Bring Back The Beasts: Why Rewilding Might Save Britain

I am lucky enough to live at Cannwood, at the centre of a growing inkblot of nature restoration on farms in Somerset’s Brewham Valley that are working to restore a long-gone hunting forest known as Selwood. This great forest was never that of our collective imagination: a kind of dense, dark closed-canopy affair. Selwood was, in fact, a vast mosaic wood pasture, not so different from the wildwood that blanketed nearly all of Britain in pre-history. Selwood was converted into the patchwork quilt of neon green fields and neatly clipped hedges we see today not so very long ago, perhaps a century or two. With it went a natural vibrancy and an abundance of wildlife that we can barely conceive of today.

Among the species lost from Selwood were Britain’s own keystone species. Keystone species are those animals who play a disproportionately vital role in maintaining ecosystems, and on which therefore all the other species depend. In the same way that each arch of a medieval bridge is supported by a keystone that, if removed, causes the arch to collapse, it is now understood that the balance of ecosystems also hinges upon the activities of certain species that create so-called trophic cascades that bring exponential benefits to everything else.

Principal among the keystones of Selwood were the native horned cattle belonging to the people living and farming here, who turned them out to roam freely across an unenclosed landscape. Horned cattle are descended from the fearsome wild ox or aurochs that may have survived in the wild in Britain until at least Roman times. The browsing, grazing and trampling of these large herbivores prevents the darkness of the tree canopy from closing over the landscape, instead engineering semi-open woodland punctuated by sun-dappled glades and meandering grazing lawns in which wildflowers, berry-laden scrub and small fruit trees may flourish.

The native horned cattle free-roams at Selwood

A second keystone was the pig, herded domestically for millennia, and its untamed, curious, sensitive, social cousin the wild boar, which lives in matriarchal family groups known as sounders. These are nature’s gardeners, whose incessant rootling and turning of the ground exposes the bare soil for the benefit of plants whose seeds require open ground for germination. All kinds of plants have disappeared from our landscapes in the absence of this rootling; from delicate, annual grasses and wildflowers such as poppies and scarlet pimpernel, to trees such as black poplar, aspen and sallow – from which the word Selwood is derived. Many songbirds too depend on pigs to access bugs and other food in the earth, and all kinds of fungi and microorganisms are propagated through the landscape by pigs.

A third is the beaver, hunted to extinction in Britain by the middle ages. By building dams, beavers create strings of pools that have the appearance of gently ascending Japanese rice terraces. These beaver-made wetlands and wet woodlands, sunlit by the felling of trees, are one of the lushest, most naturally abundant habitats we have in our country. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the wolf is our own apex predator, whose hunting maintains healthy populations of wild herbivores, keeps their numbers in check, and keeps the herds on the move. To some extent humans have usurped the wolf, whose role we do our best to fulfil, poorly it turns out, as deer numbers continue to grow out of control.

Our big idea here in Selwood is inspired by Knepp, a big former industrial farm on poor land in Sussex whose owners, Charlie Burrell and Isabella Tree, exasperated by years of economic losses, took the decision two decades ago to embark on a grand experiment: rewilding. Charlie and Isabella’s plan was to allow natural processes and self-willed wood pasture to return across all of their farm. Without any fixed outcomes in mind, they turned out native, domestic proxies for the keystone species.

They chose hardy breeds that can live outside all year round without supplementary feeding. Old English longhorn cattle were used in place of aurochs; Tamworth pigs for wild boar; and Exmoor ponies for Europe’s
long-extinct wild horse, the tarpan. Red and fallow deer were added to the mix. At Knepp, all these rewilded animals are free to roam where they like, eat what they like, sleep where they like.

Across the entire landscape a shape-shifting wood pasture has grown up, rich in scrub and in wildflowers, a mosaic of habitats that teems with wildlife in an abundance that we are unused to seeing in Britain today. Isabella’s bestselling book, Wilding, charts the astonishing recovery of nature through rewilding that is unfolding at Knepp, and the surging return of species that are disappearing almost everywhere else in Britain: turtle doves, nightingales, white storks, kingfishers, all five British species of owl and countless other species are present in unfathomable numbers. Populations of insects and small mammals are sky-rocketing, and with them everything that depends on them for food. Most astonishingly, Knepp has never been so profitable.

Here in Selwood, farmers in our growing cluster are ripping out fencing and field drains, filling in ditches, opening up gaps in hedges and replacing their sheep and commercial cattle with free-roaming Old English Longhorns equipped with NoFence collars that respond to an invisible, moveable boundary. A re-emergent wood pasture, now so rare in Britain, is beginning to shine all around us. Surveyed moth, butterfly, bird and bat numbers are rising fast. Beavers are back, and on dark summer nights glow-worms hang once again suspended in iridescent patterns over their pools.

If nature is wealth, Britain ranks among the poorest countries on Earth. We can barely conceive of the magic and natural abundance that was known by previous generations. Thankfully, public demands are now growing for the restoration of nature and rewilding, on which we depend for everything we have and everything we do. In December 2022, Britain joined the nations of the world in pledging to restore 30 percent of our land to natural health and 30 percent of our sea by 2030. Our national parks and other less agriculturally productive landscapes, which contribute a minuscule proportion of our national food production, are the obvious areas in which to centre these efforts. And it is families that have farmed these landscapes for generations who are best placed to lead them.

Farming communities are in many ways the soul and the backbone of our country. In our least productive landscapes, and especially within our national parks, their hordes of sheep have become hopelessly non-viable in economic terms, unable to provide a decent living. As the average age of sheep farmers creeps ever higher, their take-home income creeps ever lower. In sheep farming, there are now no winners, only losers. In landscapes dominated by sheep the ruination of nature has gone hand in hand with economic and social decline.

The role of native horned cattle as a keystone species offers us a kind of silver bullet in these places. The dramatic recovery of nature through rewilding can go hand-in-hand with continued, albeit reduced, food production and the breathing of new economic life into our remoter landscapes. The switching from non-native sheep to native horned cattle will give us swathes of restored wood pasture, currently so rare in Britain. Landscapes like Selwood can once again play host to an extraordinary array and abundance of wildlife, of the kind that we have simply forgotten can exist here. Once you’ve visited a place like Knepp, or now Selwood, and have experienced for yourself a wall of birdsong so intense that it feels overwhelming, everywhere else seems colourless and silent by comparison.

God is an Octopus by Ben Goldsmith (£20, Bloomsbury) is out now.

Featured image from Pexels, by Lauri Poldre.

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Read the C&TH Responsible Tourism Guide

Hotel Review: Chewton Glen, Hampshire

If you’re heading to Chewton Glen in the glorious New Forest any time soon, you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve landed in the African savannah. This legendary country-house hotel now features some 19 lion sculptures (inspired by Elsa, who else?) prowling (statically) around the grounds.

The superb life-size sculptures at Chewton Glen are the works of artists Gillie and Marc, who launched Love The Last, a worldwide art project that shines a spotlight on our critically endangered animals by bringing them, in particular, to urban areas so that everyone can create a connection with them. If ever this is needed, it’s now: in the last 50 years, 70 percent of the world’s wildlife has been lost. 

Thrillingly, in September, A Wild Life for WildLife in London arrives for a year-long project by London Bridge. Passersby might be intrigued to sit down and join a game of chess with a white rhino and Dogman, or gaze at a giraffe being fed acacia spaghetti by Rabbitwoman. Dogman and Rabbitwoman are half-human/half animal hybrid characters conceived as an autobiographical tale of two opposites coming together as best friends and soulmates. It reminds us that we need to reset our symbiotic relationship with wildlife, which can be lost in our urban upbringings. 

