The Levana Wetland Explorers

‘We think Princess Vlei is a good place for a home (for an African swamp hen), except it has small snakes’

This was the view of Tristan, Tauruh and Razmay, Grade 7 learners from Levana Primary in Lavender hill.  The learners attended the wetland explorer experience at Princess Vlei last month. Over a hundred Grade 7 and Grade 5 learners attended the event, spread over three mornings.
       The learners explored Princess Vlei to assess it as a home from the point of view of three species: African swamp hen, Western leopard toad and a dragon fly. They used nets to explore the aquatic life at the vlei. Species found included a dragonfly nymph, water beetles, water.Scorpion, crabs and a tiny leopard toad, as well as several species of fish fingerlings.

Learners also went on a ‘fynbos treasure hunt’, in which they  were tasked to look for various treasures such as a beetle with spots, a creature which uses its legs to sing and so on. They were asked to find and describe their own treasures - these included ‘a long brown stick with a bunch of of feather like flowers gathered together’ and ‘a pink stone that is a very weird shape.’ A highlight of the treasure seekers was the discovery of three  Cape Dwarf chameleons. These elusive creatures have become more plentiful at Princess Vlei since thanks to community planting of indigenous species over the years.

A highlight of the morning was a canoe ride on Princess Vlei with Gravity Adventures. The Grade 5 learners battled a stiff wind on the one day, but all enjoyed the experience.

The restoration of the fynbos not only benefits the creatures and plants, but brings a deep and varied experience to learners from Lavender Hill and other surrounding communities. It provides a resource rich outdoor classroom,  enabling learners to learn much about science, nature, and themselves, while having fun.
     This experience forms part of our environmental education project which is funded by the Hans Hoheisen Charitable Trust, Managed by Nedbank Private Wealth.