Amazing Grootbos Foundation Open Day

“The Open Day was primarily to give the visitors an opportunity to see the foundation's programmes and the work that we do,” said Penelope Goemans, Communications Officer: Grootbos Foundation. She and Phil Murray met the visitors at the Grootbos Foundation Office (Glass House) and guided them through the Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery and let them meet the Conservation Researchers Team, as well as the Green Futures College Team. After having refreshments, the group left for the Spaces4Sports facility and the Masakhane Homework Hub - the tour was quite a mouthful and full of surprises. The visitors received appreciated gifts: a goody bag, a plant and the book, ‘Field Guide to the Flora of Grootbos Nature Reserve and the Walker Bay region’, written by Sean Privette and Heiner Lutzeyer.

The highlight of the tour was the visit to the Florilegium (Hannarie Wenhold Botanical Art Gallery). The Florilegium is a unique collection of botanical illustrations by a collaboration of local and international artists. The collection depicts the rare, endangered, and charismatic plants found on Grootbos Private Nature Reserve and surrounding regions. What makes the artworks even more distinctive is the inclusion of insects, pollinators and other creatures associated with the respective plants. The collection pays homage to the environment’s greater ecology, as art becomes an expression of the deep commitment to research and conservation of Grootbos. The Florilegium and its use of botanical art to activate conservation is the cherry on top of the Foundation’s cultural programme. All profits from the sale of Florilegium prints, books and tours will go towards Grootbos Foundation to be split equally between our Conservation and Cultural programmes - the visit to the Gallery was a visit not to be forgotten! 

The following information was shared with the visitors:

Grootbos Foundation is a non-profit organisation committed to the conservation of the Cape Floral Kingdom and the upliftment of the communities therein. Grootbos Foundation programmes fall under four umbrella programmes; Sports Development, Conservation Research, Green Futures Education and Enterprise Development. Through our programmes, we aim to uplift whole communities from children to teenagers to adults. The Sports Development Programme delivers sports training that uplifts communities and supports youth development. The programme uses the fun of sport as a tool to teach vital life skills and targeted curricula on HIV education, female empowerment, environmental education, proper nutrition, enterprise development, mental wellness, gender-based violence and ocean conservation. The Conservation Research unit is tasked with researching the biodiversity of Grootbos Private Nature Reserve and safeguards over 22 200 ha of land and ecology through the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy. Green Futures Education focuses on adult skills training and 22 young people can achieve accredited skills training certification every year through the Green Futures College. Our Enterprise Development programme focuses on employment in the Overberg, specifically through career planning sessions offered to high school students, employability skills for school leavers and entrepreneurship mentorship to small business owners. 

(Thanks to Penelope and Phil for an outstanding tour - keep on with the good work!)

Hardus Botha