Soil-to-Soul's
5 Forest systems vision
We believe that the future of sustainable landscapes lies in diversity, resilience, and working with nature rather than against it.
As part of our ongoing evolution into a living demonstration site for regenerative land stewardship, we are developing a series of interconnected forest systems that showcase different ecological functions, planting methodologies, and relationships between people and the natural world.
Together, these systems form Bokmakierie's Five Forest Vision — a practical and educational
model that demonstrates how diverse forest ecosystems can regenerate soil, support biodiversity, build climate resilience, and create abundance in a water-scarce environment.
Aloe & Quiver tree
forest system
Our Aloe & Kokerboom (Quiver tree) Forest system is currently under development and centres around approximately fifty
Kokerbome (Quiver Trees), one of Southern Africa's most iconic and ancient species.
These sculptural trees will be interplanted with complementary aloe species, indigenous succulents,
large boulders, and natural stone features to create a landscape that reflects the beauty and
resilience of arid ecosystems. This forest celebrates adaptation, longevity, and the unique botanical heritage of Southern Africa.
Food Forest system
The Food Forest is an evolving productive ecosystem built around established fruit trees. Over time, this area will be strengthened through the addition of deciduous support species that
provide seasonal shade, increase organic matter production, improve soil health, and help
moderate the extreme summer temperatures experienced in our Zone 2 climate. By mimicking
natural forest structure, the Food Forest demonstrates how food production can work in
harmony with ecological regeneration and supply food, not only for us, but also for pollinators, our animals and wildlife.
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Water-wise Habitat Forest
("Wild heart")
Our central Waterwise Forest demonstrates how beautiful and functional landscapes can thrive with minimal irrigation. We call this magical space the "Wild heart" as it serves as the central point of our hub. Dominated by Acacia species and other drought-tolerant indigenous plants, this forest showcases practical solutions for gardening and land restoration in water-limited environments. It serves as a living example of resilience in the face of climate uncertainty and changing rainfall patterns.
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Syntropic Forestry line
Positioned at our new demonstration site, alongside the Miyawaki Forest, our meditteranean inspired Syntropic Lines serve both a practical and ecological function. Inspired by the principles of Syntropic Agriculture developed by Ernst Götsch, these planting corridors are designed to accelerate ecological succession while providing protection and support to the emerging forest system.
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"Miyawaki"- style forest
The newest project-in-motion for Bokmakierie's landscape vision is the Miyawaki Forest (aptly also called a "Pocket forest". Based on the
work of Japanese botanist Dr. Akira Miyawaki, this method uses dense planting of indigenous
species to rapidly establish a self-sustaining forest ecosystem. While traditional forestry may
take decades to establish canopy cover, Miyawaki forests create rich, multi-layered habitats in a
fraction of the time. The technique requires preparing the forest floor for planting by mimicking the soil layers of a 50 year old forest before planting into it.
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