St Mary's DSG

Environmentals

Programme

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Photos

Grade 8: "Developing environmental awareness."

The Grade 8s go to Highover Wildlife Sanctuary. Click here to see photos and here to read more about what the girls have to say about their field trip...

The girls spend four days in the bush and take part in many team building group exercises. They enjoyed foofie sliding into the river, as well as a long hike alongside the river. The main focus of the week away is to have a huge amount of fun in the natural beauty of Highover.

Outcomes:

Fostering good attitudes towards the environment
Values
Enjoyment of the environment.

Grade 9: "Living in the Environment."

The Grade 9s go to Entabeni near Giant's Castle. The theme is about relating to one's environment, to oneself, to each other and to 'other' people. The programme is centred on the vital resource of water.

Each team of learners had a field officer and each investigated a different aspect of water in the local river's catchment including the impact of the local rural community on the quality of the water and their dependence on it.

The girls do an EIA on the availability, provision, quality and conservation of water with particular emphasis on the impact of damming the Insonge river on the local wetlands, the Insonge village and the Entabeni education centre. They visit a very poor rural village and interview residents and children to get an idea of what it is like to live there.

They also have fun abseiling, doing an interpretive trail and learning to trust each other during group dynamics.

Click here to see photos and here to read more about what the girls have to say about past field trips...
Outcomes:

EIA skills
Appreciation of the divide between the Rich and Poor
Understanding of the need for sustainable development
Group problem solving skills
Development of an environmental and social ethic

The grade 9 pledge:
"A Better Life for all."
After my field trip to Entabeni my personal pledge towards overcoming environmental problems and creating a fairer place for rich and poor is as follows:

Grade 10: "Environmental Study."

Twin Streams Education Centre

Visit the following websites to find out more about Twin Streams and Mtunzini:

Twinstreams Environmental Education Centre,
WESSA -KZN--TwinStreams (Mtunzini Zululand),
Mtunzini-The Place in the Shade


Steve Untiedt in action at Twin Treams

Lapa area at Twin Streams	Entrance to Twin Steams

Student dormitory	Driveway into Twin Streams

Teachers' Accommodation	Girls' Bathrooms in background

Instructions for Research Topic

Each group must produce a typed report on the following topic with reference to their own particular study area. Any supporting photographs must be included in the text and not in an appendix. See the booklet on standards of work.
The report must be available by Monday 1st September. Please save your document as “Mtunzini Environmental field trip 2009” on Student share. Environmentals, grade 10, reports.
Your final assessment will include your personal assessment of the contribution of the individuals in your group.
Your report will be used as part of your portfolio assessment in Life Orientation at the end of the year.

Research Topic

"Twinstreams and Mtunzini are microcosms of what is happening in KwaZulu Natal. How can a balance be achieved between Economic development of an area and the Conservation of its natural resources?"

Discuss the above statement with reference to the particular place your group studied at Mtunzini. Use the following headings:

The situation at present – environmental, social, economic, political.
The problems that are present and that may occur in the future.
Your suggested solutions to the problems or issues to ensure a sustainable future

Details of the Grade 10 Programme

Here are some suggestions for what you could consider in your investigation. They are not questions that have to be answered and they may not all be relevant to the different topic areas.

How have the natural resources influenced and affected human settlement and economic development?
What are the main factors affecting human and economic development?
What are the major problems and challenges facing people in your study area with regard to:
1. Economic problems
2. Environmental problems
3. Social - health, education, social interaction problems
What impact is HIV/AIDS having on your study area?
What systems of management of resources (both natural and man made) are set up in your study area?
Who are the environmental watch dogs in your area. Who ensures that there is no over-exploitation of resources, etc. How effective are they?
What direct or indirect impact has man had on his environment in your study area?
How do you think the area you studied can best be developed to achieve the goal of sustainable development without too great an impact on the natural environment?

THIS LAST QUESTION IS ONE THAT EACH GROUP MUST ANSWER AT THE END OF THEIR INVESTIGATION, AS THIS IS ONE OF THE MAIN POINTS OF YOUR INVESTIGATION.

When you go out into the field you must remember that you cannot always walk up to some one, ask a direct question and get a simple answer. The questions below have been suggested to guide you in finding out as much as you can. Find out more by looking around you. Read notices, look at how people live, use your common sense and powers of observation to gather the information you need. Use your field officer’s knowledge.

You will be given plenty of free time in which to work with your group. It is envisaged that there should be no need to do any work once you get back to school. In other words, all your work is to be completed at Twinstreams except for a little editing of your final report. You may take lap top computers with you, but it is advisable to finalise a long hand draft and then type it up at school.

Your final third term report will include an assessment of your report together with a report on your contribution to the environmental field trip as a whole.

