CAPE FLATS FOREST
📍 Cape Flats, Cape Town, SA 🌱 Planting: May 2022
Seeding a youth-led regeneration movement.
1,200
300
Trees
Square Meters
17
Native Species
1,024
Youth Impacted
In Partnership with
Before
The Cape Flats Forest was an ambitious project with a strong educational focus, brought to life through a collaboration between SUGi and SEED, a Permaculture Design School based in Mitchell’s Plein, just outside Cape Town.
This SUGi Pocket Forest adds to the vibrant green campus, which already boasts outdoor classrooms, compost toilets, food gardens, and seed gardens. It also opens the door for the school to become a hub for future Miyawaki Forest Makers, providing a hands-on learning opportunity for the next generation of environmental stewards.
13 Months
The forest, situated on the school grounds, plays a key role in addressing the high youth unemployment rate in the area. SEED provides free permaculture training, aiming to inspire and equip young people with the skills they need to build thriving, resilient communities. The program emphasizes sustainable food systems, innovative technologies, social entrepreneurship, and transformative education.
Mzanzi Organics already has a strong partnership with the school, offering SEED students a one-month practical internship as part of their broader permaculture training. This collaboration provides hands-on experience and deepens the impact of SEED's mission.
Forest Reports: 2023
Forest Age
8 Months
Survival Rate
95%
Average Tallest Trees
1.9m
Robins, dirk kops, sparrows and yellow weavers have all been spotted in the forest over the past few months, especially in the early mornings.
They have said the following about the social and environmental impact so far:
"It has definitely changed the scenery. We are happy to have this Biome" - Ashraf (Garden Team Leader).
“We have seen new insects, butterflies and you can hear that there are more birds chirping. Socially, we use the Miyawaki Class Room for our meetings, dancing, and staff check-ins. I find it therapeutic when taking phone calls in the forest while walking and sending voice notes. I noticed many other people doing that too. We have also used the outdoor classroom for braais (bbq), making fires, for graduation, and especially for taking photos and videos!" - Mila (Seed Permaculture Facilitator).
