Environmental Rehabilitation

Janet and Rob Cuthbertson purchased a rundown pineapple farm in 1991 and have lovingly rehabilitated it into a beautiful, flourishing wildlife sanctuary called Suni-Ridge Sand Forest Park, which is based in Maputaland (KZN) in South Africa.

Young Environmental Ambassador’s Leadership Course

This environmental ambassador course reaches out to young Zulu leaders and educates them about biodiversity, conservation, protecting wildlife, and includes subjects like identifying and removing alien vegetation.

The long “potato creeper” (alien plant) in this photo was removed from the forest and the Zulu children wrapped it around themselves to demonstrate how it strangles the indigenous vegetation.

Water Management

The proper management of the water catchment area for False Bay Lake is paramount to the survival of people, wildlife and the environment. Rob Cutherbertson is chairman of the Lake St. Lucia Water Catchment Forum.

At Suni-Ridge we have dedicated our lives to preserving our natural and cultural heritage. Your help is very much needed and appreciated!

“Although we are both ardent conservationists, Rob is also a civil engineer and as we needed to add a component that would make our environmental efforts sustainable, we decided to build a lodge in the reserve.” ~ Janet Cuthbertson

Together with the kind donations from caring people, and our own personal resources, our work is partly funded by a percentage of our Guest’s stay at our lodge.

Leopard Walk Lodge is a 10-bed lodge which also includes a honeymoon suite with an outdoor Jacuzzi. The hub of the lodge is the beautiful lounge, dining and bar facility that overlooks a waterhole.

After a day in the bush, guests relax over a meal at Leopard
Walk Restaurant, while enjoying a view of the animals that come
down to drink.

With our love for nature, we obviously do not have any hunting
on the reserve. Visitors are thrilled to see animals that are quite
relaxed and unafraid”. 

“Our years of effort have at times been exciting, rewarding and often the challenge has been daunting, but the knowledge that we are giving something back to nature is our most worthwhile reward”. ~ Janet & Rob Cuthbertson

By supporting our ECO-AMBASSADOR Campaign, you are encouraging the leaders of tomorrow to protect their natural and cultural heritage.

The 5-day course is based at Suni-Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary, and strives to achieve the following:

• The children are led to an all-encompassing understanding of Humanitarianism (Ubuntu)
• They are inspired to be proud of their inner capabilities and to know that they can excel in their ambitions and dreams
• They learn that human life is intricately bound with the environment, and that all life forms are to be respected and managed wisely
• These young leaders are encouraged to conserve their culture

The following topics and activities are included in the five day course:

Our duty to manage the environment – discussions, assessments of the main concerns. Animals have feelings! The learner gains a better understanding of the interconnectedness of all life forms. This awareness encourages a love for all life forms. Compassionate decision making is encouraged regarding the wise management of the environment by focusing on:

• Leadership qualities and humanatariasm
• Sustainable land use
• Wise management of resources
• Prevention of air pollution/acid rain
• Water shortages and droughts – wetlands (focus on False Bay World Heritage Site)
• Protection of water quality and use of correct sanitation
• Species fauna and flora – interpretation/protection of biodiversity
• The galaxy
• Environment and culture
• Home food gardens to provide food security
• The effect of all of this ultimately on man’s quality of life on earth.

A broad variety of subjects is investigated with the learners that include:

Humanitarianism – the introduction to Humanatariasm investigates the differences that historical and present day leaders have made to the world, such as Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Jane Goodall, Florence Nightingale, St. Francis. It also investigates findings by modern day scientists who are discovering more about how the world was created.

Music and dance – building self confidence and relaxation

Art in the environment – group work, sketches/drawings, literary essay: “What becoming a young environment ambassador means to us!”

Excursion to False Bay and hike at the lake – the learner experiences the World Natural Heritage Site and interprets the concepts of wetlands and forests identified during the field lecture

Excursion to “Big Five” Hluhluwe Game Reserve – in an open wildlife drive vehicle, learners view elephant, rhino, giraffe and other large mammals (often for the first time)

Excursion to croc center – interpretation of crocodiles

Field work – tracking animals; understanding more about their interrelationships. The learner gains a better understanding of the interconnectedness of all life forms, by focusing on the animals encountered

Water & the World Natural Heritage Site, False Bay, Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park – where and what it is of importance to our region (environmentally and financially); eco-tourism; basic ecology of the wetlands – learners gain an understanding of the international, national, regional and local value of wetlands, with a focus on our own World Natural Heritage Site

Forests and trees – Sand Forest; unique endangered habitat; red data species – learners gain an understanding of the value of international, national and local forests, False Bay’ sand forest and gain a general knowledge of red data species and at least 4 locally occurring species

Live snake demonstration, interpretation, the importance of snakes – basic first aid for snake bites, learners gain an understanding of identifying snakes and why they are important for the environment

Campfire activities – leadership, self confidence, singing (create a Course song), observing the stars/galaxy, quiet moments to hear nature sounds, cultural ecology

Basic First Aid – the role of a leader in an emergency, and basic first aid procedures

Healthy living – health and healthy living, soil, water, sanitation

Food security – 80% of South Africa’s children are hungry; organic home gardens; poisons in the environment; working with nature permaculture leading your family towards food security and what can be done; field demonstration of home gardening/food security principles; fertile soil (field demonstration) and the role of the earthworm

Handling pets and other animals – prevention of cruelty to animals

Alien plants – field identification and methods of eradication

Birds in the environment

Bats in the environment – more than 22 species at Suni-Ridge

Environmental school club -identifying options for environmental action at school, such as:

• Improve environment – prevent litter; beautify the area with fruit trees, medicinal plants, shrubs and indigenous trees;
• Outreach into community opportunities; Junior Town council
• Communication – name of club, international communication and local communication with other eco-schools and environmental center; school and community conservation magazine; computerised conservation communication and contacts; school website to be developed
• Eco – school project – steps to be taken to obtain internationally recognized eco-school green flag. Actions defined.
• Eco-Tourism & career opportunities – the economical importance and career opportunities; learners gain an understanding of the international, national, regional and local value of Eco-Tourism; learn about career opportunities
• Eco-tourism – identifying school and community projects; identifying opportunities for the school and community; define projects and actions to be taken

Summation of Course – definition of and commitment to actions that need to be taken

We need your assistance to educate and inspire these young leaders to encourage sustainable living practices in their communities.

