{"id":46040,"date":"2024-05-29T06:03:17","date_gmt":"2024-05-29T04:03:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/ingcungcu-sunbird-restoration-project-revives-bird-migration-routes-across-cape-flats-with-pollinator-gardens-20240529\/"},"modified":"2025-03-19T22:30:48","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T20:30:48","slug":"ingcungcu-sunbird-restoration-project-revives-bird-migration-routes-across-cape-flats-with-pollinator-gardens-20240529","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peoplespost\/ingcungcu-sunbird-restoration-project-revives-bird-migration-routes-across-cape-flats-with-pollinator-gardens-20240529\/","title":{"rendered":"Ingcungcu Sunbird Restoration Project revives bird migration routes across Cape Flats with pollinator gardens"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Ingcungcu Sunbird Restoration project is spreading its wings, and the news about it, to link the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) with the Boland Mountains via a series of pollinator gardens that will act as stepping stones for migrating sunbirds and sugarbirds crossing the densely urbanised Cape Flats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They did so in a presentation to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Society (BotSoc) at the Pearson House located in TMNP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingcungcu is a Xhosa word meaning \u201clong-billed bird\u201d, or bird with a long beak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fellow members Ceinwen Smith and Joel Simons illustrated the vision, provided data and reported on progress made over the past few years of reintroducing this migration route. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith oversees all aspects of the organisation, while Simons coordinates and runs Ingcungcu\u2019s School Eco Club Programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are reopening this route by planting gardens of carefully selected nectar-producing plants on strategically located school grounds where they act as \u2018filling stations\u2019 for birds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This route is especially important when fires temporarily decimate the vegetation, forcing the birds to leave in search of nectar,\u201d Smith explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Following their presentation, Ingcungcu members displayed their post card product range with members from the Kirstenbosch BotSoc at the Pearson House event.PHOTO: Heleen Boshoff<\/div>\n
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Community and school gardens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is done by connecting isolated patches of critically endangered lowland fynbos and reconnecting urban schools and communities to nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To date, the project has stretched this natural corridor across 14 gardens, eight of which are secured in schools and the others located at community spaces across the Cape Flats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve established a number of gardens on the western side of the Cape Flats like Muizenberg, Retreat, Lavender Hill, connecting the Muizenberg Mountain to Rondevlei and Zandvlei, and the long-term vision is to reach all the way across to Stellenbosch on the right-hand side. As our tagline says, \u2018connecting plants, trees and people\u2019,\u201d Smith added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This work is based around three interconnected pillars of education, fynbos rehabilitation and research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immersive skills development<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur work is facilitating hands-on learning, so really emphasising skill development during engaged, and immersive experiences. Planting fynbos gardens, to actively creating these stepping stone gardens and the research component. \u201cAnd monitoring both the social and the ecological impacts of these spaces that we are creating.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is accomplished through two programmes, the current Eco Club schools programme as well as the Community Garden programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe ran the Community Garden programme for several years which we also call the pollinator programme, which entails working with adults, community members with training and mentorship being the emphasis there to really create spaces for workshops where adults can learn more about fynbos and become public pollinators.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These gardens support biodiversity, create learning spaces and create more access to natural spaces. Thanks to these programmes running together, Smith believes \u201cwe are inspiring biodiversity custodians both from the schools and the communities themselves\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eco Clubs and learners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Simons spoke about Ingcungcu\u2019s impact on schools, saying there are currently Eco Clubs in six schools. For many kids, these clubs are their only interaction with nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThese eco-clubs were set up in the schools where they previously didn\u2019t exist. We simply approached the schools, spoke to the principal, and found a teacher, which ultimately helped us find learners to form Eco Clubs.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Currently, they have enrolled in three high schools in Retreat, namely Sibelius, Crestway and Steenberg; as well as three primary schools: Floreat, Prince George and Harmony Primary School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019re all in somewhat of a cluster, which is seen in the Steenberg area and just on the other side of the M5 and up in the hill. Over two years at these schools, we\u2019ve worked with about 180 learners, we\u2019ve done 120 workshops which take place on the school grounds, either in the classroom or in school gardens,\u201d Simons shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of research, he added that they have recently introduced an arrangement at each school where students are released from class once a month. \u201cAnd then they come into the garden with me and do the monitoring with me to update the data sets for these gardens. So learning those skills is also a very nice way to connect the learners.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ten field trips have taken these learners to places like Kirstenbosch, Intaka Island, Rondevlei Nature Reserve and a few at Princess Vlei, in addition to two camps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These efforts, confronted with realities during the Covid-19 pandemic, led to the creation of a Sunbird and Fynbos workbook for learners in collaboration with authors, and Princess Vlei Forum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe worked on a strategy document as part of Fynbos Corridor Collaboration that can be accessed on their website<\/a>, along with a helpful interactive map which shows species lists by vegetation type,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd then finally,\u201d Smith said, \u201cparticularly through the Pollinating Pride in People programme we created this community of pollinators and entrepreneurs, along with community groups and civic groups.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She illustrated their diverse revenue streams thanks to collaborations from various individuals and organisations sharing similar goals to help fund their efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBe it through art, exhibitions or events, our growth and sustainability is ensured by us wanting the same thing for our city and our people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n