Cape Town - CapeNature, together with the provincial government, launched its first conservation club for children – the CapeNature Cubs Club – at Woodlands Primary School in Heideveld where learners could further their environmental education.
Eco-Tourism and Access executive director Sheraaz Ismail said the Cubs Club was a digital platform for children between the ages of 4 and 13 where they could learn more about nature and how to protect it by taking part in conservation activities and reading about the environment that surrounded them.
“Children are encouraged to participate in these action projects and to send pictures of their participation to CapeNature, who will allocate points for each green action which would gain them points that win prizes,” CapeNature Learning and Awareness team leader Natanya Dreyer said.
CapeNature invited children across the province to join the club ahead of International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22 over the weekend.
“Our mission is to conserve, protect and restore our natural environment by inspiring and influencing positive change. This mission is extended to young and inquiring minds to inspire them to become more environmentally conscious.
“This is not just a club for the sake of having a club, but to actually bring about change in habits at home, in nature, out of nature and how to respect nature,” Ismail said.
He said the Woodlands Primary School’s environmental club was the first learners to sign up and become members of the Cubs Club.
Dreyer added that CapeNature had strong connections with Woodlands Primary School and on Tuesday they gathered with its environmental club to build a bug hotel in their garden.
Teacher and co-ordinator of the environmental committee Shamiela Isaacs said: “This is a wonderful initiative and we are grateful for the opportunity for our learners to be involved. We like to encourage our learners with recycling and other ways of looking after the earth because they are the future that it depends on.”
Dreyer said one of the most important goals of this club was to affect positive behavioural change in children by participating in various projects and furthering their knowledge.
“Cubs Club members are afforded the opportunity to learn more about the environment and environmental issues and are provided an incentive to participate in action projects through the club’s quarterly competitions.
“We hope that these projects will act as a catalyst for positive actions that will inspire young people to become ambassadors for nature in future,” CapeNature chief executive officer Razeena Omar said.