The Wild Environment Site's first project is the Betty Pfeil Project. In 1992 the Protea Atlas Project was launched and master-minded by Tony Rebelo of SANBI. It aimed to draw in people with a love for nature and hiking, to enable the collection of a much larger amount of data over a few years about the Proteaceae in Southern Africa, than could be accumulated by a few busy academics and students.

The idea of using amateur botanists was exciting and the hundreds of people who were eventually involved really appreciated the chance to learn a huge amount about not only the Proteaceae, but the truly fabulous wild environment all around them as well!

Our project started when the Protea Atlas ended. We wanted to continue our hikes and interests but needed a focus. The Southern Cape Proteaceae CD that has at last emerged, is in memory of Betty Pfeil who was one of us. It also pays tribute to the incredibly diverse and beautiful Southern Cape environment, where thankfully so much wild nature remains to discover and enjoy. It is still there in abundance, wild and beautiful, even if not entirely pristine.

Our aim is to set up a small Non Profit Association, with a website that displays and sells this Proteaceae CD initially, then we plan to add various other similar interactive digital Botanical or Environmental CD’s, booklets, etc. – By selling these products we hope to generate sufficient funds to continually add new ones and upgrade the site.