It’s officially available to view! The Edu-bite clip produced by Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve in partnership with Iziko Museums of South Africa on the use of scanning electron microscope (SEM) technology by researchers at the Iziko South African Museum.

The 10-minute Edu-bite will take you on a journey behind the scenes in the Iziko South African museum and give insight into their research, why it is important, and the fascinating world of microscopes. 

This Edubite is a Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve Youth Board Project spearheaded by D Jørgensen.

To find out more about what he does, visit zadea.co.za

Instagram handle: Sarahanddean

Other links of interest

Iziko museums new website

Iziko Museums Twitter

Much of the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve (CWBR) environmental outings take place at the source of a river and in the mountains, in and around the Cape Winelands. Through collaboration and meaningful partnerships, groups are also taken to the ocean for rocky and sandy shore environmental education.

Dr Melissa Boonzaaier-Davids, the newest CWBR board member, has received a National Geographic Society Early Career Grant to perform research on the marine invertebrate communities of the rocky shores of South Africa’s understudied coastal regions.

As part of this research project, the CWBR team will facilitate Marine Science Engagement outings at some of the rocky shore sampling sites, in particular where the hand collections will take place. Because of its accessibility, visiting groups can see the marine biology team collecting specimens and in doing so, may also learn about different sampling methods in the field. In addition, visits to the Iziko South African Museum (who are also a partner in the project) will be facilitated for the groups. The youth will learn about the research done at Iziko Museums, have a guided tour of the museum and explore the exhibitions. 

The first marine outing took place on Friday last week, alongside Melissa and her team who were completing their first week of sampling in Gordons Bay. The Helderberg Eco Rangers Club, based in Helderberg, joined for the morning to explore the rocky shores, learning hands-on about the biodiversity and life that resides there. A local marine scientist joined the CWBR team and facilitated the educational component.

Introduction to the research and teams

Gordons Bay Rocky Shores

The group was briefly introduced to the research project led by Melissa, where she explained who her team is made up of and the marine sciences work done at the museum. The group was treated to a preview of an Edubite on the use of Scanning Electron Microscopy in natural history collections within Iziko Museums.

The children and CWBR facilitators were excited to see the marine life exceptionally up-close, using a handheld digital microscope with a 1000x magnification. The latest addition to our mobile educational unit STEAM-Y.  The microscope can be connected to cellphones, iPads, computers, and used to take videos or photos while on hikes.

Digital microscope

Underside of dwarf starfish

Dwarf Cushion Starfish

Exploring Rocky Shores

To find out more about the NatGeo Grant, read UWC Alumna Receives National Geographic Society Grant To Study Marine Life Of South Africa’s Coastline

And stay posted for an article by Melissa sharing about the research!

Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve (CWBR) is the source of seven major rivers, and of course many, many more, that flow through nature reserves, along or below highways, though cities, agricultural land, communities - from a source out to sea.

Rivers are the lifeblood of countries, play an irreplaceable role for biodiversity, and provide keystone ecosystem services for towns, agriculture, and industry. Rivers are also a place of heritage, a place for adventure, and a retreat for the avid bird or dragonfly watcher, among other things.

In celebrating World Water month and creating awareness of the importance of water – fresh in a river or salty as the ocean, we would like to share some of our projects and a network that Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve is part of and learning from.

A Global Network

In 2021, Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve became a member of the World Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves, in recognition of our development projects and involvement in research. Though the CWBR is an inland biosphere reserve, the area is known for being a source of seven rivers. An integral part of the CWBR development programme is to share knowledge about the importance of biodiversity and river health from source to sea.

Through building meaningful relationships and collaboration, the CWBR team has also facilitated excursions for youth to pristine rocky shores and sandy beaches such as De Hoop Nature Reserve, our neighbouring biosphere Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, and assisted a Community Upliftment Project in Stormsriver, Tsitsikamma.   

Outing in Berg Catchment

McGregor youth visit De Hoop

Napier youth visit De Hoop

Collaboration with Kogelberg BR

The CWBR team has contributed to two newsletters, introducing our biosphere reserve to the network, sharing our 2018 Guinness World Record painting La Source, and our new mobile educational space STEAM-Y.

Available to read here: 19th WNICBR Newsletter, 20th WNICBR Newsletter

La Source: Depicting the Berg River from source to sea - Recognized by Guinness World Book of Records in 2018 as the World’s largest painting done by a single artist, measuring 35.148 Sq meters ( 1.8 meters tall by 19.5 meters long). First unveiled in September 2018, at Haut Espoir in South Africa.

UNESCO Be Resilient Project

Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve is part of a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme initiative: the Be Resilient Project (link). Biosphere Reserves are used as Observatories for Climate Change mitigation and adaption in South Africa. The CWBR team are bringing the Citizen Science component to the project in 2022, so watch this space!

Wetlands

Most rivers meander from source to sea, and are filtered by wetlands on the way, before flowing into the sea.  

In October 2020, the CWBR team joined representatives of the Western Cape Government’s Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning (DEA&DP) who set out to explore what value Papenkuils Wetland provides to the Breede Valley Catchment. The findings have now been published online. Check out the Papenkuils Story Map for interactive videos, maps, beautiful photographs of the fauna and flora discovered, and the CWBR drone footage that contributed to the research.

Catchment Area Restoration

In 2019, the CWBR was nominated by the African Climate and Development Initiative, to be a site of research. The CWBR team worked closely with the SEBEI (Socio-Economic Benefits of Ecological Infrastructure) post-doctorate team and assisted with the use of drone technology to contribute to the research undertaken in the Berg Catchment Area – the core of Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve. 

Article. The Conversation: Clearing alien trees can help reduce climate change impact on Cape Town’s water supply. Published: March 14, 2022

Delving more into the research done - ScienceDirect: Mapping invasive alien trees in water towers: A combined approach using satellite data fusion, drone technology and expert engagement By Petra B. Holden , Alanna J. Rebelo, Mark G. New.

Moses Africa Kids Empowerment Youth Programme (MAKE)

In the early days of the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve, the CWBR team assisted the implementation of an afterschool Canoe Club for the Paarl community. Travelling from source to sea, the youth part-take regularly in local and regional competitions. The initiative still going strong in Paarl, now run by one of the first youth participants.

When near a river or by the sea, why not dip your toes in the water and reflect on the importance water has for our biodiversity, livelihood, and life. 2012 article in archives: CWBR supports the Paarl Canoe Development Team

The Berg River - Berg Catchment Area

Hands-on learning

Mobile Education

Exploring

Biodiversity

In January 2022, the CWBR management team partnered with the new and growing Youth Programme at Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, based in Kleinmond, to introduce the mobile classroom STEAM-Y (Science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) and its different hands-on activities. The outing was hosted by SANBI at Harold Porter Botanical Garden. The event was facilitated by all three parties sharing knowledge and engaging the group in meaningful discussion about their immediate surroundings and biodiversity.

What does one need when going on a hike in a Nature Reserve? This was a question posed to the group before embarking on the morning of exploration through the various biomes represented in the garden. A hat and sunglasses to protect the eyes and face, insect repellent to keep the pesky bugs away, a bottle of water to quench thirst, a sandwich and fruit for lunch, and sunscreen lotion of course!

With this in mind, the group ventured out into the garden and were led by the SANBI Senior Environmental Officer, along with CWBR and Kogelberg facilitators. The group explored the space with the binoculars and magnifying glasses given to them after an introductory session at the Mobile Classroom STEAM-Y. The necessities for a comfortable hike became the symbolic activity of sharing hands-on and explaining how trees, succulents, and other plants have different features that perform the same purpose.  

The CWBR volunteers from Luxembourg (Athénée Action Humanitaire) spent the day with the group and shared the fascination of the plant, insect, and birdlife at the garden.

Learn togetehr

Magnification

Igniting curiosity

Taking it all in

The CWBR is also assisting a Community Upliftment Project in Stormsriver Village, Tsitsikamma, which started in early 2019. The Project is run by a local lady, born and raised in Tsitsikamma, who has seen the changes in her Village as time has gone by and especially since Covid-19. 

Noticing the lack of curiosity in the children, she had an urge to make a difference that effects their every-day activities. With no resources she looked around and thought about what she could do, then realized what she had to offer – her passion for the environment. She started by inviting children from the village for a nature walk every Saturday morning. The walks, taking place on a regular basis, encouraged dedicated attendance of the children who started asking more and more questions. Curiosity and excitement for their immediate surroundings was ignited, while finding more opportunities to explore in and around the surrounding areas of the village.

