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Who we are
The Golden Gate Geo-Explorers have been delivering high quality fieldwork courses in Clarens, Free State since 2022, led by Charl Wessels and supported by a team of local academics and guides.
Charl Wessels
Charl is a former head of Geography and boarding house superintendent at a large high school in East London. He has taught Geography in both the private and state sector for over 35 years. He established the Golden Gate Geo-Explorers in 2022 with the ambition of providing affordable and high-quality fieldwork.
Charl is the head tutor at Golden Gate Geo-Explorers and has overseen the development of all of our courses, resources and local relationships with each of our partners within and beyond the town.
Charl is an ex-rugby and water polo coach and works to encourage youngsters to engage with and embrace the outdoors.
Charl is First Aid trained and is a registered SACE educator.
The Richard Louv experience
Richard Louv, the author of ‘Last Child in the Woods’ wrote: “Kids are plugged into some sort of electronic medium 44 hours per week. More than any generation in history, they’re less likely to be outdoors.” Louv argues that electronics are just one reason. His 2010 book sparked a national movement to get kids to experience nature.
“Nature-deficit disorder describes the human costs of alienation from nature, among them: diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses. The disorder can be detected in individuals, families, and communities.”
“It’s easy to blame the nature-deficit disorder on the kids’ or the parents’, but they also need the help of urban planners, schools, libraries and other community agents to find nature that’s accessible.”
“When you’re sitting in front of a screen, you’re not using all of your senses at the same time. Nowhere than in nature do kids use their senses in such a stimulated way.”
