Frequency: Quarterly walks, same routes each time. Mark waypoints on your phone.
What you need:
Walk a representative section of each camp. Stop every 50-100 paces and look at a 10m radius around you.
Estimate percentage cover by eye:
Tip: Your hand at arm's length covers roughly 5-10% of your field of view. Use it as a reference! ✋
For each stop, estimate the percentage of:
These should add up to 100%.
Example: “D=30%, I1=25%, I2=15%, Inv=5%, B=25%”
Use this simple formula:
Veld Score = (D × 10) + (I1 × 5) + (I2 × 1) + (Inv × 0) - (B × 2)
Or use this table:
| Decreaser % | Increaser I % | Increaser II % | Invader % | Bare Ground % | Condition Rating | Score Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| >60% | <25% | <10% | <5% | <20% | Excellent | 500-700+ |
| 40-60% | 25-40% | 10-25% | <10% | 20-35% | Good | 350-500 |
| 20-40% | 30-50% | 25-40% | <15% | 35-50% | Moderate | 200-350 |
| <20% | >40% | >40% | >15% | >50% | Poor | <200 |
No math? No problem. Just answer these:
1. Can you easily name 5+ palatable decreaser species within 10m?
2. Is bare ground less than a third of what you see?
3. Are bitterbos, rhinobush or other Increaser II species dominant?
4. Do you see pedestalling? (Plants on little soil mounds with erosion around them)
5. Dung and browse evidence - is it evenly distributed or concentrated?
Simple scoring:
Take photos from the same spots each quarter:
Track trends, not absolutes. You're looking for:
Seasonal adjustment: Your veld will look different post-rain vs. drought. Score at same time each year for comparison (e.g., always in April after autumn rains, or lack thereof).
Rainfall variability: In semi-arid systems, one bad score isn't disaster - it's the trend over 2-3 years that matters.
Your goats' behavior tells you: If they're walking past plants to find others, you're running low on decreasers. If they're browsing happily and bedding down contentedly, you're in the sweet spot. 🐐