NLC Programme   |   Biodiversity Gardens   |   Retreat

#GROW

Combining conservation, youth skills development and environmental education.

The Sibelius High School Biodiversity Conservation Garden, located in Retreat on the Cape Flats, is a living outdoor classroom showcasing the unique biodiversity of the Cape Floristic Region. Developed as part of BOT SOC’s Protecting and Restoring South Africa’s Natural Heritage project, the garden combines conservation, youth skills development and environmental education.

Sibelius High School is situated between False Bay and the southern suburbs of Cape Town, an area that historically supported unique fynbos ecosystems. By partnering with Sibelius High School and Ingcungcu Sunbird Restoration, BOT SOC helped create a space where learners can experience biodiversity first-hand – seeing, touching and smelling plants while engaging with educational signage and storyboards developed as part of the project.

Youth skills development and conservation training

BOT SOC had 12 youths in the Cape Metropole who were trained as part of this project. Hosted by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, these youths were upskilled through classroom, theoretical learning and hands-on conservation training.

The youth also participated in citizen science activities with the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW) Programme, capturing species observations on iNaturalist.

These newly developed skills were applied during the development of the Sibelius High School Biodiversity Conservation Garden.

The themed planting areas include:

• Cape Flats Sand Fynbos bed that use remarkable survival strategies
• Cape Flats Dune Strandveld bed featuring species that thrive on lime-rich, marine-derived sands and shell fragments
• Medicinal plant bed with species traditionally used for healing

Interpretive signage explains plant ecology, pollinators and conservation importance.

Plant labels provide information on:

• Scientific and common names
• Plant characteristics
• Cultural value
• Pollinators
• Ecological significance

Each label also includes a QR code linking to SANBI’s PlantZAfrica website, allowing visitors to learn more about each species. Interpretive signage was developed by BOT SOC and designed by Jeanette Erasmus.