During the month of March, Nordic Earth will be planting 4 500 Spekboom trees together with students and staff at Fish Hoek and Muizenberg high schools.
Around 130 learners in Grade 10 to 12 from each school signed up for the planting of the trees that included an hour introduction workshop into Urban Agriculture, entrepreneurship and how to live off-grid.
CEO of Nordic Earth Anki Riener, who started the initiative at Fish Hoek High School on Wednesday 9 March, said they are on a mission to bring nature back into schools.
“We are on a mission to bring nature back into the schools and by planting trees, everybody is getting their hands dirty and connecting.
“So there’s a big drive and an urge from the students to be outdoors and to learn more about how we can work with nature and not against it. We see a big gap in education as well where nothing like this is offered so we feel very passionate especially about composting. By doing this project we actually have diverted about 50 tons of organic matter that should have gone to the landfill.”
Riener added that the project has different levels of benefits.
“We are planting Spekboom today which is actually from a mother plant from our farms. We have a huge tree that we have been propagating for years and it’s part of the learning course that we have on the farm as well and the emerging farmers that are coming to us.”
She added that Nordic Earth is passionate about earth and how everyone can be kind to earth.
“Our focus is soil, composting, and we are on a big drive to actually getting everyone involved in composting. We have two schools, Fish Hoek high and Muizenberg high. I got a sponsorship from a Swedish company and what we did is first have an inspirational talk at both the schools with the Grade 10s and 12s.
“We offered a workshop, where we gave everyone an introduction to urban agriculture as well as a practical on how to plant a tree. So everyone who has attended will get a certificate for the workshop. “After this is done we are offering a six month course in regenerative agriculture that will be on the farm and 10 students from each school can participate.”
Riener said there was an overwhelmingly positive response from the school and community.
“The students want to learn more and we can see that they are hungry for actually working with nature. For me it is accountability as well. If we came in here and planted all these trees, the trees will be looked after and this is creating a green-hedge windbreak for the school and positive energy for the community.
“These plants are going to outlive everyone here, it’s going to be like 150 years old. For them, you can see it already, they want to come here and make sure it gets water.”
She added that Spekboom is a very hardy plant that doesn’t need much attention once it is rooted.
“We call it the bachelors plant, they adapt to the environment, if there’s a drought they are very adaptable. Also they offset quite a bit of carbon.”
Taylor Woodbridge (16), a Grade 10 learner of Fish Hoek high, said it felt good to contribute in making the school greener.
“We are going to try and plant over 1 000 Spekboom plants today and you feel pretty good about contributing to making the school greener and more environmentally friendly by planting the trees.”
Savannah Forsyth (15), a Grade 10 learner, said it was fun to plant trees.
“I’m very excited, I find this very peaceful and it’s very fun. Usually I don’t plant at home, but I would probably do it now.”
Zoë Otto (16) said through her experience she has now learned how to make compost.
“I’m enjoying planting trees, it is better than school. I learned that gardening and planting things are also easy and more beneficial.”
