Outreach Greening Programme

The outreach greening programme works with self-motivated schools and community organisations to establish indigenous water-wise gardens. The three-year programme aims to provide learners, educators and community members with the knowledge and practical skills required to plan, establish, maintain and extend their gardens. It also encourages environmental responsibility and economic empowerment.

The objectives of the programme

•   Establish indigenous water-wise school and community gardens.

•   Encourage ecological awareness and environmental responsibility.

•   Develop gardening skills to enable economic empowerment and local environmental action.

•   Promote the educational value of indigenous plants and gardens.

•   Develop partnerships between communities and organisations.

 

How the school indigenous greening programme works

• SANBI and the participating schools work together for a minimum of three years to develop an indigenous school garden.
• Through a series of workshops participants learn about various aspects of garden development: site assessment, garden design, planting, maintenance and plant propagation.
• In addition to horticultural training, SANBI education officers work with educators in developing the garden as an extension of the classroom for formal environmental education.
• Unemployed community members have the opportunity to learn gardening skills and may be employed on a casual basis to maintain school grounds.
•   Further use of the school grounds as a gardening resource for the production of food crops by the community is encouraged.

Some selection criteria to identify schools to participate

•  Involvement in environmental education projects.

•  Existing environmental club at school.

•  Supporting principal and dedicated educators/individuals to drive the project.

•  Support from the rest of the staff and community.

•  Available site and a clear vision for the project.

Contact person:

Benjamin Festus (Outreach greening co-ordinator)

Tel. 021 – 799 8740/8670

Fax: 021 – 799 1919

Email: festus@sanbi.org