Indigenous Plant Species Protection Identification and Application Training

Learning Outcomes

• Identify common indigenous plant species using botanical keys and field guides.
• Apply relevant legislation and ethical guidelines for the protection of indigenous plants.
• Demonstrate methods for sustainable harvesting and propagation of indigenous species.
• Analyze the ecological and cultural importance of indigenous plants in South African ecosystems.
• Implement protection measures to prevent illegal trade and habitat destruction.
• Evaluate the impact of invasive species on indigenous plant communities.

Target Audience

Environmental officers, conservation practitioners, land managers, tourism guides, and anyone involved in natural resource management or eco-tourism who needs to comply with indigenous plant protection regulations.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment

Course Outline

Practicals

Overview

Practical sessions provide hands-on experience in plant identification, field surveying, and sustainable harvesting techniques. Learners will apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings to reinforce conservation principles and legal compliance.

Practical Activities

• Plant Identification Walk — Guided walk through a natural area to identify at least 15 indigenous plant species using field guides and keys. (3h)
• Vegetation Survey and Data Recording — Conduct a simple vegetation survey using transect and quadrat methods, recording species composition and abundance. (3h)
• Sustainable Harvesting Demonstration — Demonstrate and practice ethical harvesting of plant parts (leaves, bark, roots) for medicinal or craft use. (2h)
• Conservation Plan Presentation — In small groups, develop and present a conservation management plan for a local indigenous plant species. (2h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total

Component	Out of	Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored)	100%	30%
Daily Average (multiple choice)	100%	20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice)	100%	50%
Final Total	—	100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

How it works

• Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
• Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
• You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
• If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.

Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates	Discount
5	3% off
10	6% off
15	9% off
20	12% off
25	15% off
30	18% off
50	30% off
75	35% off
100	40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.