Endangered and threatened Spiral aloes.

A Community Nursery and Botanic Garden is a collection of living plants that is scientifically managed for the purposes of education, research, conservation and community service. The primary aim of the garden is to raise awareness of Lesotho, particularly Semonkong indigenous flora through the dissemination and acquisition of botanical knowledge. This includes the provision of plant material for education and research purposes, the collection and propagation of rare and endangered species, as well as research into indigenous plant species with horticultural potential, medicinal values and economical values.

Farming communities ready for vegetable production at nursery.

The project will focus on the deliverable aims of initial nursery establishment, increasing community awareness and participation in the nursery development, execution, evaluation and future planning through workshops and training and development of management documentation and infrastructure to ensure long-term viability.

The nursery and garden will also contribute to nature conservation directly in production of popular and rare indigenous medicinal species (e.g. Spiral Aloe, Aloe polyphyla) conserving wild stocks and limiting uncontrolled exploitation, Supply of tree and scrub species reducing pressure on scarce existing woodland and scrub habitats for fuel wood, and to assist management of erosion and soil degradation and Production of nutritious fruit and vegetable species as alternative food crops to reduce agricultural pressure on increasing marginal and fragile mountain grassland habitats.

Community training is integral to the community nursery and botanical garden becoming part of the community's culture. The project aims to develop their use as training resources for local people, encouraging similar activities throughout the community. As a long-term income stream to ensure long lasting impacts through production and sale of higher value fruit and medicinal plants.

Semonkong Community Nursery and Botanical Garden facilitate a participatory design process with community and stakeholders prior to garden construction. Meetings with nursery management committee determine how they wish to allocate roles among communities, where the garden will be located on their village, and what features and plants they would like the garden to have.

Garden construction focuses on building the infrastructure for planting (raised beds, soil preparation, tree planting, etc.).The planting will be done by youth group and BTCV Volunteers, stakeholders and interested community.