Arbor Day was celebrated at Princess Vlei on 5 September 2012. Beautiful Spring sunshine graced the biggest Arbor Day event in Cape Town and on the Cape Flats.

The event was a joint effort and partnership by the South African National Biodiversity Institute represented by Roleen Sandra Ellman and her very able team of environmental educators, the Botanical Society of South Africa represented by Simone van Rooyen represented director Zaitun Rabani who was out of the country. The other partners were John Graham Primary School under the enthusiastic guidance of educator Ebrahim Abrahams, Lotus River High School supported by deputy principal Mr Linch, life Orientation teacher Mr Petersen and the main driving force of environmental education at the school, mathematics teacher Mr Shafiek Isaacs.

 The Princess Vlei Forum, who is involved with the rehabilitation of Princess Vlei and campaigning to save the vlei from a mall development, played a coordinating role and hosted the Arbor Day event. The Western Cape Education Department was represented at the vlei by Mrs Chotia and Mr Fadley Wagiet. Many people from the media also attended the Princess Vlei Arbor Day celebrations including popular Good Hope FM personalities Guy MacDonald, Carl Wasti and Quinton Pavitt.

The event was attended by over 300 people including 90 year old Mrs Adams, the grandmother of Grassy Park cricketing legend Paul Adams. But the day belonged to the 120 learners from Lotus River High and John Graham Primary schools who planted 50 trees and 150 indigenous fynbos plants on the day. For the learners it was a day of fun and environmental awareness and activism. The planting was supervised by Princess Vlei Form member Kelvin Cochrane from the design lay-out developed and inspired by the People’s Plan for Princess Vlei.

 The learners of Lotus River High under the guidance of educator Shafiek Isaacs are also growing over 400 seedlings on the school premises in Lotus River. These seedlings once big enough will be planted at Princess Vlei.

Nikita January, a matric learner at Lotus River High and leader of the environmental group at the school gave a moving speech that encouraged the youth and adults to value the environment and in particular Princess Vlei.

Nikita said “we have enough malls to keep us busy and we need the green space of Princess Vlei”. She also wrote a poem that was read out by a member of her young environmental group. The Princess seems to be inspiring environmental awareness and activism in the youth, as well as song, dance and poetry. 

During the formal ceremony, Kelvin Cochrane said Princess Vlei is not for sale and pointed out that “When we redefine spaces, we redefine people and their thinking.”

The Princess Vlei Arbor Day event ended with a performance by Primitive, a dance group at John Graham Primary.

 

For more information on the Princess Vlei Forum and how you can help to save the Princess Vlei see

www.princessvlei.withtank.com/ and

www.bottomroadsanctuary.co.za

 

Related posts

http://safcei.org/save-princess-vlei-the-campaign/

http://safcei.org/vlei-therapy-far-more-beneficial-than-more-retail-therapy

 

For more information, contact

Mr Philip Bam, Forum spokesperson  (for press statements, quotes etc):

083 658 3885 / 021 705 3753 <philip@lofob.org.za>