During August in 1956, thousands of women marched to the Union Buildings to protest Pass Laws. Now August, Women’s Month, serves as a celebration of the women who stand for the right to be and to take up space. Women are increasingly prospering in their various roles in society. In celebration of Women’s Month, Briza would like to shine a light on some of the ladies who has written books that are loved by our many readers.
Margaret Joan Roberts
Some people dream and others, such as Margaret Roberts, create legacies. Besides gardening and teaching others while adding to her own knowledge, she has written more than 40 books. With titles such as Indigenous Healing Plants and Healing Foods, Margaret has inspired many to expand their knowledge and gardens. Sadly, Margaret passed away in 2017. Yet, her legacy and spirit live on through the many ground-breaking projects she worked on, including the Herbal Centre in De Wildt.
Megan Emmet
A woman with many talents, including two degrees, field guiding, television, playing the piano, and writing books of great quality. Megan has authored Nature Unpacked and Game Ranger in Your Backpack, thanks to her years of field work and love of literature. When she is not busy sharing her passion for the environment on 50/50, she is at home with a glass of wine and a pair of binoculars. Megan is an adventurous soul always scouting out her next adventure.
Heather Inez Dugmore
Heather graduated from Rhodes University with a journalism degree. She believes in growing where she stands, and she has rooted herself firmly in the rich soil of Africa. Heather’s interest in traditional medicine led her to spend time with many traditional healers. Her encounters with traditional medicine and culture led to her co-authoring Muthi and Myths from the African Bush.
Karen J. Esler
Karen’s love for the environment has inspired her to study how the drivers of change influence population and community structure and processes in South African fynbos, Karoo, and riparian vegetation. Aside from her research interests, Karen is part of the Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology at the University of Stellenbosch. Karen has served on many boards and committees and was the first female president of the South African Association of Botanists. Along with her many ventures, she has been part of publishing over a hundred peer-reviewed journals and books, including Fynbos – Ecology and Management and Karoo Veld – Ecology and Management.
Marissa Greeff
Marissa, a former journalist and the author of A site-by-site guide to trees in the Kruger National Park is a writer by heart. Her father, who was a reputable tree watcher, has been an inspiration to her interest in trees. Greeff worked as a journalist and representative for Perskor until 1983. Since 1990 she has been part of producing publications, and currently works with the University of Pretoria.
While only a handful of writers are mentioned, we appreciate every one of our female authors. These writers have gone to great lengths to share their passion with others in the form of beautiful books. Besides our authors, many women have been involved in Briza’s projects, working tirelessly behind the scenes to create information-rich publications for readers across the globe. We would like to thank every woman that is and has been part of Briza’s team.
