The Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve management team advocates linking nature, education, and life skills in order to inform and inspire people to live in Harmony with Nature. The CWBR supports eco-educational overnight outings through ongoing collaboration and partnerships.

The CWBR joined De Hoop again this year in assisting them with their Social Outreach Programme, to expose children who have never been to a pristine environment, in particular, the wild Rocky Shores and open plains with roaming wildlife at De Hoop Nature Reserve. 14 children and 2 teachers from the local community took part in the weekend filled with adventurous activities.

The mobile educational unit STEAM-Y came along and was the backdrop for a screening of the day’s events (as captured by the children with a camera) in the evening.

Check out the video to see the activities of the weekend!

To celebrate Heritage Day this year, CWBR facilitated the first hike to launch the Franschhoek Youth Hiking Club (called The Real Club). They were joined by five ladies from the Fitness Club in Groendal and a number of young people from different areas of Franschhoek.

Climbing the Uitkyk trail, the group explored the fauna and flora along the way. They stopped to enjoy spring water, and asked questions about the flowers and the biodiversity of the mountain. The trail overlooks the Wemmershoek, Theewaters and Berg dams and the area known as the Overberg. At Breakfast Rock, the hikers took in the breath-taking views of Franschhoek and the surrounding towns, and were even able to spot where they lived.

Back at the CWBR Hub, a CWBR member took the party on a tour of the Hub’s food gardens and demonstrated CWBR’s centrifugal toilet project. The group was treated to a ‘hands on’ demonstration of drone flying and how to use a drone for taking still and video photos. Finally, the group enjoyed a braai together - a common way of celebrating Heritage Day.

The Hiking Club is an initiative by one of the elders in the community. It recognises the need to provide activities for young people. In fact, this was the first time any of the youngsters, fitness ladies, and the elders had hiked in the reserve. The Club’s goal is to run on its own. Meanwhile, CWBR has provided logistical support and facilitation service to assist the group in establishing itself. 

A natural source of water

Breakfast rock at the reserve

A shared memory for the group

A lesson on food gardens

Tour of the green house

How to use a drone

In 2019, CWBR collaborated with several organizations to focus on upliftment of local young people, research projects to improve conditions for hikers with otherwise limited ability, and environmental education. 174 young people and 34 facilitators have part-taken in the environmental camps in 2019 thus far. This is a summary of those projects.

Nature Camp USIKO

CWBR hosted USIKO for their Nature Camp. The group were taken on an environmental educational hike by CWBR FGASA qualified guides. They also played team building games, went on a treasure hunt and learned how to use a compass. In the evening they built a fire and told stories, played drums and shared experiences.

On the hike along the back of Matopie the group saw a nearly full dam - a very rare experience for all at that time!

Nature and Leadership Camp USIKO

With CWBR, USIKO co-facilitated a camp for young adults at the Biosphere Hub. The focus was on team building, community engagement, and outreach. The purpose was to engage as a group and train for further community outreach in the Northern Cape.

The group arrived on Friday night, reviewed the programme ahead, braaied under the stars, and got to know the main facilitator in the CWBR team.

The second day, as part of their community outreach within the biosphere, CWBR took the group to a previously visited alien clearing site and continued to clear the area of alien vegetation. A fire safety consultant from Hemisphere, spoke about the impact of alien vegetation on the water sources in the catchment area. The alien clearing done by this group prevented the fire in April 2019 from reaching a farm below the cleared area.

Later, after lunch, the group returned to the mountains and visited the Berg River Dam.

On the last day of the camp, CWBR held a gardening workshop. The group practiced team building activities by making a compost heap. They also visited the domestic animals near the Biosphere Hub. One of the boys petted a horse for the very first time! The group found the physical activity challenging and through that learned to communicate and work better as a team.  

Community Outreach at De Hoop Collections

Four guides at De Hoop Collections, with their guide manager, put together a weekend programme for young people from Nuwerus Napier Nasorg. It was part of the launch of a community outreach programme.

Over three days, the group enjoyed nature walks, identifying animals and plants, a trip to the rocky shores, a fynbos walk, dinner by a campfire and riding a Safari Jeep. The youth documented the camp through their own eyes using cameras donated to CWBR by Athénéé Action Humanitaire’s Photography Department. The head-CWBR guide was present to give support to De Hoop for their first youth camp. Read the article ‘De Hoop Outreach Programme’ in Latest News to find out more!

Outreach Camp with Every Nation Kuils River

30 volunteers from around the Western Cape, Johannesburg, Gauteng, and 1 from as far as America spent the weekend at S.O.S Wild, Viliersdorp, to bond, do team building, and get ready for their outreach programme in the Kuils River Community. The purpose of the outreach, to assist young people in realizing their potential and a future for themselves. To use their talents to improve society and make a change within their community.

Upon arrival, everyone was introduced, and the guides explained the purpose and function of a biosphere reserve.

The group was taken on a 5 km walk through mountains, which at that time were sprouting fynbos to the fullest. The group learned about indigenous vegetation and pollination of flowers. A light shower of rain passed by, but it made the hike even more enjoyable.

In the following week, after the camp, the volunteers ran a day and evening programme which reached over 300 young people, from 13 to 18 years old. Primary school children also joined also during the day. The youth will also part-take in an ongoing Life Skills programme once a month for six months.

Sani Pass Hike

Eight individuals from the group were sponsored to take part in a ‘Sani Endurance Challenge’, wherein amputees hike the Sani Pass. This was a unique event, with the aim of making hiking available to disabled persons. It allowed them to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and pristine areas as much as anyone else, without their disability limiting their ability to hike. 

The event enabled participants to bond with their families through the course of the hike, and experience the empowerment, motivation and endurance needed to complete such a hike.

This event also served as a research platform for a medical team who gathered data on endurance problems, pains, and injuries that might occur for an amputee on such a hike.

Weekend Camp South African Educational Project (SAEP) 

Young people who have worked hard and exceeded in the SAEP Project were rewarded with a weekend at S.O.S Wild in Villiersdorp. SAEP facilitated the educational programme. Two CWBR guides and a trainee guide from Stellenbosch, part-took in the programme on Saturday morning and shared lunch with the group afterwards.

The group was split into two. The first went on a hike with one CWBR guide, who through infectious enthusiasm, shared knowledge about plants and animals. Meanwhile, the other group was guided around the campgrounds and learned about the animals and plants present from a second CWBR guide, who has extensive knowledge on medicinal plants. It was a fun-filled weekend of shared laughter, knowledge, and bonding.

Quotes given by SAEP from the participants -

Thank you SAEP and CWBR, for the weekend camp away, we had the greatest time of our lives! " A Titise"

Thank you! it was an amazing experience and an inspiring camp. "T Bless"

I have learned to appreciate nature, learned about new plants I did not know about.I have always heard of Protea but did not know what is was.  "S Vena"

I learned about different kinds of plants and animals and their background.  I also learned a lot about plants and Western Cape fauna and flora, Bevan knew exactly what he was talking about. "S Mateso"

We had the best time of our lives! We got to know each other better! It was the best camp experience we have ever had! "L Nogqala"

Nature Camp USIKO

Berg Dam

Hands-on education

Supervised alien clearing

Nature and Leadership Camp USIKO

Making compost

Supervised alien clearing

Interacting with animals

Community Outreach at De Hoop Collections

A new experience

Animal and plant identification

First-hand learning

Outreach Camp with Every Nation Kuils River

Sani Pass Hike

Participants on the hike

A great achievement

On the trail

Weekend Camp South African Educational Project (SAEP) 

Memory of hike

Interaction with animals

Team building and bonding

Identifying and naming new finds.

Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve has co-facilitated and collaborated with organizations to arrange camps for youth from many different areas and backgrounds. Below is the recollection by a CWBR guide of a memorable camp. It was the first of its kind at De Hoop Collections, as part of a local outreach programme instigated by the De Hoop Collection guides, who had themselves already taken part in FGASA and Life Skill courses.  

De Hoop Community Outreach Camp June 2019

Recognising the CWBR bus and trailer approaching, the young girl increased her pace. She was still on her way to school with her bags for the weekend camp. As we pulled the bus into Nuwerus Napier Day Care Centre, her speed increased to meet us, as did her excitement and the size of the smile on her face.

To make a weekend camp possible, CWBR provided transport and equipment to De Hoop Collections, within De Hoop Nature Reserve. The camp was for 15 young people (aged between 2 and 14) and 2 teachers from the Day Care Centre. The principle of Nuwerus Napier Day Care Centre is herself a graduate from the first CWBR FGASA & Life Skills Guiding course. Before attending the course, she worked at the Day Care Centre as an assistant, and later at De Hoop Nature Reserve as a guide. However, feeling her deep conviction to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable young people in her community was not being fulfilled, she returned home to Napier and to the Day Care Centre.

Arriving at De Hoop, we were greeted with a magnificent view of the ocean, bright pink Protea repens and a wonderful welcome from the resident guides. They were anxious to get to know their young clients and prepare for the first camp activities. Without hesitation, the young people leapt on to the game-drive Landcruiser to go to the campsite. The sun would be setting soon. There were tents to erect and meals to cook.

That evening, the Team (Centre teachers, De Hoop guides and CWBR representatives) built a big fire in the middle of the boma and laid out a long table to seat everyone. They made a potje, and with an evening of games and great laughter, the young people were introduced to De Hoop, the Team and the weekend ahead.

Next morning the group rose early brimming with excitement to explore their surrounds. First, they ate a healthy breakfast at the long table and cleaned up to leave nothing for the baboons. Whilst CWBR made and cooked burgers for lunch, the group headed off for their first adventure – a walk around the inland lagoon.

The walk gave an opportunity to watch hundreds of Dung Beetle grubs. There were sightings of giant Ostrich and many Bontebok. We watched great Pelicans and many other coastal birds diving for fish close to us in the lagoon. In the distance, clearly visible with binoculars, Flamingos displayed their pink beauty. The wonderful sights at the lagoon kept the group fascinated until it was time to head off for the rocky shore tour.

Being transported from inland adventure to seashore by game-drive vehicle - the group was thrilled! The principal guide for the seashore walk is a seasoned professional at De Hoop and has become a hero and role model for the young people of Napier. He and his colleagues explained some of the rich and diverse forms of life on the rocky shores.  They discovered many creatures of all colours and shapes previously unknown to the group. A lucky find was an Octopus! Along the walk the group collected rubbish washed up on the beach and learned what happens when we pollute.

When we reached the sandy beaches, the urge to swim overcame inhibitions and the children splashed in the shoreline of the ocean. Returning to camp, the group warmed up with cups of tea.

With energy levels revived, the group put together ingredients for that night’s meal and headed, with their guides, for the protection of the boma. As the food was cooking, the group was introduced to the night skies – an experience enhanced by the arrival of marshmallows for the fire.

Packing and a hearty breakfast feast followed an early rise and shower next morning.  The group set off for another short adventure, which enabled the remaining guides and CWBR staff to discuss our work together, share experiences and learn from each other. It was a great opportunity to show off and test individual skills and knowledge.

Saying farewell to our hosts and colleagues was hard. Nobody wanted the weekend to end. With great joy, appreciation and fond memories, we waved goodbye to De Hoop and headed back to Napier.

Back at the Centre, we said our goodbyes to the principle and her colleagues.

Many thanks indeed to all who made the weekend possible, especially the wonderful people of Nuwerus Napier Dagsorg.

Using binoculars and cameras throughout the camp to see and document the animal and plant life

The beach was a highlight for most, with discovery of new creatures, fresh saltwater and sand.

Experiencing new environments and textures.