African Wildlife & Environment Issue 77 FINAL ISSUE

IN MEMORIAM

uMthimkhulu A PERSONAL TRIBUTE

In this 'obituary' I am going to deviate from the usual format and dwell on Keith’s major contribution to tree and indigenous forest conservation.This because that is mostly where the two of us shared a common passion – people and trees . As a young graduate from UKZN, Pietermaritzburg, I met Keith in the early 1960s when we were both on the committee of then Natal branch of the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Society of South Africa. Back then, the Natal membership numbered in the many thousands and we were by far the biggest and most active branch; even with our own magazine edited by Creina Bond. For those wishing to find out more please go to the WESSA website and look for what else he achieved – a very deserving Society Gold Medallist and human being. He will be missed for many a year to come.

On the shortest day of the year a colleague and long- time friend fell for the last time, and with his passing the sun set on a significant career in wildlife conservation spanning many decades. A giant tree has fallen and we need to understand the magnitude of our loss

EUGENE MOLL

Back then we often lead monthly member excursions to many localities of natural history interest; these were regularly attended by 40 to 100+ members, together with their families.When the numbers were high Keith and I split the group - with him taking the birders and me taking the more botanically minded folk. On such occasions we always had a friendly competition to see who could get the longest species list – Keith counting the birds and me the trees and shrubs. I well remember a Hawaan Forest walk

Keith Cooper (left) and Eugene Moll next to a giant Podocarpus henkellii in the Karkloof Forest

13 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 77 (2020)