On my third day of volunteering in the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve, I joined an early morning hike through the fynbos vegetation, endemic to South Africa. Surrounded by thick mist, the path was barely visible, the air heavy with quiet, the sky and earth blurred into one. Immersed in this unfamiliar landscape, it felt as if I had stepped onto a different planet. I couldn’t see far ahead, only where to place my next step. At the time, I didn’t realise that this hike would become the perfect metaphor for my volunteering journey I was about to begin.

That fog mirrored the uncertainty I felt upon arriving as a volunteer - unsure of how I could contribute with my background in psychology rather than ecology, and unsure where I would find my place in it all.

As I kept walking, the trail led uphill at first. Learning to follow conversations in languages I didn’t speak fluently, attempting tasks I’d never done before, growing more sensitive to different perspectives. Volunteering in a Biosphere Reserve, my tasks were as diverse as the landscape: assisting with environmental education, supporting communication efforts, helping coordinate field trips, engaging with local communities in various ways. But beyond completing tasks, it was a matter of being present - to observe, to listen and to remain curious.

Eventually, the fog began to lift, and my steps grew more confident. The path opened up, as I learned how conservation work isn’t solely about nature, but most importantly it’s about people. About collaborative efforts across cultures and generations, rooted in mutual respect and shared purpose.

Somewhere along that trail, just after we turned back, I was rewarded with seeing a single King Protea, South Africa’s national flower, with its pink colour glowing majestically against the green vegetation. It turned out to be the only one I’d see in the wild throughout my entire stay. In hindsight, that moment has become symbolic for the many small, unexpected encounters and meaningful relationships that quietly shaped this volunteering experience into a deeply personal journey.

An international student reflects on her experience after having the opportunity to visit one of the Young Mother Support initiatives in Villiersdorp, the Blossom Café. Co-created and supported by Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve.

This afternoon, we met a larger group of young girls at the “Blossom Café.” The girls meet every two weeks. The local Flourish host is one of the people responsible for organizing it.

We all sat in a circle, and we started right away with a dance, which helped lighten the mood, especially because some of the girls were shy. After that, we prayed and introduced ourselves. Even if you don’t believe in God, it was a few moments of reflection where you could look within yourself.

I personally felt like part of the group because it was also new for the girls (it had only recently started), and we were given the same task to complete together. We had to write down on a piece of paper what makes us sad or afraid. Even though it was anonymous, I found it hard to write something down. I wasn’t sure if I should open up that much.

I wrote: losing someone I love, Violence, Not being honest, Unfairness.

Looking back, I think I should have written more and allowed myself to be more open. The girls around me didn’t hesitate and wrote a lot. That surprised me because, as a young child, you usually have fewer fears, don’t you? But, of course, this is extremely personal and individual.

Once we were done, we all put our papers in a box, and each person had to take a random one and read it loud anonymously. Almost every girl had written about bullying at school. That made me really sad because it reminded me that I was also excluded at times in elementary school. I’m so grateful that this is no longer the case for me in high school, and I hope the girls will be able to rise above it and build real friendships. It’s heartbreaking how mean children can be and how much they can hurt others…

Some girls wrote that they were afraid of getting pregnant. As an 11-year-old, I never had the fear of getting pregnant or being raped, and that makes me so sad. But the facilitator said she would be there for the girls and support them, which made me really happy.

Two girls have also lost their parents, which reminded me of a question a girl from the Earthlings (Eco-Educational club, Stormsriver, Tsitsikamma) asked me: Do you have a mom and dad? At that moment, I just wanted to hug my parents.

At the end, we had a discussion where we talked about the importance of supporting one another. My classmate summed it up perfectly by saying how important it is for women to use their voices. It felt so good to talk about female empowerment together. I felt personnaly really empowered. The feeling was incredible, I had goosebumps.

(Now that I’m going over this again, International Women’s Day was on March 8th, and this day is just so important! Women can achieve anything they want, and it’s about supporting young women and encouraging them, including myself, because I sometimes have doubts too.)

Further reading and background of the reflection…

In February, the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve team had the pleasure of hosting the yearly cross-cultural trip with the Athénée school Edulink class from Luxembourg. The students and teachers’ part-took in various projects and educational activities, learning alongside local youth, having cross-cultural engagements over the course of two weeks.

Athénée Action Humanitaire, the school NGO, have supported Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve eco-educational and socio-economic projects since 2016, reaching over 26 000 people.

Photo features the first Blossom Cafe outing that took place last year. The girls, accompanied by facilitators, visited Two Oceans Aquarium.

The Blossom café workshops, for girls aged 12 – 16, are co-facilitated bi-weekly with the Flourish host, alongside two additional facilitators. The aim is for the vulneable girls in the community to gain access to available resources, build a strong support system in the community, foster healthy friendships, and recieve nutrition education.

Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve also supports the Flourish host in her mission to reach and educate at-risk young pregnant mothers, unemployed, or suffering from substance abuse. Flourish is a national Grow Great initiative offering 10-week classes in post and antenatal classes, focusing on the first 1000 days of a baby’s life. They baby and the mother’s health and wellbeing.

As part of their protected landscapes and community sustainable course, 13 students alongside two professors from Paul Smiths College, New York, based in the Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Network (CABN), visited South Africa for a 10-day biosphere to biosphere learning exchange to develop a comparative analysis of sustainable development strategies and actions in both countries.

To further understand the sustainable community perspective in South Africa, the students also examined cultural and socioeconomic dynamics, challenges, and opportunities in the region.

While at Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve, the group were introduced to the Young Mother Support Programme in Villiersdorp. They also met with a local community entrepreneur, who is spearheading the Micro-business Bee Keeping project. A new initiative based at the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve Hub.

Delving in…

The Young Mother Support Programme is a Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve initiative that further capacitates an already established programme in Villiersdorp, facilitated by a community member trained as a *Flourish host.

The programme supports pregnant women, as well as their children after they give birth, in addition to young pregnant girls and girl at risk. Classes are held in the township, and online, for the mothers living in nearby towns with limited travel, or in farm communities in the area. It is a safe space for young women to learn valuable life skills, and to provide them with other needed resources, such as trauma counselling and community support. To the visiting Paul Smith College students, talking to the women in the community and hearing the positive impact this program has was incredible inspiring to them. It also gave the group insight to the cultural dynamics in different communities. The group were treated to freshly made roosterkoek, jam, and cheese, a traditional South African meal.

The group and mothers

Sharing roesterkoek

Engaging in the Entrepreneur Microbusiness Bee Project back at the CWBR Hub, was a highlight for the group. Economically, the project offers business training and bee-keeping practices to 20 local women to start their own business in a sustainable fashion. The project aims to drive economic growth in the local community while supporting sustainable practices. Socially, women from different regions and different ethnicities can connect, fostering positive relationships and communication within the community. Keeping bees has a positive ecological impact in pollination, as well as practicing self-sustainable actions by producing honey. A student reflects, “Personally, I enjoyed this activity, as the class was able to work with important species in the environment”.

Bees building a comb

Investigating a hive

After three days with the CWBR, the group then headed onto Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve. Some examples at Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve (GCBR) included Gouritz Resilient Rivers Project, and the Inheems Art initiative that spearhead the sustainable efforts to foster human and nature connection.

A student reflects “So far, this trip has enlightened me with projects and actions being taken in biosphere reserves across the globe. This enables me to create a comparative analysis between CWBR, GCBR, and CABN, as well as bring back ideas to share with the board on how we can connect with our community. The mountainous landscape and vast among of biodiversity have made this trip incredible!”

Learn more, check out Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve here and Champlain Adirondack Biosphere Reserve here

Paul Smith’s College students and professors with CWBR facilitator

The core of Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve (CWBR), the Boland Mountain range, hosts the most incredible biodiversity in the world. The Fynbos biome, forming part of the Cape Floristic Region. In addition, the Berg Catchment is the source of fundamental rivers, that course through towns, cities, and three other Western Cape biosphere reserves, eventually flowing out into the Indian and Atlantic Ocean.

As part of facilitated eco-educational outings in the region, the CWBR incorporates source to sea education. The CWBR team, in collaboration with partners, regularly facilitate excursions for youth from underrepresented vulnerable inland communities, bringing them to the sea. Exposing them to the immense biodiversity along the shore, fostering the link between inland rivers and ocean health.

This includes a yearly camp in partnership with a marine nature reserve, a lowland fynbos area that hosts a marine protected area. The field guides, some initially trained through the field guide training offered through the CWBR, give back during the eco-educational outings through sharing marine, flora, and fauna education of the area. Some of the field guides, having grown up in inland communities, become role models for the youth in fostering curiosity for conservation and education careers.

Extract from a Noember 2024 camp

Travelling from the inland mountain community they call home, at the base of Jonkershoek along the Eerste river, 15 after-school group youth, and their teacher, were brought by the CWBR team to De Hoop Nature Reserve for a weekend camp at De Hoop Collection. A first-time experience for them all.

Arriving on a late Friday afternoon, the group set up camp for three days, tenting amongst the ancient milkwood trees under a vast stary sky. The weekend’s activities were co-facilitated by the De Hoop Collection guides and CapeNature facilitators. Activities included a guided nature drive, a marine walk along the rocky shores discovering the abundant life that lives there, and experiencing first-hand all the biodiversity the area has to offer.

Eco-educational outings are an important catalyst in fostering curiosity and learning about the interconnectedness between humans and nature, their role in preserving the natural environment.