Before that, though, Chewton Glen has stepped up to the conservation plate and is showcasing the plight of the king of the jungle by displaying sculptures of real-life lions. There’s Christian, the cub who was bought from Harrods, no less, and then successfully returned to the wild; and there’s Makena, who now lives in the Born Free-protected Meru National Park, and has cubs of her own. All are available to purchase, with proceeds going to Born Free.

Make sure you book into one of the just-unveiled Croquet Suites: these super spacious rooms have doors that open straight out onto the emerald green pitch, as well as squashy sofas, large bathrooms and all the conveniences you need. 

The New Forest itself is, of course, one of the UK’s most beautiful national parks, so get out and discover our very own wildlife – especially those cute-as-a-button native ponies that roam the scrub, the woods and even the town centres. But there’s also more intrigue for the curious eye, including 2,600 kinds of beetles and all six of the UK’s native reptile species, from grass snakes to sand lizards. 

BOOK IT

Doubles from £420 per night B&B. chewtonglen.com

Find out more about the Born Free Foundation sculptures here.

The post The Lion Sleeps Tonight: Chewton Glen, Hampshire – Hotel Review appeared first on Country and Town House.

Interview with Roberto Klabin

Photo by Felipe Castellari

Flying across the Pantanal with Roberto Klabin offers a lesson in what one person can do if they put their mind to it. When his father died in 1983, the wealthy paper manufacturer’s family was left a quarter of a million hectares of grasslands in southwest Brazil. Like many other Brazilian landowners, some of the beneficiaries used their share of the land to ranch cattle. But with his own 131,000 acres, Roberto wanted to do something different.

Like the Serengeti in Africa, Roberto explains to me as we flit over the grasslands in his Cessna 206, the Pantanal is a vast depression – 81,000 square miles of grasslands covering Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia. And like the Okavango Delta in Botswana, in rainy season the area becomes a giant floodplain, with rivers feeding into it from the plains above.

Photo by Layla Motta

The problem is, he says, as we pass over islands of thick forests and wide rivers snaking through the grasslands, was that big agricultural business soon realised the area had the perfect resources for industrial farming. If they diverted the water, they could grow rice and soy beans and if they cut the forest, they could breed cattle. Slowly, they started a circle: the more crops and cattle they introduced, the more the wildlife disappeared. And the more fertiliser and pesticides they used, the more the birds died.

Early Adopter

In 1986, seeing the devastating effects that farming was having on wildlife in the area, Roberto knew he had to do something to halt the decline. So he took himself to Africa – to Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana – to learn how they managed farming alongside conservation. And on his return, armed with information, he drew up a plan to transform his farm into the Pantanal’s first cattle-cum-conservation reserve.

A quarter of a century later, Casa Caiman is a model for Brazilian conservationists who want to combine rewilding with low-impact agriculture. At its heart is a 5,300-hectare, dense area of forest that can never be cut down – and in which creatures can live undisturbed. Nearby, there are comfortable farm buildings in which tourists can stay and spot wildlife; stables from which they can ride; an organic farm to provide produce; and a small herd of cattle to keep the grasses at an optimum level. And housed in a research station is Onçafari, the NGO founded in 2011 by the former racing driver Mario Haberfeld, to research jaguars.

The Future is Bright

The result of his efforts, Roberto says proudly, is a reserve on which wildlife is not just surviving, but thriving. Since Onçafari opened its research station, its scientists have learnt that the Pantanal is home to a greater diversity of life than the Amazon, with more than 2,000 species of plant and 500 kinds of bird, as well as 124 types of mammal, from cute pig-like capybaras and 300kg tapirs to giant anteaters. Jaguars, whose numbers dropped to 150,000 in the wild, have started to thrive and produce cubs – in 2012, only 35 were sighted in his area, Roberto says, whereas in 2021 they saw 1,075. And Hyacinth macaws swoop between acuri and bocaiuva palms to find the nuts that make up their only food. These highly endangered – and extremely beautiful – blue birds, according to a pair of Hyacinth Macaw Project researchers who now live on the ranch, are the only one of the four species of macaws that they’ve managed to save in the wild. Thanks to the NGO, since 1990 their numbers have grown from 2,500 to 6,000.

But their longevity isn’t secured, Roberto says, unless more people come on board and help to preserve the Pantanal – which is why he co-founded the NGO SOS Pantanal, to find sustainable ways to protect it. So far, he has persuaded nine other farm owners to link their properties to his, to create an ecological corridor of 740,000 acres.

But, in spite of his efforts, large-scale soy farms upstream have started to divert rivers into their own fields. If more mainstream, pest-heavy, water-thirsty projects join them, ‘it will be game over,’ he believes. ‘So the world has to pay attention,’ he says. ‘If something isn’t done, wildernesses like the Pantanal could vanish. And the only thing that can stop that is us – all of us.’

caiman.com.br; sospantanal.org.br

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Rebecca Cox visits Beyond Green member hotel Bushmans Kloof, to find out how the protection of this ancient art work fits into the wider conservation efforts taking place on the Western Cape.

Bushmans Kloof Review

The drive to Bushmans Kloof sets the tone for what’s on offer at this luxury South African lodge. Roughly three and a half hours north of Cape Town, the entrance to the hotel grounds is some 30 minutes drive down craggy, bumpy roads to the lodges and rooms. Your vehicle will need to slow significantly to navigate the bumps and rocks, pause for animal crossings and keep your bearings, offering you the chance to slow down and adjust to life at a new (and improved) pace. Unlike the safari lodges further north and east of South Africa, or the East Africa route where big five viewings are the name of the game and days start in the early hours to catch maximum action in the bush, things are a little more easy going at Bushmans Kloof. 

Having said that, there are animals, of course. Baboons, so numerous that the rooms all come with a warning to lock the doors to avoid unwelcome visits, a variety of antelope, including the herd of red hartebeest that gallop through the resort as we’re returning to our room after supper, startled, perhaps by the aforementioned baboons. There are an array of pretty and vocal birds, including an abundance of the flightless ostrich, who make for hours of entertainment with their bickering and feather flapping.

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And then, of course, there is the cape leopard. One of the property’s conservation commitments is to the Cape Leopard Protection Programme, within which they work with surrounding farmers to stop the culling of the area’s main predator. The project involves providing farmers with Anatolian sheep dogs to guard their livestock to prevent poaching by the leopards, meaning they no longer have to hunt them to prevent the loss of their animals. It is thought that there are roughly seven or eight leopards on Bushmans Kloof’s rocky hills at any given time, although sightings are incredibly rare. Londi, our guide, has seen only three in 11 years, the general manager none. Unlike other lodges that offer night drives and the like, the animals are very much left to their own devices here. Even the wildebeest and zebra are skittish, and nature drives are more about taking in the scenery and learning about the history of the lands than the arbitrary ticking off of animals. And while it would be undeniably incredible to meet a leopard in these wild and colourful hills, just knowing that you’re sharing their land for a few nights is pretty wonderful.

STAY

The accommodation at Bushmans Kloof varies from grand double bathroom-ed master suites with luxurious finishes, rich and varied artworks and modern free-standing baths, to more modest (and ever so slightly dated) manor house rooms, several of which accommodate families. All rooms are generously sized, including the most petite waterside lodges, and all feature large and outrageously comfortable beds. The fully stocked cookie and snack jars will stave off hunger, although with the food on offer at Bushmans Kloof you’d do well to achieve a state of hunger at any point during your stay.

Stop Flying & Save The Planet?

EAT

Dining options range from leisurely luxury at Makana and the Homestead to spectacular location dining at Kadoro or Embers. The breakfast at Makana is an indulgent affair, with a buffet stocked with fresh fruits, vegetables, cheeses, pastries and a granola station, plus a menu that offers hearty daily specials and favourites like avocado toast. All of it pales in comparison to Mrs T’s mac & cheese, layered with tomatoes and with a crumb topping; this is without question the most enjoyable way to start any day.

Special occasion dining at Bushmans Kloof is where this property really excels. Perfect picnics by the lake include mini mushroom balls, hake wraps, cheese boards you’ll dream of for weeks later served alongside individual dessert platters, plus a South African Sauvignon Blanc or a Cederberg sparkling to wash it all down. The Kadoro is a secluded farm building at the top of the property, where food is cooked over a roaring fire and the grand dining room is lit only by candlelight from dozens, if not hundreds, of candles. If a more romantic dining room exists, we’ve not come across it, and for those looking for the perfect setting for an intimate wedding supper, there is no more special place. The drive back to the main lodge under the light of a thousand sparkling stars is pretty lovely, too.

DO

The rock art sites on the property are a real draw, no pun intended, and witnessing the painted recordings of visions and stories from millenia ago is a truly moving experience. You’re free to explore the property alone with walking and running routes marked to enjoy, and will stumble across rock art sites on these explorations, but the best way to experience them is with the guidance of one of the BK guides such as Londi, whose knowledge of the culture and history of the people to have created the artwork is incredible. Londi is a rock art site curator and has been at Bushmans Kloof for 11 years across two spells, first starting in 2005. He is originally from the Eastern Cape and grew up speaking Xhosa and seeing the culture and rituals depicted in the artwork first hand, which sparked his passion in conservation and education. The paintings are layered on top of each other, over centuries and millennia, depicting the visions of the shaman and medicine men, painted by the elder members of communities. Rock art sites are not all in protected landscapes like the one at Bushmans Kloof, although the art itself is protected and belongs to the African people. Sadly the art in unprotected landscapes is often defaced or graffitied, making spaces like this all the more important.

Beyond the rock art, the best way to explore this stunning landscape is to immerse yourself in it. Nature drives, walks, runs, wild swimming, mountain biking or canoeing are just some of the ways to cover the hills and trails of the Kloof, all offering different perspectives and different opportunities to spot new flora and fauna on the grounds. As night falls, look up, because the clear skies over the Kloof make for breath-taking stargazing and yet more opportunities to feel small, atop our diverse earth, circling the sun amongst our endless universe of stars.

Visit the C&TH conservation hub

SUSTAINABILITY & CONSERVATION

Bushman tribes have lived in the antediluvian mountains for 120,000 years, they are mankind’s oldest nation, and the team at Bushmans Kloof takes protection of these lands very seriously. Bushmans Kloof is the custodian of over 130 unique rock art sites, some as old as 10,000 years. They have been awarded the status of a Grade 1 South African National Heritage Site, and take conservation seriously. Along with The Tread Right Foundation, Cheetah Outreach and The Cape Leopard Trust, they have purchased seven Anatolian Shepherd dogs to act as livestock guardian dogs (LGDs) and safeguard these Cape Leopards from poaching. They also partner with a number of local projects, including local farming communities, the Amy Biel Foundation and Elizabeth Fontein Primary School. By visiting Bushmans Kloof you are funding the continued protection of these lands via sustainable tourism. 

Costas Christ (co-founder of Beyond Green) says: ‘By booking a holiday with Beyond Green, a traveller is supporting a global collective sustainable tourism impact that is uplifting local community livelihoods in the places they visit, restoring ecosystems on land and sea, saving endangered species and protecting cultural heritage for future generations.’ 

THE FINAL WORD

Fluffy baby ostriches chasing their parents, a dazzle of zebra with their brown and fuzzy young, baby baboons pushing each other into the rock pools. Yes, where there is South African wildlife, there is joy to behold, but the appeal of Bushmans Kloof runs deeper than the thriving wildlife population and into the history of these precious lands, and the efforts to keep them alive.

BOOK

Rates at Bushmans Kloof, a member of Beyond Green, start from £500. For further information or to book, visit staybeyondgreen.com Rates start from £500 (10,405 RAN) per night per room based on two people sharing, inclusive of all F&B and activities.

See more photos from our trip: 

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Read the C&TH Responsible Tourism Guide

The regenerative rhythms of Africa provide an unrivalled opportunity to surrender to nature and reconnect with both ourselves and our loved ones. The opportunity to see the power of nature at play set against dramatic landscapes and breathtaking sunsets are just some of the reasons that the African safari remains firmly on our travel bucket lists. After a two and half year hiatus, long haul travel is once again a reality and the call of the bushveld is stronger than ever.

How To Safari in 2023: Top Tips from Nicky Coenen

Get Away From the Crowds 

Seek out lodges that are more intimate and on private reserves. This gives more chance of experiencing a private, uninterrupted game viewing, without throngs of vehicles packed with guests radioing your ranger to move on from a sighting. 

By venturing off the beaten track or choosing further flung lodges, you will be rewarded with prolific game viewing, star spangled skies and true sounds of the wild, hundreds of kilometres from any city.

And, crucially, your tourist pounds will provide support to communities that have been hardest hit by Covid closures. 

Slow and Purposeful Safari

Make it a sustainable safari by staying as long as your budget allows, so you have more time to be immersed in all aspects of bush life in your own time. At Kitara, guests can spend two hours watching a leopard stalk impala, without another vehicle in sight nor voice over the radio. 

Without a network of vehicles and radio communication to let your ranger know where the game is on the reserve, you will watch firsthand as your ranger and tracker put their expert skills into action as they intermittently head off on foot into the bush to determine which way the lion pride or elusive leopard has moved before deciding which direction to take. 

But, if watching elephants splashing in the river from the lodge pool or falling asleep on the daybed with the sound of the African birds is what slow safari means to you, well-trained guides will gauge your pace and give you license to choose what makes the safari uniquely yours. 

Visit the C&TH conservation hub

Share and Learn on Safari

Take time to get to know all the lodge staff. Ask them about their families, their culture and traditions and what they love about living in Africa. A big part of the bush experience is sitting around a fire, telling stories and learning about the culture of the remarkable people who bring the safari experience to life.

Head Off On Foot 

There is something truly remarkable about the connection you feel with nature on a walking safari – not to mention the heart-racing anticipation of what game you may encounter along the way. 

At Kitara, guests can experience the reserve in ways that mean the most to them, ranging from early morning and night drives on private vehicles and walking safaris along a game track or savannah plain.

Embrace Safari Ecosystems in Their Entirety

Big Five (African leopard, African lion, Cape buffalo, African elephant and rhinoceros) game spotting is always thrilling, but try to put away your checklist and appreciate the biodiversity and balance of nature in the African bushveld. 

The mind blowing things you will learn about the flora, small animals and insects and the role they play will add a new depth and meaning to your safari experience. Discovering indigenous plants or spotting the undercover chameleon can be just as rewarding as the prized big cats, elephant and buffalo sightings. 

Play Your Part

As a result of Covid, many travellers are looking for experiences that facilitate seeking deeper connections with communities, nature, and themselves. At Kitara, for a donation to vital conservation and protection efforts of the reserve, guests can take part in a K9 anti-poaching interaction, witnessing firsthand how these specially-trained dogs detect ammunition and rhino horn, or search for poacher suspects using land and air scent. 

Other guests may opt to take part in a rhino dehorning helicopter flight or aerial search exercise. Guests can also volunteer for Eco Children, a not-for-profit which focuses on hands-on environmental education and whole school development for children in some of the poorest areas surrounding Kruger. 

The Life Giving Power of Water

Regardless of the season, wildlife is drawn to water. Choose a lodge near a river or waterhole to make the most of it. 

From The Pied Kingfisher hunting for its lunch, to hippo wallowing in the river and a leopard coming to drink after a kill, you can spot game all through the day and night – with a large torch from your open-to-the-bush terrace, gin and tonic in hand.

Go Small and Intimate on Safari

Choosing a smaller lodge with a higher staff to guest ratio not only gives you the feeling of having your very own slice of Africa, but it means the guides (and lodge team) will have more capacity to offer you a bespoke experience. 

