plants is one of few sources of income, so ecotourism is being explored as an alternative.
‘We work with the government to create the right policies to ensure sustainable harvesting. You don’t have to study conservation to be a conservationist – there are many ways for people with science degrees to get involved.”