 Leopard & Predator Project - Education Education today is sustainability for tomorrow Through the story of the leopard children of all ages are taught about the necessity for biodiversity and habitat conservation, the ethical treatment of wildlife and ultimately how to live sustainably with nature.
We visit schools from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth and deep into the Karoo. Our presenttaion is interactive and fun while still covering serious topics like the threats to leopards and how these can be overcome. We give special attention to making the children feel they can help and give them practical ways to do this. From Gr 0 to 12 the presentation is adapted to the age and background of the learners.
ART FOR CONSERVATIONThe themes for 2010 was People and Predators Living Together. Students from 6 years to 16 years made beautiful works from schools far and wide. The energy and love was overwhelming. All students are welcome to enter - even from overseas - just send us a photo of your art work with your name, age and contact details!
STUDENT LEOPARD PROJECTSSchool students have been doing amazing work monitoring survey cameras for the foundation. They go out monthly into the field with activities learning about biodiversity and its conservation. A major focus of the project is that students learn about the full cycle of doing conservation. As well as learning the facts through research and spending time outdoors they need to be able to communicate what it is they are doing and why. They create information boards at school, have written articles for the Wessa Enviro Kids Magazine and have been actively teaching other students at schools. Fund raising is the third element, students raise money to pay for the film and batteries giving them an opportunity to experience the responsibility of making their project sustainable. Many schools have done amazing work and taken it a step further to help in the conservation of leopards. Woodridge Primary, outside Port Elizabeth, the Grade 7 Eco club sponsored their teachers "Racing for Leopards" shirt at the TransBaviaans Race, and Glenwood is planning a big gala event dedicated to the leopards.
This project is about getting students "out there", letting them do real work that helps the bigger picture and teaching them real skills. These projects have given eco-activities some status at these schools and the "cool factor" that instill desirability at the schools. Glenwood Student Leopard Project   Glenwood started working with Landmark Foundation at the end of 2009. The students and teacher body has been passionate about helping leopards since the start. These students got the first picture of wilderness female's cub on one of the cameras they were monitoring. Brian, head of the eco-club, spent his job shadow with us and is looking forward to going to study Nature Conservation to carry on with essential environmental work. This year Glenwood is organizing an annual fund raiser, a gala event for the leopards and they have made leopards their official environmental commitment on their epic 540km Karoo Challenge (read more below)
Woodridge Student Leopard Project 2010   The Woodridge team have shown commitment and innovation. They developed a notice board first, and the primary school debating team chose predator issues as the topic for their big debate where students and parents go way for a night out to Kariega Game Reserve. We have been camera-trap monitoring in the van Staden's River Valley since March 2010 getting some wonderful pictures of the local wildlife and exposing the children to excellent bush experiences. The high school have also started a survey site, and we look forward to finding the elusive leopards reported in this important corridor to the coast.
YOUTH RACING FOR LEOPARDS
Glenwood College, George, has made Racing for Leopards their official environmental commitment on their epic 540 km Karoo Challenge. Throughout the race students wear their yellow shirts as they cycle, hike and canoe through what was and still is leopard country. The toughest day, 85km's over the Gysmanshoek pass, they have dedicated to the leopards. They also overnight in Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve where a big male leopard was rescued and GPS collared in 2010.
 | A VISIT TO YOUR SCHOOLWe visit schools from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth and deep into the Karoo. Speaking in both English and Afrikaans the program reaches children from 5 hears to 18 years. We also gladly do talks for tertiary institutions and public interest groups. Educational visits are done for free of charge.
Contact: Kate at 082 462 8598 or kate@landmarkfoundation.org.za  EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
ANNUAL REPORTS
SCHOOLS VISITED ART FOR CONSERVATION 2011
Details coming soon.
WHAT SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN DOINGArticle's from Students Leopards Projects in the Wessa Enviro Kids Magazine, Vol 31, (download)
1. Glenwood 2. Woodridge |