At Kitara, expert guides stay with guests throughout their visit, not only leading the game viewing, but serving drinks, answering all your questions, and sharing their in-depth knowledge on everything from animal behaviour to where our seasonal menu ingredients come from. 

From surprise pancake stops on morning game drives, hot coals under your chair for warmth in the boma under the 800-year-old Jackleberry tree, to candlelit dinners beneath the stars and a crème brûlée on your bed at turn down, you will feel like you are staying with your favourite family member.

Reconnect with Family and Friends

The pandemic isolated so many families and friends, but a slow-yet-interactive bush experience provides the ultimate backdrop for reconnection and quality time. 

Redefinition of Luxury on Safari

At any safari lodge, comfort should be a given, but the true luxury and essence of any memorable travel experience is hospitality, with warmth and kindness at its core. Before you choose a lodge, read reviews to make sure you choose a destination that offers bespoke service and care. We believe in a ‘beyond boutique’ experience where, at every turn, our guests feel that their needs and wants have been considered.  

Safari On Land and Sea

Add a new dimension to your safari by adding an ocean experience. Using the Last Word’s Cape Town properties in Constantia or right on the sand at Long Beach as a base, you can see the famous penguins at Boulders Beach, go paddling at sunrise to see the seals in Cape Town’s bay or free dive among the kelp forests and discover octopus, coral and a plethora of marine species.

*

Nicky Coenen, Group General Manager at Last Word Intimate Hotels & Safari Camps, leads the four bespoke hotels as a family business. She has been a fundamental part of the team since inception 17 years ago, when their family home in Long Beach (Kommetjie) near Cape Town was converted into the five-star luxury boutique hotel that it is today. thelastword.co.za

Featured Image: Zebras on safari (c) Last Word Kitari.

The post Sustainable & Ethical: How To Safari in 2023 appeared first on Country and Town House.

The Country & Town House Responsible Tourism Guide

andBeyond Sossusvlei Namib Desert Lodge Review

STAY

Blink and you’ll miss it, this sprawling 10-suite retreat is designed to blend seamlessly into its desert surroundings, with just the gleam of the solar panels atop the roofs giving it away from on high. A Bond-esque lair in the middle of nowhere (most arrive by air or incredibly tired from a long drive), andBeyond Sossusvlei Namib Desert Lodge is a true oasis in the heart of this beautiful landscape. The suites themselves all feature private entrances and patios with plunge pools facing out onto the desert without being overlooked. From your pool you can watch the oryx graze, and look out for the area’s other inhabitants, the Hartmann’s mountain zebra, springbok, ostrich and the elusive leopard (though the chances of this secretive cat prowling past are slim). The glass-fronted rooms give the feeling of being immersed into the scenery, with even the enormous walk-in shower boasting the same, too-good-to-be-true views. Rooms are equipped with a fully stocked complimentary bar, snacks and watercolour paints, should the view (or the drinks) inspire you to get creative. Far better to sit with feet in the pool and socialise with the friendliest of the locals, the sociable weaver who will dip in and out of your pool with friends, chatting as it passes, before returning to it’s enormous nest that it shares with up to 400 other birds. 

Atop the central hotel hub, which contains an appealing lounge and dining areas including a cosy walk-in wine cellar (packed with Africa’s finest vintages), is a fitness centre and spa, for all your wellbeing needs. How better to unwind after an early start and a desert hike than with an indulgent deep tissue massage using essential oils sourced and inspired by the land around you? You can then float downstairs for afternoon tea as the ostrich gather for their afternoon visit to the water hole.

Visit the C&TH conservation hub

One of Beyond Green’s membership criteria is to employ predominantly local staff. This is no mean feat in a land so sparsely populated as Namibia, particularly Sossusvlei. But the majority of the team are Namibian born and raised, and they hold the key to unlocking the magic of your stay at andBeyond Sossusvlei Namib Desert. Every single staff member treats you like family from the moment of your arrival as they greet you with a song, and you’ll get to know them all, though none as well as your guides. Sam, one of ours, left the country briefly to further his career, but felt drawn to return. ‘This place is truly special. It can’t get better,’ he tells me. His enthusiasm for absolutely everything the scenery holds is so infectious, every member of our group is soon examining animal dung with the same zeal as Sam. During a particularly challenging hike he proves his athleticism, and I suggest he should consider trying out for an Olympic event. ‘I could, but I prefer it here with the beetles!’ he tells me. And spending days exploring this magical landscape and night back at the andBeyond base, I don’t blame him. 

SUSTAINABILITY 

The biggest problem in the Namibian desert? Water. What do luxury hotels require a lot of? You guessed it. The property site was chosen for its position, sitting atop the biggest aquifer in the southern hemisphere, with bore holes 250m below the ground providing water for the resort, with levels having only dropped 0.5m in 20 years. Still, water remains a precious commodity in the desert, and the pools are a luxury to be carefully managed. This means water saving mechanisms, water harvesting and recycling systems, including a hydraloop system to account for the 50,000 litres of water a month lost via evaporation. In addition, each building acts as a mini solar power plant, and there is a resulting 82 percent renewable energy to supply the whole property, with a generator running a maximum of two hours a day to meet the shortfall. 

Our tour of the site’s energy saving initiatives is extensive and mind-boggling; everything you can think of has been accounted for, and plenty more besides. The planning has been effective but the success is in the measurement. How do you get people excited about sustainability? Gamify it. Apps track exactly how much energy is being used in each room, how much power has been generated, while also flagging potential issues on site. It’s why smart metres work and pedometers get us walking further; we can only improve if we know where we’re falling short. And in the case of Beyond Green member andBeyond Sossusvlei Namib Desert Lodge, that’s almost nowhere. 

Another Beyond Green getaway: Bushmans Kloof, South Africa

DO

There are lots of ways to explore the beauty of Sossusvlei, but from above is definitely one of the best ways to take in the sheer scale and rich colours of the desert. One option is to climb to higher ground, which you can do by scaling one of the many famous sand dunes. Amongst the tallest (in the region, and the world) is Big Daddy, with spectacular views across Deadvlei. The hike is a challenging climb of roughly 40-60 minutes, but the sandy descent can be enjoyed in a matter of seconds, sprinting child-like down the near-vertical hill toward the cracked earth below. Pause to empty your boots before touring the iconic dead trees of the valley, making sure to greet (and congratulate) the rare species thriving in this barren landscape. Pack plenty of water, and wear a sturdy hat or headscarf and plenty of sunscreen: the desert sun is hot, and the whipping winds fierce at the top of the dunes. 

Of course, to take it all in from above, you need to get really, really high. A sunrise hot air balloon flight is the perfect way to take in the space and silence of the desert. As you float above this otherworldly landscape, the sun rises above the dunes and turns the sky from inkey grey to orange and then brightest blue, while the shadows on the sand below shorten and disappear and the yellows and oranges grow richer. Not only will this new perspective bless you with one of the most memorable, and beautiful hours of your life, the new perspective will likely stick with you, and change how you view our precious planet forever. 

And when you’re done with looking down, it’s time to look up. As the sun dips back below the horizon, turning everything golden and then an opaque black, the sky comes alive with a thousand stars, as the dark sky reserve of NamibRand Nature Reserve proves why it is one of the best stargazing locations in the world, with prestigious Gold Tier status. Make the most of the staff’s expertise to spot planets, shooting stars and constellations or retire to your andBeyond suite and take in the sights from the comfort of your own bed, which lies beneath a skylight. Just when the Namibian desert had left you feeling impossibly small, prepare to feel smaller still, underneath the glittering canape of the infinite night sky.

THE FINAL WORD

Choosing a hotel that is helping to preserve our precious earth and the creatures that walk it is a no-brainer, and Beyond Green member andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge is one of the most breathtaking ecotourism destinations on our ever-changing planet. 

