By Nelisiwe Khusi
This past month, our restoration team invited two MAB Youth members, Noluthando Zikishe and Jasmine Moses, to join us in the field for a follow-up plant biodiversity assessment along the Vals River. The two MAB Youth members were identified by our MAB Youth coordinator, Leila Moosajee, based on their interest and passion for conservation work.
The site we visited was initally assessed last year before the invasive alien plant clearing commenced. Now, roughly six months later, we returned to assess how the landscape has changed. This gave the youth a chance to get involved in real fieldwork, from soil sampling and plant identification to tracking changes in vegetation.
Noluthando, previously worked with the Working on Fire Expanded Public Works Programme, enjoyed being back in the field. She mentioned how exciting it was to apply what she had learnt before, especially when it came to identifying different invasive and indigenous plants. It was great to see her confidence grow as she realised just how much she already knows, particularly when it comes to rehabilitating degraded areas.
After the plant biodiversity work, she also joined us for river monitoring. Noluthando has been helping us with environmental education and miniSASS with learners at different schools. Being part of the full monitoring process gave her a clearer picture of how everything connects, from catchment conservation to the tools we use with communities and schools.
Our intern, Purnille, took the time to guide Noluthando and share the citizen science tools we use, such as the clarity tube, velocity plank, and miniSASS. He also explained the benefits of conducting full SASS 5. These moments of peer-to-peer learning really show the value of creating spaces where young people can grow. It also highlighted how much potential lies in supporting young people through hands-on experience. We visited different rivers to compare how various land-use activities are affecting them and to show Noluthando how our work fits into the bigger picture.
We’re also excited to share that we’ve officially received our fish monitoring permit from CapeNature. This means we can now conduct fish monitoring independently. A big thank you to the Grootvadersbosch Conservancy for supporting us in getting to this point. During this visit, Noluthando got to observe how fish monitoring is done and learnt about the indigenous fish species we have in our region, and is excited to join us again when we resume monitoring in September and October.
Why should you join the GCBR MAB-Youth?
Joining the GCBR MAB Youth platform offers tailored support and training that helps young people develop real-world environmental skills and confidence. From workshops and field visits to mentorship, MAB Youth members are exposed to a wide range of learning opportunities. This programme helps youth gain valuable work experience, connect with professionals in the field, and build skills that are relevant for future careers in conservation, sustainability, and environmental education. To learn more about the GCBR MAB-Youth and how to join, kindly click on the following link.