About
THE BIG TREE PROJECTS
Documenting the Silent Witnesses of Southern African History
The Project Leader
Contact us
OUR ROOTS
A Legacy of Giants
The Big Trees of Southern Africa project began not behind a computer, but in the shadow of the wild. Our inspiration was Frikkie Robinson, a woman whose passion for the natural world was so fierce she once stood between a chainsaw and a Fever Tree to protect it. To her, a tree wasn’t just wood and leaves; it was a sanctuary. Waldie, her son-in-law, was often mistaken for her own son. Their shared passion for the natural world—and for the trees inhabiting it—became the blood and sinews that rooted them together, a fervor they both instinctively embraced
When project leader Waldie le Grange realized that nearly two-thirds of South Africa’s officially registered Champion Trees are exotic species, a mission was born: to find and document our indigenous champions. While the project includes the vast areas of our National Parks and the arid landscapes of Namibia, it is deeply rooted in the Big Trees of Tshwane Project, where we celebrate the botanical heritage hidden within our capital city’s urban forest.
THE MISSION
Three Landscapes, One Goal
Through these projects, we Populate integrated databases, Conserve by identifying candidate trees for official Champion Tree status, and Inspire tourists and residents to look closer at their natural surroundings.
Our project is a multi-layered initiative designed to protect “silent witnesses” of history across three primary domains:
Big Trees of Tshwane:
A community-driven urban greening initiative. We map the giants living on our sidewalks and in our parks—like the iconic Wonderboom Fig—fostering local pride and ensuring these urban monuments are preserved amid city development.
Big Trees of SANParks
A comprehensive mapping of all 19 South African National Parks to identify the “Big Five of Trees,” making them just as much of an attraction as the wildlife.
Big Trees of Namibia
A cross-border collaboration with the NBRI and BotSoc Namibia to document the desert and savanna giants of the Namibian landscape.
MEET THE PROJECT LEADER
Waldie le Grange
Professional Civil Engineer & Dendrologist
Waldie is a UP graduate (1980) whose background in civil engineering provides the precision needed for scientific documentation. While his fascination with tree giants was sparked in the 1990s by the quiver trees of the Richtersveld, the Big Trees of Tshwane Project stems from his passion for his immediate environment, allowing him to apply engineering precision to the city he calls home.
What started as a tribute to his late mother-in-law—a passionate tree watcher—has grown into a professional effort operating in partnership with SANParks, the Magalies Dendro, and the Botanical Society of Namibia.
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A Letter from Waldie
Dit het alles begin met ’n eenvoudige besef: dat ons reuse van die veld dikwels as vanselfsprekend aanvaar word. As ingenieur is ek opgelei om na strukture en syfers te kyk, maar my hart lê nog altyd by die natuurlike argitektuur van ons inheemse bome. Hierdie projek gaan nie net oor rekords en mates nie; dit gaan oor die eerbied wat ons verskuldig is aan lewende monumente wat al eeue lank waghou oor ons landskap. Dit is ’n poging om die “stille getuies” van ons geskiedenis ’n stem te gee.
In Pretoria loop ons daagliks verby reuse sonder om op te kyk. Of dit nou ’n eeue-oue Wonderboomvy is of ’n prag-eksemplaar op ’n sypaadjie in Rietondale, hierdie bome vorm die ruggraat van ons stad se groen erfenis. Die Pretoria Big Tree Project is vir my persoonlik van groot belang omdat dit bewys dat mens nie na die wildtuin hoef te ry om natuurwonderwerke te sien nie—hulle staan reg voor ons drumpels. Deur hierdie bome te karteer, beskerm ons nie net die natuur nie, maar ook die karakter van ons woonbuurte.
Ons gebruik die nasionale Size Index (SI) om te verseker dat elke boom regverdig beoordeel word op grond van sy stamomtrek, hoogte en kroonwydte. Maar ek kan dit nie alleen doen nie. Die sukses van hierdie projek hang af van “boom-verkenners”—mense soos jy wat stop wanneer hulle ’n uitsonderlike boom sien en die koördinate deel. Jy hoef nie ’n botanis te wees om by te dra nie; as ’n boom vir jou indrukwekkend lyk, is dit waarskynlik die moeite werd om te dokumenteer.
My visie is dat ons teen 2027 ’n volledige digitale register van al 19 nasionale parke, ons hoofstad, en selfs die woestynreuse van Namibië sal hê. Dit is ’n massiewe taak wat tans uit eie sak en met vrywillige passie gedryf word. Ons het vennote en borge nodig wat glo in die waarde van bewaring en erfenis. Saam kan ons verseker dat hierdie bome nie net oorleef nie, maar dat hulle gevier word as die nasionale skatte wat hulle werklik is.
Waldie le Grange
Waldie le Grange
The Creative Force Behind the Project
Joan Greeff
Behind the project’s digital presence and visual identity is its resident creative director and communication specialist, Joan Greeff. She bridges the gap between scientific data and public engagement. Serving as the project’s lead copywriter and web developer, Joan is responsible for crafting the narrative and building the platforms that bring these botanical giants to a global audience.
Every visual element—from the brand identity and custom logos to the interactive mapping systems—is a reflection of a deep-seated passion for science-led design and the great outdoors. For Joan, this project represents the perfect convergence of professional expertise and a lifelong appreciation for trees, creating a space where technical precision meets the raw beauty of the Southern African landscape.