But when it comes to long-term action we have to adapt. We must learn to be more like the mighty oryx. We need to stop trying to change the world and learn to change ourselves.

BOOK 

Rates at andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge, a member of Beyond Green, start from £923. For further information or to book, visit staybeyondgreen.com

Want to see more? Here’s a sneak peek of the trip to Namibia with Beyond Green.

 

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Interview with Isabelle Tompkins, Samara Karoo Reserve

(L-R) Isabelle Tompkins with her mother, Sarah (c) Samara Karoo Reserve.

Hi Isabelle, it’s great to be chatting with you today. Firstly, what inspired you to start working in conservation?

Conservation is practically in my DNA. I was five years old when my parents founded Samara Karoo Reserve in South Africa, so I spent my childhood exploring the mountains, valleys and rivers on the property. This instilled in me a deep love for nature and, once I grew older and realised the threats that faced the natural world, I was instinctively drawn to working to protect it. I would argue that most conservationists come to the field from a place of love during their early years – whether it be love for their garden, for a particular species, or for an entire ecosystem. Indeed, the author David Sobel puts it beautifully when he says that we should ‘allow [children] to love the earth before we ask them to save it’.

That’s lovely. What do you think pulled your mother to Samara Karoo Reserve and South Africa?

My mother, Sarah, is South African, born and raised in Johannesburg. She has always loved the bush and wild places. The Great Karoo is a vast, semi-arid region the size of Germany that occupies much of central South Africa. It was an area that she used to journey through as a child on the way to the coast for family holidays. At that time, it was not a destination so much as an in-between place – a place people drove through to get from A to B. For a long time, she (and many others) had no idea that the Karoo was an area that once teemed with wildlife, including what is said to have been the largest land-based migration on Earth, the springbok migration, last seen in the 18th century. By the time she came across the Karoo, it had been denuded of wildlife and consisted mostly of sheep and cattle farms.

It was by total accident that she and my father, Mark, ended up back in the region in 1997, visiting a farm that was for sale. Driving off the well-travelled highways, they began to explore the landscape, a spectacular combination of topographies and habitats, from thickets to grasslands, all set against a backdrop of dramatic purple mountains. Eleven farms totalling 67,000 acres later, Samara Karoo Reserve was born.

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Wow. How do you even go about starting such an ambitious project? 

First off, you probably have to be a little bit mad! A project of this magnitude is a tremendous undertaking. Secondly, you have to have patience. Our journey has been 25 years in the making and yet, in many ways, it feels like we are just getting started. Then you have to recognise your limitations. Not being conservation professionals themselves, my parents decided to consult the experts first. They spoke to leaders in the fields of ecology, conservation biology and ecosystem restoration to gather as much information as possible. Their initial focus was on understanding the landscape – what vegetation existed there, what state it was in, what animal species still survived. Then they began to think about what the landscape could be – which wildlife species had once naturally occurred and could be reintroduced, how vegetation could be restored, and how erosion could be fixed.

Practically-speaking, rewilding begins with making the landscape as ‘wild’ as possible. In Samara’s context, that entailed moving off the last remaining domestic livestock and tearing down the network of internal fences that criss-crossed the land. For a while we rested the vegetation to allow it to recover from many years of overgrazing. Then we slowly reintroduced indigenous herbivores such as antelope, buffalo and zebra, followed by mega-herbivores like elephant and, of course, predators, including lion and cheetah. All in all, we have brought more than a dozen species back to the land, totalling thousands of animals. Some of these species had been absent from the landscape for over 100 years, such as the cheetah, lion, black rhinoceros and elephant. 

 

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Rewilding such a large area must be really complex!

Rewilding’s core focus is on ecosystem processes. So, when Samara reintroduced lions in 2019, the emphasis was not only on providing much-needed space for a species whose population is in decline globally, but also on restoring the functions that lions perform within a landscape – the most obvious being predation on herbivores. But there are also less obvious consequences, one being what scientists call the ‘landscape of fear’. Research has shown that the very presence of lions in an area alters the behaviour and fertility of their prey, even if the lions are nowhere to be seen. This has knock-on effects on herbivore numbers, their use of the landscape and their grazing behaviour, which in turn influences the overall health of the ecosystem.

In this manner, a seemingly small action (in reintroducing a relatively small number of apex predators) can actually have a significant impact over a large area of land. The classic example of this is the reintroduction of a small pack of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the United States, which ultimately led to rivers within the park beginning to flow again, popularised in a viral video narrated by George Monbiot.

What is it like working with your family day to day?

It probably goes without saying that working with family is not always easy. The boundaries between personal and professional lives often get blurred. However, the upside of that is that every work triumph is a triumph shared with loved ones on the same journey and with the same end-goal, which is incredibly rewarding. My mother, Sarah is also a huge inspiration to me for her vision, tenacity and drive, and our respective strengths complement each other – so we make a good team. 

White rhinos on Samara Karoo Reserve (c) Mitch Reardon

What are the largest challenges you have faced in this rewilding project?

If we think about it at a fundamental level, rewilding challenges many of humanity’s deep-seated beliefs about ourselves and our place in the world. Living in a city like London, as I did during my studies, it is easy to feel disconnected from the natural world and to see it as a place ‘over there’ that exists separately to our busy human lives. Understanding that we are not apart from nature but rather a part of nature – and (say it softly!) perhaps not even the most important part – requires a mindset shift. 

Perhaps the most significant challenge we have faced with rewilding Samara is best explained by the ‘shifting baseline’ syndrome. When we began our journey 25 years ago, most wild animals had been absent from the landscape for over a century. The status quo was a land devoid of wildlife, especially larger species that are deemed to compete with livestock farming. For many farmers in the area, this status quo was best left undisturbed, and some were particularly proud of their ancestors’ claims to having eradicated the last predators to roam the area. Samara’s decision to reintroduce cheetahs, lions and elephants disrupted that accepted baseline, and as a result was met with opposition from some quarters. We have done our best to allay the fears of neighbouring landowners through outreach days, engagement with wildlife experts and improving channels of communication. People are often fearful of what they do not fully understand, and as pioneers of rewilding in the area, it has been our job to support a learning process that will hopefully enable biodiversity conservation to be successful in the long term.

Who, in conservation or environmental activism more generally, do you look to for inspiration?

A big inspiration of mine is the late Polly Higgins, a Scottish barrister and environmental activist who led a campaign to recognise ecocide as an international crime, specifically as the 5th Crime Against Peace, before her untimely death from cancer in 2019. She maintained that those responsible for severe ecological damage should be held criminally liable for their actions. This would include corporate executives who actively lobbied against policies that could have prevented people and environments from coming to harm, such as air pollution measures, all the while knowing full well the deleterious impacts of their actions. 

The concept intrigued me because it touches upon this idea that the natural world also has rights and highlights how human beings are just one part of this incredibly complex system. Until we face the inescapable reality that without a healthy Earth, there can be no healthy human beings, we will have a hard time solving the problems of climate change, biodiversity loss and broader societal ills.

What is the most amazing animal encounter you have had?

I have been fortunate enough to experience many special wildlife encounters, but the one that sticks most strongly in my memory is an encounter with a wild cheetah and her two cubs at Samara. Sibella was born a wild cheetah in South Africa’s North West province but, at two years of age, her life nearly ended at the hands of hunters. She was mauled by dogs, thrown into a cage and left to die. Eventually rescued by an NGO, she underwent a five-hour operation to save her life, and weeks of rehabilitation to learn to walk again. In 2003, she was translocated to Samara to begin her life anew. She made history as the first cheetah returned to the wild in the Great Karoo in 130 years. Over time, she successfully raised 19 cubs to adulthood, becoming one of the most prolific female cheetahs in the country until her death in 2015. By that time, her genes were present on 25 percent of protected areas in South Africa – no mean feat for a single cheetah.

