City's Youth Environmental School (YES) to Host National Marine Week Programme: 15-19 October 2007

To celebrate our unique coastline and marine life the City's Environmental Resource Management Department will be running several environmental education programmes during National Marine Week from 15-19 October 2007 as part of its Youth Environmental School (YES) Programme.

The Marine Week programmes will be undertaken in partnership with the Provincial Government's Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, the Two Oceans Aquarium, Metrorail's Edutrain, the Save Our Seas Foundation, AfriOceans Conservation Alliance, Irene Toerien, Jungle Theatre Company and the Primary Science Programme.

Cape Town has over 300km of coastline that varies between rocky and sandy shores. The coastline supports an immensely diverse range of marine and coastal ecosystems, which are home to many rare and endangered species.

Cape Town's coastal zone is also an area of dense recreational activity for both local people, as well as national and international tourists. For these reasons, the coastline of Cape Town is one of its greatest ecological, social and economic assets.

Under the Marine Week 2007 theme of 'Opportunities in the Ocean', the City's environmental education programme details are as follows:

• Pre-school Programme: Learners will be transported to the Two Oceans Aquarium where they will experience a marine puppet show and create their own marine creature during the craft sessions.
• Primary School Programme: Learners will be going on a classroom-on-wheels, the Edutrain, to the Simon's Town Museum where they will be introduced to the unique world of penguins and sharks.
• High Schools Programme: Jungle Theatre Company will be visiting schools with their amazing 'Wondering Whale Watchers' show and workshops.

Special Schools Programme: A team of environmental educators working with Irene Toerien will present an interactive marine and coastal lesson to learners from Mary Kihn School for the Deaf, St. Josephs Home, La Rochelle Pre-school, Nazareth House for Aids children and Maitland Cottage Hospital. The children will have the opportunity to touch marine puppets, listen to whale songs and much more.

Nature Reserve Programme: Learners will be visiting our coastal reserves, Blaauwberg Conservation Area, Wolfgat Nature Reserve and Strandfontein, where they will have lessons on rocky and sandy shores.

Educator and Learner Workshop Programme: The Primary Science Programme will be hosting a marine and coastal lesson plan implementation workshop with 30 schools in Cape Town during October using the EnviroKids Magazine, Our Marine Heritage.

Issued by:
Communication
City of Cape Town
Tel: 021 400 2201

Media Queries:
YES Programme
Lindie Buirski
Environmental Education Coordinator
Environmental Resource Management Department
City of Cape Town
Cell: 084 629 9305