CapeNature Support Schools and Communities With Sustainable Indigenous Gardens
CapeNature recently launched its Greening Initiatives, a new project under its Plant One Million Trees campaign. The project intends to help communities and schools become more environmentally friendly by assisting them with planning, creating, and maintaining indigenous gardens, with the emphasis on sustainable gardening practices.
This year, the initiative supported schools and communities with existing gardens by providing much needed items such as seedlings, trees, water pipes and spades. CapeNature plans to support these schools and communities in the long term until they have fully functional and sustainable gardens. Green spaces serve multiple purposes. They provide shading and recreational spaces at schools or food gardens within communities, the latter of which could be a means to generate income. The green spaces serve as an educational experience for learners teaching them about nutrition, life skills and biodiversity. Planting more indigenous trees helps the environment by attracting and providing habitat for birds, insects and other organisms.
A few of the schools that benefitted from this project in 2023 included Apex Primary School, Pella Moravian Primary School, Sunridge Primary School, Middelpos Primary School and Protea High School. Apart from trees, CapeNature also gifted these schools with some items from their garden wish list and an educational programme was presented during the handover. Some feedback from Apex Primary School included a feature on their Facebook page reading: “Our learners having a ‘treefic’ time planting trees. Thank you to CapeNature for gifting us these beautiful trees.”
According to CapeNature’s CEO, Dr Razeena Omar, “Greening initiatives such as these align with our entity’s commitment to environmental sustainability and social responsibility. We want to address urgent global challenges like food security, climate change, and biodiversity loss through these kinds of programmes. We can jointly create a better, more resilient future by encouraging our local communities to adopt sustainable lifestyles and re-engage with nature.”
The Western Cape has incredibly unique flora and a different wet season compared to the rest of South Africa. CapeNature urges residents of the Western Cape to grow indigenous plants or non-invasive fruit tree species during the winter's wetter months, and not the summer. Water is normally in plentiful supply during the rainy season, which is crucial for plant growth. Because they have a reliable source of water, newly planted seeds and seedlings have a higher chance of germination and establishment.
CapeNature provides workshops for teachers on how to deliver curriculum-aligned environmental lessons and activities. Email learning@capenature.co.za for more information.
Related News
Wildfires intensify as climate shifts, CapeNature warns in emergency podcast series
CapeNature has released a special series of its acclaimed Green Noise podcast, offering an urgent and deeply human perspective on South Africa’s recent wildfire season. The series has a particular focus on the devastating fires in the Cederberg Wilderness and changing weather patterns. The fire in the Cederberg Wilderness, which ignited on 22 December 2025 along Uitkyk Pass
Western Cape to benefit from CapeNature’s 2026 Greening Initiative
CapeNature is launching a fun and engaging greening competition for schools and communities across the Western Cape. The competition will start on 13 April 2026 to coincide with International Plant Appreciation Day and will run until 15 May 2026. The initiative aims to inspire learners and community members to actively participate in protecting the environment.
A follow up: The potential impacts of Red Swamp crayfish in Western Cape waters
Since first being found in the canal systems of lower Olifants River in 2022 by CapeNature officials, invasive Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) are being found further afield in the Western Cape at an alarming rate. This freshwater species is globally recognised as a seriously damaging invasive species.
Over 43 000 Cape Gannets on Lambert’s Bay Bird Island this breeding season
Bird Island is alive with the sounds and spectacle of seabirds, with an estimated over 43 000 Cape Gannets currently making the island their home this breeding season. The thriving colony reinforces Bird Island, Lambert’s Bay, as one of South Africa’s most important gannet breeding sites and highlights the impact of ongoing marine conservation work.
Water Week: Protecting Our Most Precious Resource
Water is fundamental to life and essential to our daily wellbeing. While this may seem widely understood, it remains important to continually remind ourselves of the value of this finite resource. Although approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, only about 2.5% of it is freshwater available to sustain ecosystems and human needs.
New SASS accreditor supports river biomonitoring in the Western Cape
CapeNature continues to strengthen its role in freshwater conservation through the expertise of its staff, with freshwater ecologist Jeanne Gouws receiving her South African Scoring System (SASS) accreditation as an accreditor. Having successfully passed every three-yearly assessment since 2007, she is now the official Western Cape SASS accreditor.