One afternoon in 2012, my mother and I ventured out onto the reserve to find Sibella. Despite her prior torture at the hands of humans, she had learnt to trust the Samara team to such an extent that we could track her on foot, approaching to within a respectful distance. We spotted her about a kilometre away as the light turned golden and stopped to breathe in the scene. To our surprise, she stood up and began to walk directly towards us, navigating deep ditches and grassy mounds until she was just 20 metres away from where we stood. Already it was a spectacular encounter, but then she started to call – a soft, bird-like sound. Within seconds, two small fluffy shapes appeared where we had initially spotted her. As she continued to call, her young cubs, no more than a month old, bounded over towards her – and us. As they reached her, she sat for a moment in the dying light. Her babies played around her, and we breathed in the scene, in awe at the trust she was showing towards us despite having such young, vulnerable cubs. And then, moments later, she was off again, cubs in tow, back to where she had come from, leaving us holding back tears at the sheer beauty of it all.  

Samara Karoo cheetahs (c) Lizl Nieuwoudt, African Aspects Tours

Wow. How beautiful. How can other safari experience reserves learn from Samara Karoo’s work?

There is no one path to rewilding, and indeed the word rewilding was not really part of the lingua franca at the time that my parents started Samara in 1997. They were simply trying to restore the land to what it had once been. What was quite unusual in their approach though was their focus on science and doing things right from day one, rather than starting a commercial safari lodge first and figuring out how to ‘do conservation’ on the side.

The result of this approach is a private reserve that is among the most diverse in South Africa, comprising five of the country’s nine vegetation biomes on a landscape that is significantly larger than 65 percent of South African provincial reserves and 30 percent of South African national parks, as well as being strategically located as a stepping-stone for the expansion of three national parks. This science-based approach could be used by other private reserves to strengthen the case for privately protected areas as key players in global conservation efforts.

What’s your ultimate goal and vision – for Samara and beyond?

I truly believe in the power of purpose-driven business to effect change. For as long as conservation is seen as a charity case, we will not be able to shift the dial and protect our natural landscapes to the extent that the experts now tell us is required.

To date, Samara’s rewilding efforts have largely been funded by eco-tourism. We have two safari lodges on the reserve which welcome up to 26 guests at a time for an immersive safari experience, with every stay contributing meaningfully to our overall vision. As a Fellow Member of The Long Run, a network of nature-based tourism enterprises, Samara works towards achieving the highest standards in sustainability across the four C’s: conservation, community, culture and commerce. 

Building on this framework, I believe that Samara has an opportunity to create a blueprint for responsible tourism and rewilding in the Karoo context, and to act as a catalyst for the expansion of conservation beyond our borders. Ultimately, the measure of our success will be in this bigger picture, and it’s a challenge I am excited to take on in the years to come.

samara.co.za 

VISIT: Journeys With Purpose’s ‘Africa’s Flourishing Savannah’ provides unparalleled access to the Karoo, with a trip running in from 28 October–4 November 2023. Through real-world immersive experiences, Journeys With Purpose aims to convey, connect and mobilise the advancement of nature restoration and local community livelihoods on a global scale. journeyswithpurpose.org

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Hotels With Community And Conservation Initiatives

• Zimbabwe: Matetsi Victoria Falls
• Maldives: Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi, JOALI Maldives
• Bali: Bulgari Resort, Potato Head
• UK: Town Hall Hotel, The Newt in Somerset
• India: SUJÁN
• Tanzania: Thanda Island
• Across the world: Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts, Six Senses Resorts

Matetsi Victoria Falls

Zimbabwe

For a safari experience and idyllic accommodation retreat that’s packed full of purpose, look to Matetsi Victoria Falls. Positively impacting Zimbabwe’s community welfare and environment, this hotel is partnered with Pack for a Purpose – a non-profit organisation helping travellers to positively impact the destinations they plan to visit with community welfare and conservation projects, and by allowing space in their luggage for much needed supplies. In Zimbabwe, this stretches from solar lantern lights to toothpaste and vitamins to first aid kits. As such, the scheme benefits various groups of people, from Greenline Africa Trust (which provides ‘Gogo Packs’ to support grandmothers looking after orphaned children in rural communities) to Mummy’s Angels Zimbabwe (which helps mothers and babies in need) to Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit.

BOOK: mahlatini.com

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Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi

Maldives

The Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi runs a series of environmental and community upliftment projects. A hub of eco-education and the first of its kind in the archipelago, its Sustainability Lab turns plastic waste into bespoke souvenirs as well as products for surrounding islands, such as stationary for hospitals and schools. The resort has also partnered with seven schools in the Shaviyani Atoll for the Fairmont Award Scheme, whereby the sustainability team visit the schools to teach classes and host workshops on recycling, marine biodiversity, and ocean conservation. Local children are also invited to visit the resort to witness the Sustainability Lab in action and learn about the conservation projects.

BOOK: fairmont-maldives.com

JOALI Maldives

Maldives

Known for its community and environmental initiatives, JOALI Maldives promotes its ‘Joy of Caring’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, which focuses on four key aspects:

• Preserving: promoting environmental initiatives on the island
• Supporting: fostering community engagement within Raa Atoll
• Empowering: supporting gender equality and women empowerment
• Conserving: driving operational sustainability

‘At JOALI Maldives, we are all deeply committed to active involvement in supporting the communities in Raa Atoll,’ says general manager Enver Arslan. ‘We continue to closely collaborate to provide valuable assistance in different areas of need, focusing particularly on remote islands here in Raa Atoll.’

BOOK: joali.com

Bulgari Resort

Bali

The Bulgari Resort Bali has several community initiatives that are woven into the guest experience. For those who want to be purified, the Melukat Purifying Ceremony is an ancient Balinese tradition and is designed to cleanse body and mind, and to rid bad omens that may lead to illness and bad luck. The ritual begins on the hotel’s private beach, where guests are dressed in traditional attire and met by a local Balinese priest who leads them through the experience. There’s also th Banjar Walk to take in the local culture and meet people within the local community, as well as the Pura Luhur Uluwatu and Kecak Dance experience which sees guests explore the nearby coastal water temple at sunset to watch local performers showcase a traditional Kecak dance.

BOOK: bulgarihotels.com

Katamama Suite. © Potato Head

Potato Head 

Bali

A hotel that has sustainability and social responsibility at its core, Potato Head has a range of initiatives that support the local people and place. Like the Sweet Potato Farm, for example: an employee-led initiative whereby staff grow their own food on the hotel’s land to support their families and the local community. The hotel then delivers this produce to people, organisations, orphanages and hospitals that are in need. On site, there’s also the ‘5,000 Lost Soles’ installation by art-activist Liina Klauss which highlights the reality of marine pollution with flip-flops collected along the shores of Bali by Klauss and her small team in six beach clean-ups.

The hotel also supports the Green School’s Changemaker program, which sponsors young Balinese students to attend the innovative Green School for the entire period of their primary and secondary education. The resort is an ardent advocate of zero waste, as seen at almost every touchpoint, from refillable amenities (made locally), merchandise deriving from eucalyptus trees (the fibre is fully biodegradable and uses 80 percent less water than cotton), conscious cocktails using bi-products, and food produce from the Bali Fresh Farm Cooperative with line-caught fish from Bali Sustainable Seafood and rice from the UNESCO-protected Jatiluwih terraces.

BOOK: seminyak.potatohead.co

Town Hall Hotel

London

The Town Hall Hotel in east London champions local creatives, as seen in its designers-meet-makers project with Jan Hendzel Studio, which has transformed two of the property’s suites to create a gallery-cum-living space that’s all about showcasing creativity. Marking the start of many initiatives that’ll involve likeminded, local sustainable designers, the goal is to curate a community of London creatives within the hotel, offering an eclectic range of suites, each telling their own unique story.

