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Treverton Environmental Education |
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Treverton incorporated environmental educational as a focus in their ethos, curriculum and programmes in the 1970's, because of the vision of Mr Derek Hudson-Reed and the hard work of Prep teacher, Mr Don Richards. This process was given a tremendous boost in 2000 with development of the Treverton Wildlife Area.This incorporated a threatened grassland ecotone. More recently, the TWA has been recognised by KZN Wildlife as an area of conservational significance.
Over the years Treverton has developed a reputation both nationally and internationally, being a leader in Environmental Education and/or Education for Sustainable Development at school level:
- In 2000 Treverton was runner-up in the Natural Resources Section of the Green Trust Awards and awarded the Site of Conservation Significance Status by the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
- In 2001 Treverton was awarded the Green Trusts' Overall Winners prize.
- In 2002 The Volvo (South Africa) Environmental Awards awarded Treverton second place and in 2003 outstanding acknowledgements.
- For five consecutive years Treverton received the ECO-Schools Green Flag (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009) and in 2009 Treverton earned their International Flag. Since 2009, Treverton has received their Platinum Certificate Award (2010, 2011 and 2012).
International Environmental Involvement
In 1982 Treverton hosted the first International Environmental Education Conference in Southern Africa at which the Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA) was formed. In 2004 Treverton hosted the EEASA and ENO conferences. ENO-Environment Online is a global virtual school for environmental awareness ( http://eno.joensuu.fi).
In 2007, Janet Snow, the Treverton Environmental Education Liason officer, facilitated the World Environmental Education Congress and was appointed the leader for ENO-Africa (http://www.enoafrica.org). Treverton Environmental Education
Treverton's environmental education has grown from predominately external environmental awareness projects to the incorporation of age-related, teacher and/or pupil-driven participatory processes, activity and action-based projects, and information & communication technology (ICT) components at the College and the Prep. These allow full use of the Treverton Wildlife Area and are integrated into the curriculum at all levels until the Grade 7 year, when Environmental Education becomes a stand-alone subject.
At almost any given week of the year a class will be seem reinforcing their theoretical lessons outdoors.
Examples of activities are:
- theme-based awareness processes incorporating field visits and investigation-based reporting followed by activity processes such as examining water management concepts and water sampling or looking at specifics like ants or birds;
- wetland studies which would include an action-based component such as the rehabilitation of the wetland on the TWA;
- researched-based projects such as a local environmental issues around the Mooi River Land Fill Site;
- evaluating ecological footprints and handprints via ENO-Environment Online;
- activity-based projects like exotic plant control and the establishment of grassland transects so that a burning programme can be established.
Recognition of Environmental Efforts
Treverton was the first South African school to introduce school colours and awards for environmental projects undertaken by pupils.
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