Please Note:
Volunteers receive a $100 discount when joining multiple Enkosini
programs.
Enkosini
uses USD rates as standard due to currency fluctuations. GBP rates
are indications of approx recent values. Currency convertor at
www.xe.com.
Qualification
includes:
Level 1 Nature Guide Skills Program
Wilderness First Aid Certificate
Also included:
Meals and accommodation for the duration of the course
Conservation fees for traversing on Amakhala
Uniform
Various external field trips
Organizing all of your FGASA communication for you
Formal and practical tuition for all subjects
All FGASA fees (assessment, exam,
subscription, registration, moderation, manuals, workbooks, logbooks,
prescribed literature and certification) for the duration of the course
The only
additional spending money required will be for personal purchases, pre/post
course travel (airfare, ground transfers) and travel/medical insurance.
Dates
8 April 15 June 2013
15 July 21 September 2013
7 October 14 December 2013
13 January 22 March 2014
14 April 21 June 2014
14 July 20 September 2014
06 October 13 December 2014
Please bear in mind that the sooner you
apply, the better your chances of securing your placement!
Transport
The closest town to Amakhala
is Port Elizabeth.
Flights
and buses are available from
Johannesburg and Cape Town to Port Elizabeth. Arrangements will be made
for the Amakhala staff to collect incoming participants from either the
Port Elizabeth airport or bus station (R600 ZAR each way). Amakhala is approximately 70 kms (45 minutes) from Port Elizabeth.
Flights
and buses can be booked online at www.kulula.com
and www.computicket.com,
respectively.
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FGASA LEVEL 1 SYLLABUS -
Module 1 - Introduction to
Guiding in the Natural Environment
On completion of this module you will:
1) Have an understanding of what a
professional nature guide does in terms of job function and where s/he fits
into the tourism guiding industry.
2) Know what the aims of nature guiding are.
3) Have an understanding of guiding ethics
and how to carry out an ethical guided experience in the natural
environment.
4) Have been introduced to a set of guiding
principles and a code of conduct for guides from both a FGASA and a
Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) point of view.
5) Have an understanding of the legal
requirements pertaining to tourism guiding, qualification, certification,
and registration.
Module 2 - Creating a
Guided Nature Experience
On completion of this module you will:
1) Be able to carry out a pre-briefing
before embarking on a guided experience.
2) Be aware of determining any medical
considerations of your clients.
3) Be able to determine if your clients have
any special interests before departing on the guided experience.
4) Have the ability to involve all of your
clients as individuals in the guided experience.
5) Take into consideration the environmental
factors when it comes to the comfort of your clients.
6) Have enhanced communication skills for
guiding in the natural environment.
7) Be able to carry out research on
potentially interesting sites.
8) Approach animals taking into consideration
all the client and animal factors which will affect the approach.
9) Be able to orientate yourself during the
day and at night making use of a number of methods to do so.
10) Know what procedures to follow when lost
and have the ability to find water and edible food in the natural
environment.
11) Be able to interpret all aspects of the
natural environment to enhance the experience of your clients.
Module 3 - Geology
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know what the meaning of geology is.
2) Have a basic understanding of what the
Earth consists of.
3) Know how rocks are classified.
4) Understand how igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic rocks are formed.
5) Know what a mineral is and be able to
give a few examples.
6) Have an understanding and knowledge of a
few common rock types.
7) Know the weathering properties of some
common rock types.
8) Have an understanding of the
interrelationships between rocks, soil, climate, vegetation, and
animals.
Module 4 - Astronomy (Night Sky)
On completion of this module you will:
1) Be able to understand by definition
what is meant by a universe, galaxy and solar system.
2) Know the position of the nine planets in
the solar system in terms of their distance from the sun.
3) Be able to point out the constellations of
Orion, Scorpio, and the Southern Cross.
4) Be able to determine a southerly direction
making use of the Southern Cross.
5) Be able to describe the phases of the moon
as it is viewed from Earth.
6) Know what is meant by an eclipse and how
to differentiate between a lunar and a solar eclipse in terms of the
positioning of the sun, Earth and moon.
7) Know how the ocean tides are affected by
the moon.
Module 5 - Weather and Climate
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know the difference between weather and
climate.
2) Understand the process of cloud
formation.
3) Know the different types and names of
clouds and what weather conditions are associated with these different
cloud types and how this may affect the guiding experience.
4) Know the different types of local wind
conditions that may apply to the area of guiding operation.
5) Be able to describe the four major
influences on the Southern African climate.
6) Understand the general summer and winter
conditions of Southern Africa.
Module 6 - Basic Ecology
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know what ecology is and how important
an understanding of ecology is for the nature guide.
2) Have an understanding of the major
components of ecosystems.
3) Be able to explain the different levels
of organisation in ecology.
4) Know what trophic pyramids, food chains,
and food webs are and how to give an explanation of these.
5) Be able to give an explanation of the
nutrient cycle.
6) Be able to give an explanation and
examples of symbiotic relationships.
7) Know what predation is and the various
types of competition that occurs in the natural environment.
Module 7
- Basic
Taxonomy
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know what the meaning of taxonomy is.
2) Have an understanding of why and how
living organisms are classified.
3) Be able to name the six kingdoms of living
organisms.
4) Be able to place living organisms into the
hierarchical order of classification.
Module 8 - Introduction to the Biomes of Southern
Africa
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know what a biome is.
2) Be able to name the seven major biomes
in Southern Africa.
3) Be able to explain the biomes in terms
of the amount of seasonal rainfall and temperature.
