At FOVS, education and conservation go hand in hand.

Our Conservation Internship Programme (CIP) is about giving young people real experience in the field—and opening up opportunities for them to build their futures in conservation.

Recently, our five Conservation Interns, together with FOVS Director Dominick Marshall-Smith, Supervisor Siphokazi “Siphs” Mtengwana, and Superintendent Siyamthanda “Siya” Ndotshayisa, spent the day at Elands Wholesale Nursery. It was a chance to see what goes into running a large-scale nursery and to learn skills that could open doors for them after their internships.

The group got stuck in, learning about seed propagation, plant cuttings, irrigation systems, pest control, packaging, and how plants are prepared for distribution. They also spent time understanding soil—how things like drainage, aeration, and organic matter can make all the difference to plant health. They even saw how Elands produces its own mulch and bark chips to support sustainable growing practices.

Experiences like these give our interns a better understanding of what’s possible—from nursery work and landscape restoration to running their own environmental businesses one day.

We are proud of how far the Interns have come, and days like this remind us why we do what we do: growing skills, growing knowledge, and growing futures—one flower at a time.

A heartfelt thank you to the team at Elands Wholesale Nursery for opening their doors to us, sharing their knowledge, and inspiring our future conservation leaders.

Your support can help a young person find their path, develop real-world skills, and make a lasting impact on our environment. Every donation to our CIP directly supports training, mentorship, and opportunities like these.

If you would like to be part of their journey, please get in touch:
📧 info@fovs.co.za
📞 082 046 2530

Together, we can plant seeds of hope—for today, and for the future.