MEET THE AUTHORS

Author, Dr Jeremy Gosnell OBE
(20.02.1932 – 10.01.2012)

Jerry, born in India and at school in England, was an agricultural graduate from Stellenbosch and Natal Universities. He worked originally in pastures, field crops and wattle in Kenya and then moved to sugarcane in South Africa. He was involved in sugarcane research in Natal and Rhodesia, then in new project development in several African countries to the north, as well as Australia and South America. He spent 20 years in management of a sugar factory and estate in Swaziland. After retiring as Chairman of Lonrho Sugar Corporation, he was involved as Study Director for PGBI Engineers for several major grassroots sugar estate and factory developments in Africa. Jerry wrote and presented numerous papers to the South African and International Societies of Sugarcane Technologists and recently published the book “Gallic Thunderbolt”, the story of Lonrho Sugar Corporation and its founder, René Leclézio. He always took an interest in vegetation and marine life, also scuba dived, snorkeled and sailed in many Indo Pacific and other locations throughout the world.

When retiring in 1998 to a beach front property at Ramsgate on the south coast of KZN he photographed coastal vegetation on both the dunes and the rocks. This photographic guide was originally compiled for his grandchildren but quickly attracted interest from others enjoying the beach and wanting to learn more about the common dune and marine plants. His knowledge and enthusiasm will always be greatly missed by many.

MEET THE AUTHORS
Dr. Elsa Pooley (DSc honoris causa) (UKZN), author of The complete Field Guide to Trees of Natal, Zululand & Transkei (1993); A Field Guide to Wildflowers of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region (1998); A Field Guide to the Flora of the Drakensberg and Lesotho (2003) and Forest Plants – in the Forest and in the Garden (2006) is a skilled botanical artist and practical botanist with more than 40 years experience in the field.
Originally based in the game reserves of Zululand, her research has included pioneering work on the traditional uses of plants by the people of Maputaland. Elsa currently runs an indigenous landscaping business and has established many corporate and individual indigenous gardens and a wild flower nursery. She is landscaping consultant on the Durban Beachfront upgrade which included extensive dune rehabilitation over the 6km Durban beachfront. Her botanical tours take local and international visitors to explore the flora of the eastern region of South Africa, particularly the Drakensberg/Lesotho alpine region. Elsa's knowledge and versatility bridges the divide between the popular and the academic. She has worked closely with the National Botanical Institute, in particular the Natal Herbarium in preparation of the Flora Publications Trust books. Her scientific advisers were Olive Hilliard (curator of the University of Natal Herbarium before her retirement when she worked for many years with Bill Burt publishing works on the flora of The Southern Natal Drakensberg) and the late Bill Burt, formerly of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, UK.
Richard Boon is Manager of the Biodiversity Planning Branch of the Evironmental Planning and Climate Protection Department of the eThekwini Muncipality (Durban). Prior to working for the municipality, he worked in the Conservation Division of the Wildlife and Environment Society. Richard is a practical bontanist with over 20 years field experience and has taught environmental education with the provincial education department. He also enjoys photographing plants and other natural subjects.
	Charles Botha is a semi-retired businessman and, although he has always been interested in plants and wildlife, his only qualification in this field is an LBE (Learned By Experience). He is past chairman of the KwaZulu-Natal Region of the Wildlife and Environment Society of SA, and a life member of both this organisation and the Botanical Society of SA as well as a member of the Lepidopterists’ Society of Africa.
Julia Botha is Professor and Head of Therapeutics and Medicines Management at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and chairs the University's Environmental Committee. She and Charles are longstanding members of BirdLife SA.
Charles and Julia Botha have also authored the following publications: *Bring Butterflies Back to your Garden. Taking environmentally-friendly gardening a step further with over 500 indigenous plants to attract butterflies. Bring Nature Back to your Garden (Western Edition). For gardeners living west of Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein and Mafikeng. Buyisela Imvelo Engadini. Environmentally-friendly gardening for isiZulu speakers. Bring Nature Back to your Garden (First Edition). Won a University of KwaZulu-Natal Book Prize in 1999 for popularising science and is replaced by the Eastern and Northern* Edition.


Author, Dr Jeremy Gosnell OBE (20.02.1932 – 10.01.2012) Jerry, born in India and at school in England, was an agricultural graduate from Stellenbosch and Natal Universities. He worked originally in pastures, field crops and wattle in Kenya and then moved to sugarcane in South Africa. He was involved in sugarcane research in Natal and Rhodesia, then in new project development in several African countries to the north, as well as Australia and South America. He spent 20 years in management of a sugar factory and estate in Swaziland. After retiring as Chairman of Lonrho Sugar Corporation, he was involved as Study Director for PGBI Engineers for several major grassroots sugar estate and factory developments in Africa. Jerry wrote and presented numerous papers to the South African and International Societies of Sugarcane Technologists and recently published the book “Gallic Thunderbolt”, the story of Lonrho Sugar Corporation and its founder, René Leclézio. He always took an interest in vegetation and marine life, also scuba dived, snorkeled and sailed in many Indo Pacific and other locations throughout the world. When retiring in 1998 to a beach front property at Ramsgate on the south coast of KZN he photographed coastal vegetation on both the dunes and the rocks. This photographic guide was originally compiled for his grandchildren but quickly attracted interest from others enjoying the beach and wanting to learn more about the common dune and marine plants. His knowledge and enthusiasm will always be greatly missed by many.
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