4) Know what the main indicator species are
for each of the biomes in terms of animals and dominant vegetation
types.
Module 9 -
Botany and Grasses
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know the anatomy of a tree.
2) Know how to identify a tree and thus be
able to apply this knowledge to identify any tree in Southern Africa.
3) Be able to give some interesting facts
about trees in terms of general uses, medicinal uses and traditional
beliefs associated with specific trees.
4) Know the anatomy of a grass plant.
5) Know how to identify a grass plant and
thus be able to apply this knowledge to identify any grass plant in
Southern Africa.
6) Know the differences between sweet and
sour veld.
7) Be able to explain grassland succession.
8) Understand what is meant by the
ecological status and the grazing value of grasses.
Module 10 - Arthropods
(Insects & Relatives)
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know what an arthropod is.
2) Know what the characteristics of insects
are.
3) Be able to explain the three different
types of insect life-cycles and give examples of each.
4) Understand why insects are so successful
and the ecological importance of insects.
5) Have a basic understanding of insect
flight and their feeding behaviour.
6) Be able to identify common insect
orders.
7) Be able to explain the difference
between insects and spiders.
8) Know what the characteristics of the
Arachnida are and be able to place spiders into two main sub-orders.
9) Know how to recognise the venomous
spiders in Southern Africa which are of medical importance to human
beings and know what type of venom they have.
10) Know what the characteristics of
scorpions are and how to distinguish between the two main types of
scorpions.
11) Know what the differences are between
millipedes and centipedes and their particular feeding behaviour.
Module 11 - Amphibians
(Frogs & Toads)
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know the characteristics of the class of
amphibians.
2) Be able to explain the differences
between frogs and toads.
3) Understand the life cycle of frogs and
toads and be able to explain metamorphosis.
4) Be able to explain mating postures,
nests and types of eggs of frogs and toads.
5) Be able to name and explain the
different types of frog calls.
6) Be able to identify some of the more
common frogs by their calls.
Module 12 - Reptiles
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know the characteristics of the class of
reptiles.
2) Be able to identify the features of the
three reptile orders.
3) Be able to identify the features of
turtles, tortoises, and terrapins. 4) Be able to identify the features
of skinks, lizards, agamas, geckos, chameleons, monitors, and snakes.
5) Know how to identify the more common
species of snakes as well as the potentially lethal families and species
of snakes.
6) Be able to name the different types of
snake venom, symptoms and effects.
7) Be able to classify snakes in terms of
the different teeth structures. 8) Know the different types of
reproduction in snakes.
9) Have a basic understanding of the senses
of snakes.
10) Know some interesting facts about
reptiles.
Module 13 - Fish
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know what a fish is.
2) Be able to label the external anatomy of
a fish.
3) Understand the ecological importance of
fish.
4) Be able to explain how fish reproduce
and grow.
5) Know the different types of fish feeding
behaviour.
6) Understand how fish move through water.
7) Be able to explain the concepts of
neutral buoyancy and the swim bladder.
8) Know how the lateral line system works
in fish and why it is important.
9) Be able to identify common species of
fish.
Module 14 - Birds
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know the characteristics of the class of
birds.
2) Understand difference between passerines
and non-passerines.
3) Be able to give explanations of the
various feeding methods and type of food that birds eat.
4) Be able to point out examples of
prominent bird species nests.
5) Be able to give a basic explanation of
commonly displayed bird behaviour.
6) Know how to identify birds making use of
the various identification pointers.
7) Be able to identify the prominent and
common bird species.
Module 15 - Mammals
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know the characteristics of the class of
mammals.
2) Know the characteristics of the
sub-classes of mammals.
3) Be able to explain the foot structure
and digestive systems of ruminants and hindgut fermenters.
4) Be able to give the basic physical
characteristics, social and feeding habits, habitat and distribution of
the common species of mammals.
5) Be able to differentiate between males
and females of common mammal species.
6) Have basic behavioural knowledge of the
main indicator species ("Flagship") of Southern Africa.
Module 16 - Animal Behavior
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know what animal behaviour is.
2) Understand the different grouping
behaviour of animals.
3) Be able to explain the different forms of
animals communication making use of relevant examples.
4) Have an understanding of various types of
animal protective behaviour.
5) Be able to explain the differences between
animal home-ranges and territories.
6) Be able to identify and interpret animal
signs and sounds.
Module 17 - Conservation Management & Historical Human
On completion of this module you will:
1) Know what conservation practices are used
in the natural environment.
2) Understand why and how these conservation
practices are carried out.
3) Know what a Transfrontier/Peace Park is
and be able to give some examples.
4) Know what a Biosphere Reserve is, why they
are established and be able to give some examples of working Biosphere
Reserves.
5) Have knowledge and an understanding of the
early human inhabitants of Southern Africa.
6) Be able to explain the three Stone Age
periods that took place in Southern Africa and some of the more interesting
Stone Age sites and their significance.
7) Be able to explain the characteristics of
the Iron Age sites in Southern Africa and their significance.
8) Have an understanding of the distribution
of traditional Southern African cultures.
This module 17 will cover
the absolute basics in terms of the topics included, and is thus only a very
brief introduction to conservation management and historical human
habitation of Southern Africa.
The conservation
management section of this module will include the following:
1) The use of fire as a management tool
2) Bush encroachment and alien plant control
3) Erosion control
4) Road maintenance
5) Animal population control
6) Water provision and water-hole rotation
The historical human
habitation section of this module will include the following:
1) A brief history of humans in Southern
Africa (Early/Middle/Later Stone Ages, Iron Age)
2) The distribution of traditional Southern
African cultures based on language
