Greenpop is one of Stories Experiences Travel’s Positive Impact partners in environmental projects and an award-winning, non-profit organisation headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa. Founded in 2010, Greenpop works to restore ecosystems and empower environmental stewards through forest restoration, urban greening, food gardening, and environmental awareness projects across Sub-Saharan Africa. They have planted over 175,000 trees and inspired over 132,000 active citizens across South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania.
On the 29th of July 2022, a group of Stories Experiences Travel’s staff members attended a planting day that forms part of Greenpop’s Fynbos for the Future urban greening programme. The vision for Fynbos for the Future is to inspire a green urban future in which biodiversity is accessible, valued, and protected by active, engaged, and inspired citizens. The core objective is to provide interactive fynbos learning spaces in under-greened schools.
Fynbos for the Future
Fynbos is a distinctive type of vegetation found only on the southern tip of Africa. It includes a wide range of plant species, particularly small heather-like trees and shrubs. Fynbos is known for its exceptional degree of biodiversity and comprises about 80% of the Cape floral kingdom.
When selecting Positive Impact initiatives to support, Greenpop emerged as a top candidate for Stories Experiences Travel’s Conservation Committee. Their vision and efforts go well beyond just putting trees into the ground, and the emphasis is on making trees count rather than simply counting trees. For this reason, Greenpop is engaged in a wide variety of activities.
In addition to the reforestation work being done as part of their Forests for Life programme, their work to protect and restore ecosystems also covers Food Gardening, Environmental Awareness, and Urban Greening which houses the Fynbos for the Future project. This project is aimed at reconnecting the youth in traditionally marginalised communities with the environment and their natural heritage.
This project was originally focused on trees but was later updated to focus on water-wise plants that were better suited to the area, and in doing so, rebuilding historical biome linkages – which is where fynbos entered the picture.
A Blooming Partnership with Greenpop
Stories Experiences Travel’s planting day took place at Highlands Primary School in Woodlands, situated alongside Mitchell’s Plain in Cape Town. After arriving at 09:00, Stories Experiences Travel’s staff were treated to an icebreaker with the kids on the playground.
Greenpop’s Urban Greening Manager, Deon Louw, facilitated the day alongside a small group of interns. Deon played a pivotal role in the entire experience. He is chock-full of passion and knowledge, and very good at ensuring that the ice gets broken through introducing some playful and fun games.
Everyone then split off into three groups, with a mixture of adults and kids in each, and went to the different activities:
- Planting fynbos
- ‘Fynbos Bingo’ or citizen science
- Rock painting
Stories Experiences Traveland the kids from Highlands ended up putting 87 plants into the ground on the day. The kids’ enthusiasm was electric – they’d found themselves deep in the soil bed area and onto the next plant totally forgetting to watch their steps on the one they just did!
‘Fynbos Bingo’ was fascinating, as Deon spoke through all the different varieties of plants that were present in an engaging format. First half of the allocated time was spent understanding the individual plants and how they fit into the wider ecosystem, and then the second half was playing ‘bingo’ using this new-found knowledge to identify plants.
Finally, the painting ‘station’ was a place for the kids to work hard at ensuring there would be a stern word at home later that day – more paint ended up on the ground sheet and on a very enthusiastic ten-year-old than it did on the rocks that were being painted to beautify the garden!
The entire experience played out over the course of a few far-too-short hours. It was a deeply humbling and gratifying opportunity for Stories Experiences Travelto get plugged into our core value of ‘We Conserve’. We can’t wait to participate in more planting days with Greenpop!
Planting a Sustainable Future: Greenpop and Stories Experiences Travel Join Forces to Plant 80+ Fynbos
In an effort to combat environmental degradation and promote sustainable living, two organizations, Greenpop and Stories Experiences Travel, have recently partnered to embark on an ambitious tree planting project. This collaboration aims to plant over 80 fynbos species in an effort to restore and preserve South Africa’s diverse flora.
Greenpop, an environmental non-profit organization, has been at the forefront of green initiatives in South Africa since its establishment in 2010. Their mission is to reintroduce indigenous plants, restore ecosystems, and educate communities on sustainable practices. Through previous successful campaigns, they have garnered widespread recognition and support for their efforts in reforestation and ecological restoration.
On the other hand, Stories Experiences Travel is a social enterprise that curates impactful travel experiences for conscious adventurers. They aim to integrate sustainable practices with unique travel experiences to foster awareness and appreciation for the environment. By teaming up with Greenpop, Stories Experiences Travel intends to combine their expertise in eco-tourism with Greenpop’s environmental knowledge to bring about meaningful change.
Fynbos, a unique vegetation type found predominantly in the Western Cape of South Africa, is one of the world’s richest and most threatened floral botanical hotspots. Due to human activity, habitat destruction, and invasive plant species, these crucial ecosystems have been severely degraded. In order to conserve these delicate habitats, the planting of fynbos species has become critical.
The joint tree planting initiative will take place in multiple locations across South Africa’s Western Cape region. Over the course of several months, volunteers from both organizations will actively participate in the planting process. Through this hands-on involvement, they will not only contribute to the restoration of fynbos but also gain insights into the importance of biodiversity conservation.
This collaboration between Greenpop and Stories Experiences Travel sets an exemplary model for how private enterprises and non-profit organizations can come together for a common cause. By combining their knowledge, resources, and networks, they can make a significantly larger impact on the environment than they would individually.
Moreover, this partnership presents a unique opportunity for eco-conscious travelers to actively contribute to environmental preservation. Participants will have the privilege of immersing themselves in the beautiful landscapes of the Western Cape, while gaining a deep understanding of the challenges faced by these fragile ecosystems. By engaging with local communities and learning about sustainable lifestyles, travelers will be inspired to implement similar practices in their own lives.
The planting of 80+ fynbos species is a small yet vital step towards a more sustainable future. It is a testament to the power of collaboration and the collective efforts needed to address environmental issues. By initiating such projects, Greenpop and Stories Experiences Travel are not only planting trees; they are sowing seeds of hope and nurturing a sustainable future for generations to come.
In conclusion, the joint project between Greenpop and Stories Experiences Travel is a remarkable example of how organizations can unite to make a significant impact on environmental conservation. Through the planting of 80+ fynbos species, these entities are actively working towards restoring degraded ecosystems and promoting sustainable living practices. This collaboration serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration, encouraging us all to take action and contribute to a greener and more sustainable future.
