We kick-off this issue with a brand-new series, “Karoo plant of the month” by Rudi Swart from the Worcester Veld Reserve, where he tells us more about Bietou (Osteospermum sinuatum). In our feature article, Sue Milton and Ken Coetzee made sure of an interesting read about the restoration processes of bare patches in the Karoo during the drought. Another interesting read is the story about a farmer who reintroduced hippos into the Karoo which not only led to an increase in biodiversity, but also increased tourist traffic to the area. In an interview with Susanne Vetter, a plant ecologist at Rhodes University, we learn more about the common misconceptions of African grasslands and the pastoralist communities that depend on them. A new study shows that the use of smaller drones is less disruptive to wildlife during surveying. Learn how to grow your own grassland garden on page 47 (and send us a photo if you do!). Go check out the newly launched open index of scholarly papers, OpenAlex. Frits van Oudtshoorn compiled a list of common names for South African grasses which are now available on the GSSA’s website. He will be launching a grass app soon!