Exploring

Marine Education

Marine Education

Safari Drive

While representing a wide range of contexts, biosphere reserves (BR’s) worldwide, share a common framework. As set out by the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme, to achieve its mission in enriching the relationship between people and their environments and contribute to the global Sustainable Development Goals. Those with shared characteristics, such as coastlines or mountains, have an opportunity for shared learning through formed BR networks.

Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve (CWBR) is honoured to have become a member of the World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves. In addition to being given the opportunity to send a representative to the 2nd WNMBR meeting that took place in September 2024, hosted in Ordino Biosphere Reserve, in Andorra.

The five-day conference hosted interactive talks and working group sessions, followed by opportunities to visit areas of Ordino Biosphere Reserve. Participants represented biosphere reserves in Asia, Europe, Lebanon, South and North America.

Our CWBR facilitator shared insight on a discussion panel exploring methods of branding within biosphere reserves, and the use of the biosphere reserve logo’s name. The support of businesses, creating awareness of biosphere reserves. The intricacies, challenges, and advantages that come with it.

A hight for the CWBR team member was the Sorteny National Park. To experience the rich culture, history, and unique biodiversity. An example that stood out was the raising of cattle in the area, a practice spanning centuries, which has been integrated into the biosphere reserves conservation management systems. In addition to an excentric biodiversity walk, led by a couple enacting characters from 1906 who were smuggling tobacco, perfume, and sugar across the Pyrenees mountains in wintertime when work was sparse. The participants were led on a smugglers route, learning as they went along, about the history and the plants in the area.

Discussion Panel

Biodiversity Walk

Presentation Tourism in BR's

Cattle ranging in Sorteny National Park

Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve is also part of the World Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves.

The core of the CWBR, the Boland Mountain range, hosts the most increadible biodiversity in the world. The Fynbos biome, forming part of the Cape Floristic Region. In addition, the Berg Catchment is the source of seven rivers, that courses through towns, cities, and three other Western Cape biosphere reserves, eventually flowing out into the Indian and Atlantic Ocean. 

To learn more about Ordino Biosphere Reserve visit: https://biosferaordino.ad/recursos

To find out more about the networks and its members, click the logo’s below.

Today marks the international day for Climate Action. A reminder of the importance of preserving biodiversity, reducing carbon emissions, and working towards a greener and more sustainable future for all. This years theme: Empowering Action, Securing the Future.

As part of Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserves (CWBR) educational outreach in communities, exposure to citizen science has become a regular component to the hands-on activities offered. A bottom-up approach contributing to building resilient communities, understanding climate change also means understanding weather, one’s environment, and eco-systems. This is where citizen science can play a role.

Particularly for the vulnerable poorer communities who continue to be heavily impacted by the drastic weather changes. Entire families losing their homes and being displaced by floods or fires. 

Prof Jennifer Fitchett, winner of the 2024 Communication Award under the prestigious NSTF-South32 Awards, states: “Climate change is not just an environmental issue, it’s a human rights issue,” she states. “It is the poorest communities that suffer the most, despite contributing the least to global emissions.”

Recent CWBR activities

Last week, the CWBR team co-facilitated a bioblitz with a CREW facilitator from SANBI for the Bridge House Eco-Club and Groendal Secondary School Science Club youth. It was the first documentation of the biodiversity, on iNaturalist, present in that particular spot. The students learned how to use the iNaturalist app and the value of citizen science as well as becoming citizen scientists.

Using iNaturalist app

The BioBlitz Team

Exploring the area

In September, for World Clean-up Day, the CWBR team joined the Strand Looper team, a local community-led NPO, who arranged a river clean up along the Berg River. The 30 participants not only helped clean up but also learned about the interconnectedness of water systems and human impact. Hands-on activities were facilitated at the CWBR mobile educational classroom, including a MiniSASS (Stream Assessment Scoring System) and water-chemical analysis, deepening their understanding of precious water resources. Various partners contributed to the day, and responsible collection of the waste gathered.

Using binoculars

The river clean-up team

Collecting litter

Empowering individuals to give back through learned skills and knowledge

Several of the community Citizen Scientists, trained as part of the UNESCO Be Resilient project, regularly co-facilitate alongside the CWBR team at community engagements. They share how to conduct the various river monitoring methods and what they learned in becoming Citizen Scientists.

To learn more about the project and other mitigation adaptions toward tackling climate change, check out the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve activities as part of UNESCO Be Resilient  

Sharing knowledge learned

Explaining SASS5

Water Chemical Analysis

A recent outing in collaboration with a CapeNature Engagement Officer at Assegaaibosch Conservation area, Jonkershoek. Co-facilitated, sharing citizen science with Care Career Connection, an organization who offer skills development to the mentally and physically impaired.