Environmental Education and Awareness (EE&A) is a project that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem-solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and the skills to make informed, responsible decisions. Our EE&A project aims to educate youngsters, youth, and the community at large about the importance of human-wildlife coexistence. Through this process, a foundation for environmental consciousness is developed among the people, with the aim of perpetuating the goals and values of the biodiversity conservation initiatives among the next generation of landowners and land users. The environmental education contained in the project aligns with the Department of Basic Education’s National Curriculum, thereby supporting learning objectives in schools.
We believe it is vital for learners to develop an understanding of nature conservation from an early age, fostering a lifelong love of the natural world and appreciation for sustainable living. Our environmental education programmes connect learners with biodiversity and conservation while strengthening numeracy and literacy skills. We currently work across KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Free State, supporting learners from Foundation to FET Phase.
Working at a grassroots level, our team builds long-term relationships with schools and supports learners throughout their development. We produce CAPS-aligned workbooks and facilitate field trips and outdoor learning activities, including the annual Flufftail Festival, which engages thousands of learners in interactive activities focused on wetlands, water conservation and biodiversity. Nationally, our Bird of the Year programme provides CAPS-aligned resources for Grades 4–6, supported by posters, infographics and educator webinars.
We also support educators through capacity-building workshops focused on Education for Sustainable Development. Through the Fundisa for Change programme, educators gain practical skills to teach environmental topics while earning SACE-endorsed certificates and professional development points.
For the past five years, our work in northern KwaZulu-Natal has delivered a learner-centred environmental education programme across multiple schools. CAPS-aligned workbooks integrate biodiversity, particularly birds, into subjects including Mathematics, English, Natural Sciences and Technology.
Learning is brought to life through field trips to nature reserves and conservation areas, often linked to key environmental events such as World Migratory Bird Day and Birding Big Day. Learners who demonstrate enthusiasm and excel in workbook activities are rewarded with special Bird of the Year trips. In 2023, for example, 20 learners and a teacher travelled to Magoebaskloof to see the Cape Parrot, the 2023 Bird of the Year.
Beyond environmental education, we support participating schools in creating safer, more effective learning environments. This has included practical contributions such as school infrastructure and reflective visibility belts for Grade 12 learners travelling home after afternoon classes.
The Wakkerstroom Grasslands Conservation Centre’s Environmental Education and Awareness Programme raises awareness and engages diverse stakeholders in protecting the rich biodiversity of the Grassland Biome, with a particular focus on preventing the extinction of the Critically Endangered Botha’s Lark.
The programme works with schools, conservation authorities, landowners and livestock owners to empower communities to become stewards of their local environment. As part of BirdLife South Africa’s Empowering People Programme, this work aims to strengthen local livelihoods while protecting threatened species, safeguarding vital ecosystem services and supporting inclusive, community-driven conservation.
Across Daggakraal, Wakkerstroom and Groenvlei, the programme engages teachers, learners, youth and community members through curriculum-aligned learning, outdoor experiences and community awareness activities. It currently works with eight schools and surrounding communities.
For many years, the Flufftail Festival has inspired young people in Gauteng to value and protect one of South Africa’s most vital natural resources: water. Through interactive, curriculum-linked activities, learners explore the importance of wetlands, water conservation and the rich biodiversity these ecosystems support. In a water-scarce country facing the growing impacts of climate change, the festival equips future generations with the knowledge to help safeguard these critical environments.
The festival is named after the Critically Endangered White-winged Flufftail, one of South Africa’s rarest wetland birds and a powerful symbol of the urgent need to protect wetland habitats. By bringing nature closer to urban communities, the festival offers hands-on experiences including bird identification, wetland demonstrations and discussions exploring how healthy ecosystems support biodiversity and people.
Delivered in partnership with organisations including the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), Rand Water and Johannesburg City Parks & Zoo, the festival continues to grow its impact. In 2026, a week-long programme at the Pretoria National Zoological Garden reached approximately 4,000 learners, combining education and exploration to inspire a new generation of environmental stewards.
Each year, BirdLife South Africa selects a Bird of the Year to celebrate a unique species, highlighting conservation successes or raising awareness of threatened birds. The initiative is supported by comprehensive CAPS-aligned learning materials for Grades 4–6, including engaging lesson plans that integrate biodiversity into Mathematics, English, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Life Skills.
The resources explore the featured species’ habitat, distribution, behaviour and conservation, supported by visually engaging infographics and posters. We collaborate with specialist conservation organisations and working groups to ensure the materials are scientifically accurate and relevant, including the Cape Parrot Working Group for the 2023 Cape Parrot and the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust for the 2026 Black Harrier.
Quarterly webinars help educators and facilitators use the resources effectively, often featuring conservation experts and contributors to the learning materials. At the end of the year, participants submit portfolios demonstrating how they have used the resources and receive certificates recognising their contribution to environmental education and conservation.