BOOK: townhallhotel.com

The Newt in Somerset

Somerset

Paula Carnell, Head Beekeeper at The Newt in Somerset, advocates the importance of bees and, along with her team, offers Bee Safaris – daily walking tours of the woodland hives to provide more insight into The Newt’s beekeeping practices. The Newt is passionate about raising local, chemical-free bees, fed on their own honey supply. A cooperative approach to beekeeping, from encouraging wild bees to gentle honey harvesting, they tend to wild and native colonies (of which there are now 16–20 set across hives in the Somerset woodland and orchards) with their honey used across the Estate and Spa. Check out the Beezantium too, which promises a multi-sensory visitor experience to learn all about bees.

BOOK: thenewtinsomerset.com

SUJÁN 

India

Family-run wildlife conservation tourism hotel brand SUJÁN offers destination experiences that focus on authentic, eco-conscious hospitality. Co-Founded by Jaisal and Anjali Singh, they’re leading authorities on wildlife conservation in India: Jaisal is a member of the Rajasthan Government’s Standing Committee for Wildlife, is on the State Wildlife Board & Tiger Expert Committee for Rajasthan, and is Patron of the Conscious Travel Confederation. Extensive areas of wilderness and farmland have been protected and restored and, as well as running their own projects through their philanthropic foundation, Jaisal and Anjali also work with and fund other local NGOs and the Forest Department to help combat illegal poaching and man-animal conflict, ensuring safe corridors for tigers (which has seen the number of tigers nearly double to almost 70 in the last decade).

BOOK: thesujanlife.com

Thanda Island

Tanzania

Just off the coast of Tanzania within the Shungimbili Island Marine Reserve is Thanda Island, the world’s only private island surrounded by a protected marine reserve. Meaning ‘love’ in the Zulu language, Thanda encourages slow living and connections between humans and nature. Here, there are educational programmes on sustainable fishing and marine conservation in partnership with local organisations to the people of Mafia Island.

BOOK: thandaisland.com

Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts

Across the world

Committed to inspiring change and a sustainable future, Cenizaro Hotels & Resorts has a Dollar-A-Day initiative, which is dedicated to enhancing the welfare of those in need within communities local to the resorts. The programme encourages guests to make a positive impact on the destinations they visit by donating one dollar per day of stay – plus, the resorts match the donations. For those who visit La Maison Arabe in Marrakech, donations can be made to The Dar Bouidar Children’s village, which provides a safe home and education for abandoned children. At The Residence Zanzibar, guests can donate to the Assalam Community Foundation, funding their mission to provide education and income for African children and women; funds raised support vocational training, social entrepreneurship, and humanitarian aid.

BOOK: cenizaro.com

Six Senses Ninh Van Bay

Six Senses

Across the world

Giving back to local communities through education, outreach and infrastructure, Six Senses’ resorts aim to blend into the local fabric and communities. Key to this is access to education in remote areas. Cue the Six Senses Zighy Bay project, which has given 583 girls improved access to education by engaging with local schools. Across Asia, outreach initiatives have been introduced to help raise awareness of sustainability and empower younger generations through community engagement such as Taoism awareness at Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain and community service at Six Senses Bhutan, investing in the future of Bhutanese farming. In addition, there are sanitation and healthcare programs – such as the Water for All program run by Six Senses Con Dao, and the community drinking water initiative run by Six Senses Ninh Van Bay – along with funds and resources for disaster relief and renovations to public institutions.

BOOK: sixsenses.com

Featured image courtesy of SUJÁN.

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Wildlife and nature conservation is vital in our battle to preserve the welfare of our planet. Unfortunately, poaching is rife across the globe, but especially in Africa where diverse wildlife thrived for millennia before humans started to intervene. The Tusk Conservation Award for Ranger of the Year, sponsored by the Nick Maughan Foundation, gives international recognition to the wildlife rangers who face extreme danger everyday in order to protect Africa’s threatened wildlife. ‘Extreme danger’ is not used lightly: in 2021 alone, 100 African wildlife rangers were killed in the line of duty.

Neddy Mulimo – Support Ranger at Game Rangers International – is the incredible ranger recognised by Tusk this year, and named as their Ranger of the Year. Based in Zambia, Neddy has worked for over 35 years protecting wildlife, making great personal sacrifices to do so, including putting his safety on the line facing armed poachers during night patrols and multiple fights with malaria. In fact, Neddy was so instrumental in combatting serious levels of poaching and increasing arrests when posted to the Blue Lagoon National Park that his long-term nickname is ‘Neddy of Blue Lagoon’.

But Neddy also has community at his heart: he has worked tirelessly over decades to improve ranger tactics and working conditions, mentor young rangers, and build strong relationships with surrounding communities.

Elephants in the Luangwa River, Zambia (c) Getty

The Chief Executive of Tusk, Charlie Mayhew MBE, said upon Neddy’s win: ‘Neddy is a truly exceptional ranger. For 36 years he has dedicated his life to conservation, and it shows in the passion and drive with which he does his job. We’re delighted to be able to thank Neddy for his endless dedication to the conservation of Africa’s wildlife with this award.’

TV adventurer and Tusk ambassador, Bear Grylls, added: ‘Through my ambassadorial role and involvement with the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Challenge, I have seen first-hand how Africa’s rangers put their lives on the line in defence of wildlife, despite resources stretched to the extreme. Neddy Mulimo is an inspiration, both to rangers across Africa, and to every one of us that values the natural world.’

Nick Maughan – founder of the Nick Maughan Foundation, which sponsored the 2022 Ranger of the Year award – said: ‘Neddy’s dedication to wildlife conservation has been essential in protecting some of Zambia’s most endangered species, including the endemic Kafue Lechwe. The respect he commands amongst his peers is testament to the work he has done over the years with passion and humility. Thank you Neddy, for your dedication and commitment to preserving wildlife for generations to come.’

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Q&A With Tusk’s Conservation Ranger Of The Year, Neddy Mulimo

Neddy Mulimo (c) Giraffe Creatives

What inspired you to start working in wildlife conservation?

When I was a boy, I studied conservation topics at both primary and secondary levels.  This made me develop an interest in conserving nature and it soon became my passion. 

How large is your team?

There are five Anti-Poaching Units, with a total number of 100 officers conducting patrols on both land and on water. Lake Itezhi Tezhi is a hot spot for illegal fishing and for illegal entry into Kafue National Park.

One of the reasons Tusk highlighted when naming you Ranger of the Year was that you’ve played a large role in improving ranger tactics and working conditions. Can you tell me a bit more about that?  

I am involved in planning our monthly deployment strategy and I also debrief each team when they return from deployment. The debrief is when I can assess what the Rangers have achieved and what risks are still present. This also helps me understand what the Rangers need to be able to do their job. I am also responsible for impact knowledge or field statistics according to time of the year and the type of environment that is being patrolled. This includes any expected encounters with wildlife or wildlife crime. 

Neddy with his team (c) Giraffe Creatives

What do you believe is the best way to combat poaching?

The best way to combat poaching is through community engagement, through sensitisation and the formation of conservation groups in schools.

What is the most incredible wildlife encounter you have had?

The most incredible encounter I witnessed was a buffalo in Kafue National Park.  It was severely wounded and still had a snare attached to its front left leg. This had a big impact on me. 

What can people do to help the conservation cause from afar?

What everyone can do to help to reduce poaching is by supporting the NGOs who are working with the governments to empower the Anti-Poaching Units on the ground. Game Rangers International supports government-employed wildlife rangers through the provision of kit, logistical support, communications and welfare for them and their families. There aren’t enough rangers and there isn’t enough funding for rangers, so any help that can be given will help us to save the wildlife and wild spaces.

