Getting to Know Fynbos

Getting to Know Fynbos is an introductory guide to the Fynbos Biome and its ecology. It was prepared specifically for use in teacher training programmes at colleges, but should be useful for senior secondary scholars, university undergraduates and even the interested layman.

The programme was designed around the requirements of the ecology syllabus (1990) of the teacher training colleges in the southwestern Cape. A number of lecturers and students from such colleges were consulted during the programme development. This ensured that the various concepts are presented in such a manner as to be useful for the design of worksheets, assignments, etc. related to the syllabus.

The programme begins with an overview of the major plant formations found in South Africa and then concentrates on the vegetation types found in the southwestern and southern Cape. The main emphasis is placed on the Cape Fynbos Shrublands, where important physical and biological factors are highlighted so that a basic knowledge of fynbos ecology can be grasped.