Why is Environmental Education Important?

Suni-Ridge Sand Forest Park Environmental Rehabilitation Centre is situated in the environs of the World Natural Heritage Park Isimangaliso Wetland Park in False Bay. Together with the rural community in the Northern Eastern catchment of Lake St. Lucia, we share a common boundary with this World Heritage Site.

Unlike children in developed areas who need to re-plant trees, in our area there are still beautiful trees growing and there is a wonderful river that is relatively undisturbed where it flows through the rural area. These natural resources must be protected.

We have therefore identified an urgent need to work with the rural communities, and to initiate action towards sustainable living through environmental education. We share our knowledge of the importance of protecting the biodiversity and the sustainable use of the catchments of the World Natural Heritage Site, False Bay Park (also see Water Catchment Forum).

Knowledge, and appreciation of natural resources, holds the key to protecting wildlife and conservation. It’s a team effort that needs everyone’s involvement. If we do not bring environmental education to our youth, who are our leaders of tomorrow, the future of wildlife and conservation could be very bleak.

• Eco Tourism is an important revenue earner in the region as it helps to alleviate poverty, but its sustainability will depend on a healthy environment.
• Teaching the youth about home food gardens is also critically important as many homes are not food secure. Good nutrition is also very important in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
• By bringing the understanding to the children of our region that the wealth of our natural environment will benefit them and that it’s future management will be their responsibility.

In KwaZulu Natal there are still vast areas with a high biodiversity, which rural people use within their tribal communities to gather food and medicinal plants. However, rapid development due to population growth, means that there is a steadily growing impact on these resources. For example:

• Trees that are sometimes hundreds of years old, are being felled for fuel and to make way for fields
• Sanitation often needs attention
• Water is scarce due to the water catchment management challenges
• Wildlife is poached for food, the bush meat trade and/or territory conflicts

By supporting our ECO-AMBASSADOR Campaign, you are encouraging the leaders of tomorrow to protect their natural and cultural heritage.

What is the Young Environmental Ambassador Leadership Course?

The course we provide offers an understanding of biodiversity protection, water and sanitation management, animal husbandry and leadership skills to teenagers who have been identified as leaders within their local communities. The knowledge they gain is passed on to their peers and absorbed within the community. View the full course program.

By furthering the learner’s awareness of the environment, the Young Environmental Ambassador’s project equips these children to become environmental leaders in their schools and community.

They are encouraged to reach outwards to initiate environmental projects not only with their own peers at school, but also in their surrounding community where they transfer to others, the knowledge and skills that they have learnt during their life changing experience at Suni-Ridge.

• It is a significant environmental outreach project that is designed to reach hundreds of children in more than 40 schools in the initial stage. It has a continuity and expansion component built into the programme.
• We envisage that every child participating in the course will reach out to at least another 50 children and many community members.
• In this way the Young Environmental Ambassador project will expand it’s effectiveness through an ongoing community outreach and many lives will be touched and uplifted, by this awareness.

The outreach is as follows:

50 x 20 (2 groups of 10 per month) = 1000 persons per month x 12 months = 12 000 persons (or more) reached in the year.

In other words, 12 000 persons growing their own home organic gardens and becoming aware about environmental protection.

Each participant receives:

• A starter pack of seeds
• Instructions to build organic eco circle gardens (in Zulu)
• Information about why fresh healthy organic food is important for the management of HIV/AIDS (in Zulu)
• Instructions about preserving trees and plants and protecting wildlife and birds (in Zulu)
• Information about water protection and sanitation information and contact no’s where help with sanitation may be found (in Zulu)
• A certificate to say that they are participating in the program

We receive from each participant:

A signed copy of a document to illustrate their contact particulars, where they live in the tribal area and their signature agreeing to enter the project at their homes.

To keep the project moving, these aspects are necessary:

• A big community get together – arranged every 6 months, displaying produce and crafts, inviting guests from all sectors, awarding recognition badges and T-shirts
• Approval for the project by Inkosis’ (local community)
• If the project is very successful, we can establish an outlet where they can sell their surplus produce. Local lodges and guest houses will be encouraged to buy produce
• Every month we will circulate a newletter to the community / participants (in Zulu)

Your financial support will enable a young leader to attend this course. The cost covers the 5-day course, as well as follow-up visits to the learners at their school and to maintain ongoing communication.

The 5-day course is located in the Suni-Ridge Wildlife Reserve (view the whole program) and costs R3 000 per student.

The most important thing is to increase awareness of and encourage organic gardening, as well as the protection of wildlife, trees and biodiversity in the rural area.

How do you sponsor an Eco-Ambassador?

We need your assistance to educate and inspire these young leaders to encourage sustainable living practices in their communities. You can sponsor an ambassador by donating R 3,000.00 per student.

Payments can be made by credit card (through Paypal) or by making a direct bank transfer. Please refer to our How you can help / donate page for futher details. Your kind support is very much appreciated!