Tsumeb

Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb recently invited selected senior learners from Tsumeb secondary schools as well as the Tsumeb scouts to join in celebrating World Habitat Day.

During their visit the learners took part in a field competition, which entailed identifying indigenous trees and shrubs in the surrounding areas of Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb mine. The purpose of inviting learners was to familiarise them with important Namibian woody plant species as well as the use of dichotomous keys in the identification of biota. The guest speaker at the event was Coleen Mannheimer, a Namibian botanist with over 20 years’ experience of Namibian plants.  Coleen is also an editor, author and co-author of a number of well-known books on Namibian plant life.

The learners were given a presentation about the Namibian plant heritage to endow them with useful skills and stimulate their knowledge about plants. The four teams that participated in the field competition were Etosha Secondary School, Tsumeb Secondary School, Otjikoto Secondary School and the Tsumeb scouts.

The first prize stationery voucher valued at N$2 000 went to the Tsumeb scouts, the second prize stationery voucher of N$1 500 went to Tsumeb Secondary School and the third prize stationery voucher of N$ 1000 went to Etosha Secondary School.

All four teams received copies of two books for their libraries, namely, Field Guide to the Wildflowers of the Central Highlands of Namibia and Rare and Endangered Birds of Namibia. “This was the second annual Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb biodiversity outreach programme. The challenge level was deliberately made higher than last year, but the pupils excelled, so I suggest next year we raise the intensity of the competition again,” said Louis Nel, the health, safety and  environmental manager at Dundee Precious Metals Tsumeb.