Awareness & Education

One cannot love what one does not understand.

One cannot understand if one is not shown.

Unknown author

Because we don’t think about future generations, they will never forget us.

Henrik Tikkanen

This could not be truer for our often neglected and under-appreciated Renosterveld.

For farming communities, municipalities, and others to lend a sympathetic ear to renosterveld, they first need to understand how special it is. Over the years, we’ve come to see the incredible value of working one-on-one with our farming friends and future friends. By showing them just how incredible the renosterveld is in our landscape, a whole new world has opened up for them. So much so that they become hungry for more knowledge and more management advice.

It gives us incredible hope that landowners across the Overberg are realising the value of a functioning renosterveld ecosystem, but also the fragile state of our renosterveld. As a result, many are starting to commit to conserving these critical remnants.

However, we have a long road to travel and without continuously building and maintaining these relationships, renosterveld will continue on its downward spiral. We use various mediums to communicate our message, from video content, to regular presentations at farmer’s meetings and other interest groups, to the production of various reading material, such as management guidelines, published articles, and annual reports.

FIELD GUIDE TO RENOSTERVELD OF THE OVERBERG

The first ever Field Guide to Renosterveld of the Overberg is a wonderful source of information on Renosterveld and the wildlife you could find living in this habitat. The guide is the result of five years of extensive research. It’s authored by Dr Odette Curtis-Scott, Mike Goulding, Nick Helme, Rhoda McMaster, Sean Privett and Prof Charles Stirton. It features 980 Renosterveld plant species, as well as 140 of the animals you’ll find here. It also includes an illustrated glossary, details on Renosterveld ecology and management guidelines for landowners. Find out more here.

OUR VELD SCHOOL FOR KIDS

In 2022 we launched the Veld School, which is based on our Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve. After transforming an old shed into a learning centre (which we aptly named The Shed Learning Centre), the work started to encourage a new generation of renosterveld warriors. Over the next two years, we introduced 450 young learners to the wonders of renosterveld, thanks to wonderful donor support. The primary educator is Gretha Engelbrecht, who provides the age-appropriate lessons to the young learners, with support from the ORCT staff. Lessons include demonstrating the delicate balance of our ecosystems through practical examples. Interactive games help kids to understand scientific principles and lessons like that of photosynthesis and the food pyramid, as well as how everything in the veld is interconnected. The trips inevitably include a walk through the renosterveld on the reserve.

We’re grateful to BTE Renewables for their support of this important programme,  as well as to the National Lotteries Commission for their support in the past.

For more information on the Veld School and The Shed Learning Centre, and how you could benefit from this resource, click here.