(c) Giraffe Creatives

Is there a message you have to tourists looking to visit Zambia?

Tourists looking to visit Zambia are most welcome. Zambia is a very friendly country, and we encourage them to visit our 20 National Parks – Kafue National Park in particular. My message is:

• Only take part in organised safaris who have an experienced tour guide, and work with an armed escort for your safety. 
• If you see any wild animals, keep a safe distance from them. Always treat all animals as wild animals – even the ones that look placid can pose a threat. 
• Be sure to visit the Wildlife Discovery Centre in Lusaka National Park where you will see our Elephant Nursery – young elephants who have been orphaned through wildlife crime. The centre gives lots of information about wildlife rangers, crime, and human-wildlife coexistence as well as the work we are doing with the communities.
• GRI and many other organisations rely on donations and support from tourists and volunteers. When you are in Zambia, keep an eye out for those organisations who are trying to help and support them where you can. 

What motivates you to continue in this field despite the danger?

What motivates me to continue is my interest – my passion for wildlife. I also know that with my many years of experience, it is important that I continue to support wildlife rangers to do their best.

Mr Neddy Mulimo is a Ranger Support Manager with Game Rangers International, a non-government agency that empowers rangers and local communities to support nature.

Featured image (c) Giraffe Creatives.

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Africa holds the key to combating global environmental threats and climate change – but it all depends on which road the continent decides to take. This choice, though, must be Africans’ alone, says Kaddu Sebunya, CEO of Africa’s largest NGO, African Wildlife Foundation.

Kaddu Sebunya, CEO of the African Wildlife Foundation, speaks to C&TH on the topic of Africa and climate change

I’m writing this the week before the Commonwealth countries convene in Kigali, Rwanda for the organisation’s Heads of State meeting. The leaders will reaffirm their common values and policies to improve the lives of their people. The big question is where the ‘wealth’ in the Commonwealth countries is? The common ‘wealth’ is in nature.

The world is only beginning to pick up the shattered pieces from a terrible pandemic that has killed millions, driven millions more into poverty and brought world economies to their knees. In tandem with the Covid-19 pandemic are three fundamental issues that should be tugging on everyone’s minds and are increasing global and continental threats: biodiversity loss; land degradation; climate change.

Africa holds a wild card in addressing those three issues. A third of the world’s biodiversity is found in Africa. Securing nature in Africa results in global benefits to humanity. These services are possible in part because ecosystems have been maintained and secured in Africa. Africa’s contribution to the global public good needs to be recognised and somehow compensated. Therefore, any efforts towards global green recovery must prioritise support to Africa’s natural infrastructure base.

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As we all know, current development models premised on growth for its own sake are unsustainable. We know that our collective consumption and production patterns are impacting biodiversity and our ecosystems that provide much needed services and benefits to all. As a developing continent, Africa still has a chance to do things right.

But Africa is at a crossroads. It has the fastest urbanising region in the world at a rate of 4.1 per cent compared to a global average of two, with 472 million people living in urban areas in 2018. The growth is unprecedented in speed and scale, and it is projected that by 2040, 51.5 per cent of all Africans will be living in urban areas, up from 40 per cent in 2019. It is further estimated that in 2025, 100 African cities will have a population of over one million. Kinshasa, in Congo, is currently the largest French speaking city, beating Paris.

Evidently, Africa’s population is growing – it is predicted there will be 2.5 billion people living on the continent by 2050, and four out of 10 young people on the planet will be African. The need, therefore, for additional infrastructure, as well as more land for agriculture and human settlement is real.

Africa is now making real choices about how and where development will occur. What areas of Africa should be protected, and which ones will be traded off for development? What is the role of wildlife and wildlands in Africa’s development?

Once the rest of the world begins understanding that Africans have a right to a better economy, better transport and electricity infrastructure and more housing, the question of what model of development Africa chooses will not only determine space left for wildlife but how the planet will be impacted by climate.

We know that the future of the unique continental wildlife is directly tied to these decisions. The future of African wildlife and lands depends on how Africans will link the conservation agenda to aspirations and mindsets driving change on the continent.

The question is whether Africa follows the western model or embarks on a novel trajectory – this will have a disproportionately large impact on the global future. Africa is currently placing economic development and environmental conservation as an either/or option – it is a false choice.

If wildlife and wildlands are to thrive, then we must work hard for them to be interwoven into the positive narrative of growth on the continent. This necessitates a capable and informed cadre of Africans at all levels of society to understand, innovate, lead, make decisions, or exert influence on the future direction of conservation and development on this rapidly changing continent. To line up the development goal blueprints and marshal the various interests they represent in a way that ensures wildlife, like lions or elephants, have a future in modern Africa.

To be successful, this work must be done by Africans themselves. This may be difficult for the non-African, who have dominated conservation in Africa, to negotiate the new necessities and realities of Africa today.

I have personally spent the last five years travelling across the continent, discussing and listening to many conservation NGOs, policymakers, political leaders, the youth, scientists, educationalists, the business community. It became apparent that the conservation community needs to reflect and change the approach and strategy if we are to sustain wildlife and wildlands in a modernising Africa.

It transpired that conservation can no longer be only about the protection of animals as a goal; that people and their livelihoods must be at the centre of any conservation strategy and decisions African leaders are making today on economic growth, politics, population, food security, sources of energy and urbanisation is what will determine space left for wildlife; that it is critical to extend conservation influence beyond those who care dearly about animals to include those whose mindsets are driving the changes we see on the continent. Most important, because the conservation discussions are more political and economically based, to be successful – the work must be led by Africans. Africans needed to hear from Africans about why wildlands are important.

This is apparent from the back end of the Covid-19 virus and the fight over vaccine hoarding, the global climate justice, Black Lives Matter and fairtrade movements. For decades, problems and solutions to conservation in Africa have been defined and determined by those with limited understanding of the Africans in question. The future of Africa’s wildlife will not be secured if Africans seem to think that the conservation agenda is largely set outside of Africa.

We must all, therefore, agree that conservation in Africa must change if we intend on seeing our grandchildren enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the new Africa that is being shaped today by Africans.

The non-Africans working in conversation need to interrogate how global history and the inherently unjust and unequal current systems continue to shape and affect their present understanding of Africa’s conservation problems and challenges.

There are good global intentions towards Africa but these need to be packaged so that they do not crowd out, but support Africans to decide what conservation success looks like and how best to measure it. Africans must be given a voice to the perspectives rooted in the live realities of African
people – especially those who live with the consequences of wildlife. Not because Africans’ conservation goals are necessarily unique, but it is for the reasons, the emphasis and priority the world needs to give Africans and their relations to nature, and for the authentic and empathetic way in which they could deliver conservation work.

African conservation voices need to be as loud as those from international NGOs, global political personalities and Hollywood stars. The Commonwealth summit in Kigali should be a good catalyst for this, and the UK to leverage and inspire the next generation of conservation leaders.

This next decade is Africa’s tipping point and we know which side we need it to tip. In our shared vision of an Africa, human development must include thriving wildlife and extensive wildlands as cultural and economic assets for all of us globally and our future generations.

We must all remember that Africans need and have a right to more consumer electricity use, more transportation, more energy input to agriculture and manufacturing, more housing construction. It will not walk away from Chinese-backed investments in coal-fired powered generation unless it has alternatives. Through diplomacy and development assistance, the global community has an important role to play in supporting Africa’s efforts to develop and adopt pathways designed to help African countries advance through clean green growth.

A comprehensive planning to adjust to a low-carbon economy, including electrified transport, renewable energy generation for as many end uses as possible, energy-efficient design and construction (especially for rapidly growing cities in the region) and low-emission agriculture is where the global north needs to meet Africa.

For more information and to support the work of AWF, visit awf.org.

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