Veld is a word from the Afrikaans language used to describe natural vegetation in South Africa. It means field or plain. The veld is a form of grassland similar to the prairies of North America. In certain instances, veld refers to any area of natural vegetation.
The veld areas are home to the large grass-eating mammals of southern Africa, including African buffalo, elephants, and rhinoceroses. The Khoikhoi and San peoples traditionally ate veldkos—that is, edible plants growing in the veld. Today, many plants from other areas have spread into the veld. Other problems affecting the natural environment of the veld include erosion, overgrazing, droughts, and the spread of farming.
