Children from four isolated farm schools in the Karkloof experienced a day of fun, in the hot February sun, with the Wildlands Conservation Trust and the Karkloof Conservation Centre last week.
A hundred children from Grade 4-7 from Triandra, Gartmore, Hawkstone and Yarrow Primary Schools participated in the ‘3 Cranes Big Day Out’, which involved a morning of activities aimed at inspiring the children to connect with and care for the nature of the Karkloof, and a 2km run based out of Bushwillow Farm. The teachers were also kept busy with an ‘On the Money’ course presented by Old Mutual.
The 3 Cranes Big Day Out was held off the back of the Bonitas Sunday Tribune 3 Cranes Challenge (part of the Bonitas Wild Series), a 3 day trail run held to raise funds for conservation initiatives in the area. With sponsorship from Bonitas, Old Mutual, N3TC and Sunday Tribune, Wildlands has been able to introduce this concept across the Wild Series, starting with the 3 Cranes event. The 3 Cranes ‘mini-challenge’ run saw the top three boys and girls each winning a bicycle sponsored by Coca Cola.
Together with the ‘Big Day Out’, Wildlands aims to support local partners in building on existing conservation projects at schools in the regions: “We’re hoping to have a lasting impact in the communities that are home to our events, by partnering with local NGO’s”, said Strategic Manager for Green Leadership at Wildlands, Simone Dale. “For 3 Cranes we’ve worked with the Karkloof Conservation Centre, who recently started a vegetable garden project in four farm schools in the area.”
Their gardens have been assessed and horticulturalist, Paul Duncan (from Dovehouse Organics), will be facilitating a workshop in the near future to help the schools get the most out of their vegetable gardens. Each school was also given a spade, fork, rake, watering can, hand tools and seeds.
“We have also identified some of the young leaders in each school and these learners will be given an opportunity to present a poster to earn entry into an annual symposium aimed at building their leadership skills and understanding local and global environmental issues”, said Dale.
Funds raised from the main event will be going towards the consolidation of the greater Karkloof Conservation Area, securing a future for the vital wetland and forest ecosystems in the area and the species they are home to.
“We could not have done it without all our sponsors and partners from the Midlands, including Karkloof Canopy Tours, TWK, Hopewell Supplies, The KZN Crane Foundation, The Endangered Wildlife Trust and Scouts South Africa.”
Caption:
– Learners from Triandra, Gartmore, Hawkstone and Yarrow Primary Schools in the Karkloof are poised and ready to tackle the 2km ‘mini-challenge’ as part of Wildlands 3 Cranes Big Day Out held last week at Bushwillow Farm in the Midlands . The top three girls and boys each won a bicycle sponsored by Coca Cola.
WILDTRUST (registered as the Wildlands Conservation Trust - IT No: 4329/1991/PMB)