Grootbos Foundation Monthly Update | June 2025

09 July

Foundation

Winter is in full swing and the Foundation has been enjoying the changes in the reserve, busy with indoor clubs, outings and as always, proud of the young locals taking steps to a brighter future.  

We’re covering news of the NatureArt programme, an update on the recently established chess club and what’s new on the reserve. Here is the latest from the Grootbos Foundation. 

Art in Nature

A group of primary school children from the Masakhane Hub has been participating in a term-long NatureArt programme. This programme has been developed in collaboration between the Creative Skills Factory and Grootbos Foundation and is designed to use artistic processes to deepen children's awareness and understanding of nature. 

The children visited the Grootbos Florilegium Gallery in June at the end of the term where they had the chance to view the beautiful botanical illustrations housed in the gallery. 

A Chess Education

The recently established chess club saw its first friendly battles between the EduDen and Okkie Smuts chess clubs. The two primary schools in Stanford went head to head, displaying their newly learned strategic skills. 

The Uniting Power of Sport

The Grootbos Foundation coaches celebrated Youth Day with a lively game of rugby between a group of youth players from the Foundation and a touring squad of 7s rugby undergraduates from the University of Virginia, USA. The rain was no match for their feisty, sporting spirit, and they relished hours of rugby followed by a traditional braai, courtesy of all the Grootbos Foundation coaches.

The goal of the USA trip to SA was to experience the restorative power that sports can have on healing the past and connecting communities. After the braai, the Grootbos Gallery Team treated the undergrad students to hot chocolate and Florilegium stories. It was a beautiful day of hope and fun, and a great way to celebrate Youth Day. 

Paddlesport Champs!

A group of paddlers from Stanford travelled to Uppington to compete in the PaddleSport SA Marathon Championships. Between them, they earned 10 medals in various races, proudly bringing home the glory to Stanford! 

A Growing Workforce

The Gansbaai Employability Workshop was recently completed by 32 eager-to-work youths. 

The next step is for them to prepare their CVs and practise being interviewed. Those selected for real workplace experience will participate in two weeks of stipend-paid work experience arranged by Grootbos Foundation and hosted by local businesses keen on supporting job creation. This is often the springboard youths need to land their first job. We wish them all the best of luck in this exciting chapter of their lives.

Mushroom Flushes

Winter in the Cape is mushroom season, and the team from Grootbos Foundation has been finding some amazing flushes. There are many different species of mushrooms on Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, including toxic, edible, medicinal and hallucinogenic types. 

Identifying these mushrooms is crucial, and learning about the different types and their potential benefits has been beneficial to all teams.   

Earth Rangers Field Trip

The Laerskool Gansbaai Earth Rangers enjoyed a trip to Grootbos Private Nature Reserve recently, where they got to experience the magic of the milkwood forest. This outing was led by Thilivhali Murivhami, Biodiversity Steward manager of Grootbos Foundation, whose passion for sharing stories of conservation in a way that changes the behaviour of ordinary people and children makes him a crucial part of the Conservation Research Unit. 

Tracking Leopards

It is not often that we find perfect spoor of the elusive leopard on the Grootbos reserve. 

This distinct track is from the dominant male, named “Ehlathini”, who has been conducting patrols and covering vast distances in the landscape. His patrols tell other male leopards of his dominance as he visits several females within his territory. In June, he visited the Grootbos female and her cubs, leaving behind this perfect indentation in the sand.