From 7 to 9 July, the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve collaborated with Magpie Art Collective from Barrydale to host a 3-day upcycling workshop aimed at inspiring creativity and environmental awareness among local youth. Creativity Meets Recycling...
By Ashanti Erasmus - GCBR MAB Youth Member The One Campus, One Garden initiative is a project led by the South African Public Colleges Organisation in partnership with AgriSETA and Agric Africa Development. It focuses on establishing sustainable food gardens across...
by Leila Moosajee, GCBR Youth Coordinator Fire doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. That’s why practical, accredited training matters. On 20 and 21 April 2026, we spent two days getting our hands dirty and our minds sharp at a Basic Veld and Forest Fire Fighting...
By Simthandile Ponti, Smallholder Farmer Programme Manager Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a severe, highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed ruminants that is a persistent and severe challenge for South Africa’s livestock industry. While it does not pose a...
By: Joneill Du Plessis (GCBR MABYouth) On the weekend of 6 - 8 February 2026, the GCBR MAB Youth and Grade 12 learners from Gerrit Du Plessis Secondary School received a BrightStar Lifestyle Training with Dr Arnel Huisamen and Zenariah Poole. The training consisted of...
By Simthandile Ponti On the 18th of September 2025, GCBR’s smallholder farmer extension officer, Simthandile Ponti, hosted a Farmers Day workshop. The event brought together over 109 smallholder farmers from Swellendam, Barrydale, Slangriver, Heidelberg, Riversdale,...
On the 26th of August, GCBRs Smallholder Extension Officer, Simthandile Ponti, along with Phumudzo Mudau from South African Pork Producers Organisation (SAPPO) hosted a training programme aimed at equipping smallholder farmers with the essential knowledge and skills...
By Nelisiwe Khusi | Photos by Johnson Jackob Ndaba, Zanzibar, Tanzania My journey with the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve (GCBR) began as an intern, where I was introduced to the diverse and dynamic world of nature conservation and restoration work. Throughout my...
By Simthandile Ponti On the 27th of March 2025, Simthandile Ponti attended an Information Day hosted by Land Bank in partnership with the Department of Agriculture Rural Development and Land Reform. The workshop was held in Langkloof, a few kilometres outside...
By Nelisiwe Khusi At the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve (GCBR), we believe in growing our young professionals not just through fieldwork, but by empowering them to lead. That’s why Programme Manager, Rita Liebenberg, and Field Manager & Programme Assistant,...