ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION & AWARENESS
MASIFUNDISANE EXCUSRIONS (Let’s teach one another)
On a weekly basis, the Zwartkops conservancy, in collaboration with Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (Environmental Management), hosts a group of 60 learners (Grade 6 or 8) from local schools. The learners are transported to the Estuary, either the riverbanks or the local reserves, and the Motherwell stormwater canal where they are taught by our internally trained ZC Environmental educators, in their mother tongue. We aim to present at least 45 lessons a year and more if funding allows. We reach approximately 2500 learners a year, spreading the message of environmental stewardship in our local community.
During the excursion, we take the learners to either, the mudbanks or the Aloe trail, as well as the Motherwell Stormwater Canal.
THE ALOE TRAIL
This is a 2 km easy hiking trail in the Bluewater Bay area, also a NMB Green flag trail. It is recommended from April to the end of September. The best time is June/July as the Aloes are in bloom then. The trail takes about 2 hours. During the lesson in the aloes trail, the learners learn about the plants and animals, birds, local history, the Swartkops Estuary, the importance of nature reserves, subtropical thicket, climate change and biodiversity.
MUDBANK EXPLORATION
This takes place at Dufour Park, Amsterdamhoek on the banks of the Swartkops Estuary. It is recommended from October to March, during warmer months. It takes about 2 hrs. Pupils learn about the animals, birds and plants associated with the estuary. They also learn about estuaries, tides, fishing, bait collection and environmental issues like climate change, overexploitation, pollution etc.
MOTHERWELL STORMWATER CANAL
As part of the excursion learners are also taken to the Motherwell Stormwater Canal where they learn about stormwater canals, litter, pollution and how it affects our health, how sewage pipes get blocked and how to avoid such blockages. They also see the artificial wetland at the bottom of the canal, which helps to clean the water before it enters the Swartkops Estuary.
THE BUHLEBENDALO ENVIRO CLUB
At our request our Enviro. Educator Patricia Ntabeni started this club in 2011 to help keep youngsters off the street, to give them something constructive, educational and fun to do. With our assistance she taught them to do traditional singing and dancing, but also brought in an environmental aspect to whatever they did. They then started doing plays with a message about saving the environment, not littering etc. In addition, they do cleanups, tree planting, gardening and recycling.
NATIONAL MARINE WEEK
National Marine week is an exciting initiative by the Dept. of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) to increase awareness of marine life and marine habitats in the local community and schools, that has been running for more than 12 years. Several local organisations that are active in this area, including Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMBM), DEAT, SAEON, Bayworld collaborate to present small lessons and talks to small groups of learners from several local schools. ZC teaches about the importance of estuaries and promotes recycling. We usually teach about 700 pupils during the week.
RECYCLING with NOZIQHAMO
On a monthly basis, ZC collects recycling from households in Bluewater Bay and Redhouse.
The recycling is donated to Noziqhamo recycling, a buy back centre based in Motherwell.
ZC has a longstanding relationship with the ladies from Noziqhamo, we have supported their business endeavours since 1999. They have been making great strides recently and are steadily becoming a self-sustainable entity – we remain a keen supporter.