The new Living Coast signs installed at Grotto East have got people talking.
At last week’s launch, designer Ryan Peter said he believed they would set a standard for the African continent, possibly the Southern Hemisphere.
They are the latest in the Living Coast project, launched more than two decades ago as part of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s (DFFE) CoastCare initiative that installed coastal interpretive signs at beaches across the country.
Each sign includes features that make information accessible to all. Those with poor eyesight, wheelchair users, children and blind visitors can access the information indepen- dently.
Languages include English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa and isiZulu. The Hermanus prototypes feature English and Afrikaans text with Braille, while Afrikaans digital guides are already available. Other languages will be introduced as the series expands.
Adding value to the signs, QR codes provide access to a much larger digital library, extending each installation’s educational value.
The unveiling forms part of the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa’s (WESSA) celebration of 25 years of the Blue Flag programme in South Africa.
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