GROUP	POINTS TO CONSIDER	BACKGROUND
1. How economically viable is Mtunzini Village and what is its impact on the surrounding natural environment? [the village includes the CBD, the homes in the ’suburbs’ as well as any development along the river]	Is this an economically viable little village? What are the Rates? What Services do the residents get for these rates? What schools, clinics, hospitals are there?· What resources are used to sustain an average household in Mtunzini? Are there signs of Urban renewal/decay? What type of houses are there?· What type of people or socio-economic groups choose to live here? Is it a thriving Economy? What Employment opportunities are there?· What recreational facilities exist in Mtunzini? What are the demographics? Young/old/pensioners? Why do people stay at the hotel? What is the impact of the toll road on the village?	Mtunzini town is a pleasant little place with a stunning locality but little in the way of money generating enterprises except the local nature reserve and the many sugar farmers in the area. The infra structure, such as roads and access to water and electricity, is good. It is part of a huge municipality made up mainly of poor rural people with high expectations for economic upliftment. How can Mtunzini maintain its wonderful environment and ensure a decent standard of living for all its people?
2. What is the impact of the Umlalazi river on the village and vice versa?	What is the role of the river in the town? What is the history of the river? Is there Pollution from the rubbish dump? What is the effect of holiday homes on the river’s ecosystem? Do these owners contribute to the economy of Mtunzini? What is the Biodiversity of the river? What is the role of the river in ecotourism? Is the river suitable for Recreation? Fishing? Birding? What is the effect of the new development – Zini River Estate - on the river – sewage? storm water runoff? What impact will the proposed new cob farm (ex-prawn farm) have on the river? Do Crocodiles pose a menace?	The greater Mtunzini area is primarily farmland but it also includes the economically important toll road as well as the development that has taken place along the river.
3. Why is there an Umlalazi nature reserve? How does the Umlalazi Reserve contribute to the quality of life in Mtunzini? [the reserve includes forest, river and beach]	Is Umlalazi reserve a luxury for the rich or does it benefit the local poor community as well? Why is Umlalazi Reserve so important? What Problems does it face? Are there solutions to these problems? Is it a viable reserve, both in terms of biodiversity and financially? What is its role in ecotourism? Do the following cause problems? Poaching, Muti trade, day trippers, local youth? Does it contribute to the employment of local people?	Umlalazi nature reserve is a jewel in the KZN conservation service's crown, but it doesn't generate that much money and has to be self sustaining. Another problem is that many people think the beaches are their private playground. Poaching is common and there is a demand for the natural resources of the reserve such as the Ncema grass. How does the KZN Park's management juggle all these needs and wants as well as ensure that the local environment is conserved for the plants and animals?
4. Why are these Coastal forests and dune forests so important ecologicaly and how do they contribute to the development of the whole area? [all coastal forests including Twin-streams]	How did these coastal dunes develop? Why are the coastal dunes so important to conserve? What form of Coastal management is in effect? Laws? What economic incentive is there to conserve the beaches? What activities can be allowed? Who uses the beaches and forests for recreation? What threats are posed to the coastal forests and beaches by ecotourism and day trippers? What activities can be allowed?· Who uses the beaches and forests for recreation? What threats are posed to the coastal forests and beaches by ecotourism and day trippers? Are recreational fishermen damaging the coastal dunes when they use their 4x4s on the beach when launching their boats? Have there been any recent changes to the dune vegetation? If yes, what are these changes and what effect have they had on dune formation?	The Siya catchment area of the Mondi farm , Twinstreams, has an interesting conservation history centred around Ian Garland's pioneering work. How can these wonderful coastal dunes and forests be conserved given the immense pressure on them from tourism, mining and farming?
5. Grasslands play an important role in enhancing the biodiversity of Mtunzini. Are the remaining grasslands in Mtunzini under threat from agriculture and urban development?	What vegetation was dominant in the Mtunzini area before farmers moved into this area? Does Mtunzini have sufficient grasslands? Do these grasslands support a large variety of creatures (enhance Mtunzini’s biodiversity)? Have any efforts been made to preserve grasslands in the Mtunzini area? Do grasslands play a role in eco-tourism? Are there any threats to Mtunzini’s grasslands? Sugarcane fields – grassland or plantation? What happens to a sugarcane field that has been abandoned – does it become a grassland or a forest? Should man help nature and direct the future of abandoned cane fields?
6. How do the rural people of Obanjeni benefit from the development taking place in Mtunzini?	Where do the people from Obanjeni work? What resources are used to sustain an average household in Obanjeni? What are the Rates? Who pays? What services do the people get for their rates? Services – clinics, schools, roads? Where do the residents get their water? Their food? Where does the money come from to develop the infrastructure for this area? (ie the roads, schools etc) What recreational facilities exist in Obanjeni? What economic possibilities are there in Obanjeni? Do the agricultural practices of the people from this area result in environmentally degraded land? What is the impact of migrant labour, HIV /AIDS?	Obanjeni is a rural area with lots of poor unemployed people. Most homesteads rely on the land for food or cash crops. There are few crèches, schools and there is only one clinic serving the area. Where can the people who live here find work? Can the land sustain them.

For more information about the St Mary's Environmental School Programme contact Betsy Kee: bkee@stmarys.kzn.school.za