In December 2021, the CWBR team travelled up to the Garden Route to meet with members of the new Garden Route Biosphere Reserve board to connect and share the fantastic educational initiative happening in Storms River. The board members expressed full support for the initiative and of the existing collaboration between her and the CWBR team. As part of the December trip, an outing for the children to Tsitsikamma National Park was arranged, in collaboration with SANParks.

An educational trailer was sponsored for the project through CWBR partners Athénée Action Humanitaire, to expand on the existing nature walks and create a pop-up learning environment for the children to read, do hands-on activities, and art. A celebratory event to launch the trailer is planned for 2022 in collaboration with Garden Route Biosphere Reserve, SANParks, and partners.

Her long-term vision is to acquire a Resource Centre, where children and youth can take part in educational activities and expand their minds through reading and hands-on activities, complimented by the regular weekly nature walks.

Her Community Upliftment Project has been established one day a week with a volunteer facilitation team of five. Twenty-five children attend regularly on weekends.

She has 15 years of tourism industry experience, local and abroad, and has sat on the board of the Tsitsikamma Tourism Association. The CWBR team are honored to know her for ten years and reconnected through the CWBR facilitated FGASA Culture Guide & Life Skills course which she completed in May 2021.  

The CWBR team are excited for the collaborations in youth initiatives between Biosphere Reserves and the new developments which are taking place in 2022! 

This month, the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve (CWBR) facilitators teamed up with the Mbeko Eco-Club, whose focus is outdoor environmental education with particular emphasis on evaluation of river health, the water cycle, and wastewater management. The NPO, founded in 2019, align their activities with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, with particular focus on goals 4, 6, 12, 13, and 17.

Twelve participants from the club and their facilitator, joined CWBR facilitators and overseas volunteers to venture into the back of the Berg Catchment area where they explored and saw first-hand the source of the Berg River.  A river which is a focal point of their environmental learning in Mbekweni and Paarl.

Before setting off for the hike, through a group activity led by the volunteers, the participants learned about maps, coordinates, and how to use a compass to navigate oneself in an area. After a competition to identify their whereabouts on the map using coordinates, the first winning team led the way into the catchment area. With binoculars and phones in hand to become Citizen Scientists. The group explored near and far while also taking photos of reptiles, insects, and plants that they found interesting. They even managed to capture a dragonfly on image!

Map activity

Edu Material

Using Coorinates

Stopping by the dam, the group discussed the vegetation in the area. The invasive species, the role of alien clearing, and the importance of sustaining Biodiversity. How a balanced and clean eco-system at the source, effects the river health downstream, and later the health of the ocean.

Further along the trail, the group identified varieties of Ericas, Aloes, and Restios and had a brief introduction to botany – touching on how plants are told apart and learned about fynbos. Thoughout the hike, there was a buzz of cross-cultural conversation sharing languages, taste in music, and experiences visiting and living in South Africa.  

Conversation

Sharing of knowledge

Using learned skills

Upon arrival at the CWBR Hub, the group found some shade, had lunch, and went onto learning about the Sustainable Development Goals when playing an interactive game that fostered discussion of what they understood about each goal and how it affected them as individuals.

Keep an eye on the CWBR iNaturalist page to see what the group discovered!

Do you know all the weird and wonderful creatures and plants that surround us every day but go unnoticed?

You’re about to find out! Become a Citizen Scientist in the Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve (CWBR) with no more than your curiosity and a cell phone. Contribute to important research and build your own online collection of what you find by identifying the plants and animals living in the rich landscape that surrounds you.

It can all done though the iNaturalist or Seek mobile app. Seek is an app useful for beginners and appropriate for youth [optional to be connected to the online iNaturalist community], which identifies species without photography or a registered account. The iNaturalist app is for citizens or the avid researcher who wants to take the more scientific approach. *

The CWBR has joined the iNaturalist community to launch an active Collective Project page that collates the fauna and flora data captured by individuals registered with the iNaturalist website within the CWBR. The Collective Project page will also function as a platform for CWBR facilitated Bio-Blitzes (identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time with the help of youth, research students, or volunteers), contributing to local biodiversity data collections or research through insight of the biodiversity found in a specific area.  

Visit our iNaturalist page here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/cape-winelands-biosphere-reserve

Explore the app and register: https://www.inaturalist.org/

*Good quality photographs, correctly identified, and dated, will be used for scientific research, contributing to the ongoing global study of biodiversity which the app is utilized for.

Purple Kalkoentjie

Waxbill