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PROJECT
The lodge with timber walkway viewing deck leading to a man-made dam
Bird bath water feature outside the rooms Water feature cascading into a fish pond at the reception
site was surveyed and all large trees, especially protected species,
were clearly marked by ecologist Duncan McKenzie. Nuleaf Planning
and Environmental, who also acted as the environmental auditors,
worked in close collaboration with the Lapalala Wilderness Board,
the contractor and architect to ensure that the design avoided all
sensitive areas and trees as far as possible. The lodge design was built
around this, and monthly audits were undertaken on site to ensure
compliance. This collaboration led to the successful blending of
Melote Lodge into the natural environment by preserving the sense
of place through limiting vegetation clearing during construction
and the amount of landscaping ultimately required.
Earthworks were extremely challenging as once the large boulders
were moved down the slopes, it would be impossible to get them
back up again.
Check us out www.salandscape.co.za Landscape SA • Issue 147 2025 5
