Latest news with #DurbanNorthConservancy
The Citizen
2 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Clean-up tackles Virginia Bush Reserve pond
A HOST of activities were held across the city last week for the annual eThekwini Enviro Week which aimed to connect communities with nature and sustainability, and celebrate the beauty and diversity of our environment. It was no different in Durban North where the Kinship Programme, the Durban North Conservancy and Enviro Fixers Durban North held an 'Active for the Earth' programme at Virginia Bush Nature Reserve. The Kinship Programme, an after-school initiative that facilitates immersive learning in nature for children, together with the environmental organisations, held a clean-up of the ponds at the lower reserve as well as a guided walk. Durban North resident Michaela Geytenbeek, who runs the programme, explained the idea behind it. Also read: Durban North bus stop gets mural makeover 'We work regularly at the reserve and we are all about mobilising young people to champion the environment. We've been actively working to clear the ponds of alien-invasive aquatic plants and we focused on another section on Thursday,' she said. Jane Troughton of the Durban North Conservancy also shared her take on the significance of enviro week. 'We didn't feel it needed to be a specific thing but my interpretation of the enviro week is to celebrate our local eco-systems in any way that resonates for us. It is also a chance for us to be in nature and appreciate what we have on our doorstep, in this case the Virginia Bush Nature Reserve,' she said. The past week also featured a variety of events including beach clean-ups, storytelling sessions, film evenings, guided nature walks, food garden demonstrations, compost-making, educational displays, and community discussions and workshops. For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
2 days ago
- General
- The Citizen
Durban North workshop digs deep for sustainability
GROWING food insecurity was one of the main concerns raised at a workshop last week hosted by Durban North resident Coral Vinsen. Vinsen held an organic vegetable gardening, seed saving and swapping workshop at her home with more than 30 attendees to discuss food sovereignty. As one of the longest-serving members of Amnesty International in South Africa, the 93-year-old said plans were also afoot to establish a community garden on Riverside Road near the Umgeni Bird Park. Also read: Repairs reveals a piece of history in Durban North 'We spoke about organic vegetable gardening which not only benefits our health but also the environment. By avoiding artificial pesticides and fertilisers, organic gardening ensures healthier food that is grown sustainably. Over the years I've done this sort of workshop informally but Enviro Week provided the perfect backdrop to discus several environmental issues and how we can promote food security. 'We spoke about how to grow your own vegetables, how to make compost and utilise small spaces. I've also tried to introduce Asian vegetables like bok choy to take root in gardens across KZN. I've been growing vegetables since 1976 so I feel it's important to grow food sustainably. The seed swap was also a wonderful way to speak about gardening and plant varieties,' she said. Vinsen was joined by the Durban North Conservancy on the day. For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook , X or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
