Nature comes alive for farm kids on Haarwegskloof
The Overberg Renosterveld Trust continued to bring the wonder of the natural world to life for farm children from surrounding schools.
Our Environmental Education programme, called the Veld School, offers hands-on learning experiences that connect children to the land. It’s held on our Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve.
During 2024, 190 learners from eight schools explored the concept of “living soils”, investigating the difference between dry, lifeless ground and compost-rich, life-filled earth. These experiments were paired with lessons on photosynthesis, reinforcing the value of healthy, plant-covered landscapes and the critical role renosterveld plays in our ecosystems.
Each participating school received a renosterveld field guide, while learners were given smaller booklets on topics like spiders and insects to help build up their school libraries – and their curiosity.
It’s vet pret!
“We see how these children come alive in nature. They are so curious, and they ask clever questions. They’re farm kids – they know the land, and they love to talk about what they see. It’s vet pret! (huge fun),” says Gretha Engelbrecht, the Veld School’s primary teacher.
The day out isn’t just about learning – it’s also a treat. On arrival, the children are given sandwiches and milk, and before heading home, they enjoy a hot dog and apple. In the colder months, blankets are provided in The Shed where they warm up and continue to play. Many of the children come from homes facing financial hardship, in underserved communities. The trip to the Overberg’s renosterveld therefore offers multiple opportunities.
Teachers have been enthusiastic about the opportunity to bring their learners to the farm: noting how valuable it is to have engaging, outdoor learning experiences outside the classroom.
The Trust looks forward to growing the programme and welcoming even more young learners into the Veld School – where renosterveld becomes the ultimate classroom.
An invisible crisis in renosterveld
The tiny relationships holding everything together. Together with fire, these animals drove the structure of the renosterveld ecosystem and the constantly changing ratios of shrubs to grasses.
Tracking young Black Harriers reveals a harsh reality
Every young Black Harrier that leaves the nest faces an uncertain future. For this endangered raptor, the first year of life is the most dangerous – a time when hunger, predators and wildfire can all prove fatal.
Quartz islands in renosterveld: Small, specialised – and under threat
When walking through renosterveld, your eye may suddenly catch bright white patches shimmering among the green-grey vegetation. These patches look like small islands surrounded by typical renosterveld vegetation – and that is exactly why they are called quartz islands.
