Woodlands and Worker Bees

The Global Navigators had a chance to show off their muscles and put their teamwork skills to the test! After breakfast, we jumped into the truck and were driven deep into the Nature Reserve. Why, you ask? To not only learn about land rehabilitation but to put it into practice. "Brush packing" is where a dominant/overgrown species, i.e. trees or brush, is cut down. Then the branches are separated and spread out across an area that is struggling to produce any new growth. The protection from the branches helps new grass and vegetation to grow while protecting it from both the elements and animal grazing. Not only does this help diversify the species of plants growing, but it corresponds to the reserve's carrying capacity. Rangers at Mokolodi frequently do a count of all the animal species in the park. One of their many jobs is to make sure that there is enough vegetation and food for the animals in the reserve. The Navigators weren't afraid to get their hands dirty, jumping right in to help cut, move, and disperse the trees. It was hard and sweaty work, but by the time we were finished, we had helped cover a very large section of land. 

After resting and grabbing some lunch (a fan favorite: burgers and fries), the Navigators got back into the truck and headed out for a game drive. We saw a giraffe, kudu, and wildebeest after about an hour had passed. Around sunset, our truck headed over to the McCall Campsite and gave the Navigators some time to explore. Afterward, we walked over towards a nearby watering hole to watch the sunset. Once we got there, we were greeted by two giraffe who had come for a drink. We were all fairly distracted by the giraffes, but still managed to catch the end of the sunset. The sun setting over the water was mindblowing. 

We came back from the adventure to eat dinner. The students also worked on one of their assignments, creating a population map of an animal from Botswana. However, the day clearly wiped the navigators out, because most of them called it an early night and headed to sleep. Tomorrow promises to be busy as well, with an upcoming school visit and camping! Stay tuned!