Celebrate Arbor Week at the Johannesburg Zoo

There will also be a demonstration on reptiles like snakes

RELATED LINKS: Soweto invests in leafy green gold COINCIDING with Arbor Week from 1 to 7 September, Siyathuthuka, a City Parks initiative to encourage a cleaner and greener environment, was launched by the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry in Phiri, Soweto. Read more Arbor Day brings trees of life to HIV patients SPENDING time in the relaxing natural surroundings of a garden can contribute to your good health, and that's what has been prescribed for patients at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. Read more We're living in an urban forest IT'S official – there are six million trees in Johannesburg. On satellite pictures, the city looks like a rain forest, albeit man-made. There are 1,2 million trees within the parks and on the pavements, and 4,8 million in private gardens. Read more Johannesburg Zoo THE zoo is one of the treasures of Johannesburg, a source of enjoyment and relaxation for locals and foreign visitors alike. It occupies sprawling grounds in central Parktown, with numerous trees, water features and beautiful walks around the various enclosures. Read more

One of the trees to be planted during Arbor Week is the false cabbage

Zoo plans Arbor Week plant TO celebrate national Arbor Week, the Johannesburg Zoo is inviting school children to get their hands dirty. August 25, 2005 By Sipho Maduna SCHOOL children will pitch in to help staff at Johannesburg Zoo plant baobabs and false cabbage trees at the zoo on Arbor Day, Friday, 2 September, to celebrate national Arbor Week. "The Arbor Week celebration raises awareness of the importance of trees in our community," says Senzo Ngcobo, the zoo's marketing co-ordinator. A total of 18 schools, including for blind and for deaf children, have been invited to participate in the Arbor Day programmes. More than 3 000 school children are expected to attend the function. Arbor Week's theme is "Plant a tree to grow our future". Trees are important as a source of building material, food and medicine; they produce oxygen; and they beautify the environment. On Arbor Day the zoo will hold informative programmes about trees, herbs and animals, which are open to the public. Talk about Trees, an educational programme, explores the importance of indigenous trees and explains how to plant them. It also covers the important role plants play as producers of oxygen, which is vital for life. Talk about Herbs focuses on how and when to plant herbs, and the names of different herbs. It takes place at the site herb garden at the zoo's Education Centre. Activities are not limited to flora; there will also be educational talks about animals. "There will be a demonstration on reptiles like snakes, terrapins, skinks and tortoises, that will look at how they adapt to the environment," says zoo educationist Imelda Matlala. A demonstration on rabbits includes information on how they live in burrows and how they adapt to the environment. The programme would not be complete without the tree planting at the Camel Lawn. Zoo staff and school children will help plant baobabs and false cabbage trees, the two chosen trees of the year. Louise Gordon, the education manager, will deliver a talk at noon. All participating schools will be given free trees. The children will be given lunch and educational material from Total South Africa, Food and Trees for Africa, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism and the Johannesburg Zoo. The day's events start at 10am on Friday, 2 September. For more information and to book for programmes during Arbor Week, contact Lawrence Tshokgohle or Imelda Matlala on 011 646 2000, extension 262. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za