Delta in the Community for the Environment - 25 years in the E.E.Business.

Delta Environmental Centre celebrates an important mile-stone this year with it's 25th Anniversary.The vision of the founder, Norman Bloom (in 1975) coupled with his boundless energy and perseverance has made Delta what it is today. The transformation of the disused, dilapidated and condemned Delta Sewage Works buildings into a leading environmental education centre, is indeed a major achievement. The centre has grown from small beginnings into many different areas of activity-indoor and outdoor
school programmes, holiday programmes, teacher and tertiary level workshops and an environmental consultancy service amongst others. Some 40 000 visitors and learners are involved in Delta's activities annually. A beautiful sensory trail and water wise
garden has been developed to cater for the disabled as well as those who find solace in these tranquil surroundings.

Delta is also playing a prominent and pro-active role in helping to formulate the
environmental element of the new Outcomes - based Curriculum 21.

School Groups:-
School Groups have been attending Environmental Education (E.E.) programmes at Delta since 1986. Teachers make bookings on a wide variety of different topics relevant to their curriculum. Part-time staff present these programmes which are continually evaluated, adapted and improved to satisfy the changing needs of the teachers and learners. In 1999 15 000 learners and their teachers visited Delta to experience the wonders of our environment.

Teacher Workshops:-
In 1999 over 6000 educators from schools and tertiary institutions attend E.E. workshops at Delta and other venues. Most of the work shops are planned in conjunction with the Education Dept. District Officials. With Environment now being a Phase Organiser in Curriculum 2005, great and challenging demands have been placed on Delta's staff and it's resources. Delta works closely with Rhodes University and RAU, the E.E. Curriculum Initiative and the National E.E. Project to ensure that participants receive appropriate training. A teacher training and skills development programme is funded by DANCED. Foundation Phase teachers chosen from different schools undergo an 18 month course culminating in a display of their curriculum work at an Expo. 720 teachers will have completed this course between Nov. 1997 and July 2001.

Extension Service:-
Delta staff run workshops with teachers in other provinces as well as Ecology and Cultural History courses at Melville Koppies for school groups and teachers. Programmes for Youth Club leaders and members are also offered.

Holiday Programmes:-
An exciting variety of programmes are run at Delta during most school holidays.
Children from 6 to 14 are invited to attend these 'Fun Naturally' programmes with a variety of exciting and stimulating themes. 800 children attended these programmes in 1999.

EnviroTeach Magazine:-
Delta, in partnership with I.H.S. Publishers are involved in editing this magazine which is a resource tool for educators. Each edition deals with a relevant theme. It includes learning programme ideas to help teachers in implementing the new curriculum. Workshops are offered to facilitate this process. Water Wise Education and Water Wise Gardening Training workshops are run in partnership with Rand Water. Workshops with school groups and teachers are planned. A variety of appropriate programmes to suite the needs and level of the group are used. In 1999 over 9000 learners participated in these programmes. Some Delta staff have been trained in Water Wise Gardening Practices. These staff members then go to Garden centres and train their staff .

Conferences:-
Delta has a variety of useful venues for conference organisers. The facilities consist of a fully equipped auditorium, a large function room, a number of smaller rooms, catering services and of course the park and tea garden area. The centre is suitable for seminars, workshops, product launches and media conferences. 6000 delegates attended functions of this nature in 1999.

Resource Centre:-
We have a well equipped resource centre containing a large variety of books, articles, videos, slides and photographs dealing with most aspects of the environment. This facility is available for use by appointment, as the Resource Centre operates as a reference library. Photocopying can be arranged.

Consultancy Work:-
A team of experienced and qualified Delta staff members are available to carry out Environmental Consultancy Work.

Delta Park:-
The Centre is situated in a large municipal park which is used extensively in our programmes. A beautiful Water Wise Garden and Sensory Trail has been established near the car park area. The design of this area is such that the physically disabled and elderly can also enjoy taking a stroll along the paths as the beds have been raised and the information boards are also in braille. Just over 300 people visited the Museum as 'casuals' in 1999.

Delta Making Headlines in Environmental Education for Twenty Five Years.

Karen Claxton Remembers...
Karen began working at Delta in 1990 as a part-time education officer and later became Chief Education Officer, a position she held until Jan. 1998 when she left to join her husband in Switzerland. She and her husband have settled down happily and are now proud parents of a boisterous baby girl. We asked her to write down her most lasting memories of the time she spent at Delta. Karen remembers "the Centre fit to bursting with children of all ages; seeing the penny drop as a child understood a concept, sharing new experiences with teachers in the Kruger Park ( a place often visited by Karen in the years she lived here) ;incredible teachers work shops where I learnt so much from teachers who work under difficult circumstances; developing new activities to meet changing needs…..

Of course I remember lost snakes, interminable 'dinosaurs', a disorganised office, missing busses, rearranging programmes at the last minute and exhaustion! Above all I remember with great fondness a wonderfully dynamic, devoted and creative team of individuals prepared to do almost anything at the drop of a hat to further Delta's impact. People who I am honoured to call my friends and without whom Delta would not be the force it is. Delta will always hold a special place in my heart and I am proud to have been associated with such a unique facility.'

A Change of Name- Henning Viljoen Explains
11 Henning Viljoen spent 3 years (1992-1995) at Delta as Executive Officer. During that time Delta was growing rapidly and it became apparent that a change of name was necessary, Henning explains ….

"Although it was accepted that the original idea of exposing city dwellers to the concepts of nature conservation was a good one, it also became more apparent that within the urban environment, there were other aspects of conservation, apart from the natural environment, which had to be addressed. The emergence of a more holistic environmental educational approach in order to promote all aspects of the environment made the existing name ( South African Nature Conservation Centre) seem inappropriate.

Another less important reason for reviewing the Centre's name was the confusion it caused amongst the public and potential stakeholders. The existing name sounded 'official' and it was often mistakenly identified as a Government organisation or the S.A. Nature Foundation. Hence the decision to change the name from South African Nature Conservation Centre to Delta Environmental Centre- an environmental education, training and consultation network."

Geoff Lockwood's Vision for Delta
Geoff has worked at Delta since 1987 and he writes…"Delta's success and continued growth and development has been the result of the combined skills and input from a variety of talented people-staff, advisors, sponsors and board members. This has allowed Delta to take a leading role in environmental education. The talents and skills of individuals or groups on the staff has provided the flexiblity and adaptability which has been our greatest asset.

In 2010 I see Delta as having built further on our achievements, entrenching our position as one of the most dynamic, innovative and credible organisations in Environmental Education. Our staff will be operating in a challenging and exciting atmosphere where skills will be developed on an on-going basis. Teacher training will be an even more important focus of Delta's activities, as well as resource development at all levels. School visits have already (or will soon ) reached the capacity of the Centre building and by 2010 Delta will, through partnerships such as with Rand water and Melville Koppies, be offering a lot more programmes away from the Centre.
Redevelopment of the Florence Bloom Bird Sanctuary will restore this area as a major asset and open the possibility of new activities and programmes.
Delta must continue to remain involved with Education and Environmental authorities, be open to new needs and opportunities; and be creative in developing new products."

THANKS
"Thank you so much for hosting the delegation from Ethiopia…
From all accounts we understand that their visit was a great success….We do hope their visit will strengthen educational co-operation and links between South Africa and Ethiopia.
Colleen Cronk (Co-ordinator)
University of the Witwatersrand.

CONGRATULATIONS!!
Congratulations from all at Earthyear for the first of many 25 years. Keep up the good work and make the world a better place.
James Black.

SPONSOR SUPPORT THROUGH THICK AND THIN AND 25 YEARS: