Annual biodiversity outreach program
In order to mark World Habitat Day 2014 we inaugurated a Biodiversity Outreach Program. High Schools in Tsumeb, as well as the Tsumeb Scouts were invited to take part in a challenge to identify indigenous trees in the surrounding area, with the aim of raising awareness about the woody vegetation in their environment, with an emphasis on protected species, as well as to familiarize them and make them at ease with the use of dichotomous keys in the identification of biota.
Coleen Mannheimer, a Namibian botanist was invited to facilitate the event and develop a course to engage participants, develop useful skills and promote knowledge of, and interest in our plant heritage. Previously a researcher at the National Botanical Research Institute and Curator of the National Herbarium, she is currently a consultant in environmental assessments and baseline vegetation studies. She is editor, author and co-author of a number of well-known books on Namibian flora.
This event is planned to be an annual event, which will be hosted as part of our environmental management program and outreach activities to promote and raise awareness of biodiversity protection.