‘Earth Night’ – conservation, conversation and communities

‘Earth Night’ is a concept pioneered by the Wildlands Conservation Trust as a way of fundraising for, celebrating and making people aware of, the conservation efforts of approximately 3000 community members in 60 communities around the country. The Johannesburg ‘Earth Night’ event was held at ‘The Ballroom’ at Montecasino last night, the 21st of September.

When asked what inspired the ‘Earth Night’ concept, Dr Andrew Venter, the CEO of Wildlands said, “It was inspired by this incredible group of 3000 individuals, demonstrating that it is possible to clean and green even the most seemingly ‘hopeless’ communities, which has ultimately thrown a challenge to us, Wildlands Conservation Trust and our network of partners to support them in their endeavours to the best of our ability.”

Activities throughout the evening included an Auction of 17 Lot’s, consisting of Travel Packages, Luxury Holidays and Art pieces, as well as a 3 course meal and an inspirational presentation by guest speaker, Lee Swan –  a Sustainability & Climate Change Strategist, and the first African-born woman to have raced to the Magnetic North Pole.

Popular auction items included 3 unique rhino sculptures, 2 donated by artists – Isabel le Roux and Cecile Walters, and 1 entitled “Ubucwebe be-Afrika” (Jewel of Africa) covered by more than 55 000 Swarovski crystals, donated through ‘The Bling Factory’ and ‘Gadget Candy.’ Another exciting auction item, provided by the eLan Group, was for the Praia do Cossa Hotel & Resort in Mozambique, and gave bidders ownership of a sectional title unit at this resort for 1 week for 15 years. The auction is an integral part of any ‘Earth Night’ event, as this is what ultimately raises much needed funds to continue the work of Wildlands Conservation Trust.

The event raised R300 000 through pledges and the auction, with PSG also handing over a cheque for R200 000, bringing the funds raised and donated to R500 000.

Wildlands is a leading environmental non-profit organisation that is driven by their vision of a “Sustainable Future for All.” The Wildland’s “Trees for Life” project educates and nurtures Tree-preneurs. These Tree-preneurs, based in rural areas, grow indigenous trees to barter for food, bicycles, Jojo tanks, education support and building material. The young trees bartered with Wildlands are then planted in areas in desperate need of reforestation or greening.

The Vosloorus community is a large diverse township community on the edge of Johannesburg. Moses Dlamini is a 34 year old Tree-preneur that lives in this community and registered with the Wildlands “Trees for Life” project in 2011. Since then Moses has traded 2000 trees for 20 bicycles, which he sells and repairs. “Bicycles don’t produce unclean air so they don’t pollute our area,” said Dlamini. “I also hope to grow enough trees to get building material and one day build my own house.” Moses is one of 400 Tree-preneurs in this area, who grew over 200 000 indigenous trees this past year.

“Our intention is to transform this community into a benchmark sustainable community within the next 10 years,” said Dr Venter. “This is a mammoth task given the poverty population pressures and environmental degradation, but it is possible– with your support and that of donors like PSG Konsult.

“Our rich heritage of offering medical cover to all South Africans for over 31 years and our unmatched experience in providing affordable, quality healthcare ensures that Bonitas Medical Fund remains relevant to people from all walks of life,” commented Dr Bobby Ramasia, Principal Officer at Bonitas Medical Fund.

Bonitas Medical Fund and PSG Konsult both played significant roles in making the ‘Earth Night’ event a success and are both equally passionate about the work that Wildlands do.

“At PSG we are committed to acting as a socially responsible company in our global community. This means that we will not only fully comply with  the laws, rules and regulations of the countries in which we operate, but will go further by continually evaluating our business practices using the principles of sustainability,” said Willem Theron, Chairman of PSG Konsult Limited. “At the heart of sustainability lies the desire to maintain a balance between the economic, environmental and social needs of our world today, without compromising on the opportunities of future generations.”

The next ‘Earth Night’ experience will be held at the Spier Wine Farm in Stellenbosch on the 19th of october.

Bonitas Sunday Tribune Mont-Aux-Sources Trail Run 2013

The 19th running of the Bonitas Sunday Tribune Mont-Aux-Sources Trail Run took place on the 7th of September 2013, also International Vulture Awareness day, a day which aims to publicise the conservation of vultures to a wider audience. The relevance of this is funds raised through the Mont-Aux-Sources Challenge are used to monitor and safeguard the Bearded Vulture in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, a World Heritage site. Runners were privileged to have magnificent views of Bearded Vulture’s flying and landing at Witsieshoek along the route, a fitting tribute to the runners and the event.

Eric Ngubane conquered this event, in an unbelievable time of 4 hours and 39 minutes, while Tracy Zunckle took it home for the women, in a time of 5 hours and 33 minutes – also 6th overall. The biggest winner of the day was Gillian Barker from Australia who raised R24 000 for conservation. John Stark also made a huge contribution to boost funds for the critically endangered Bearded Vulture and ran his 17th Mont – Aux – Sources Challenge this year!

2 days before the event, the Mont – Aux – Sources ‘Big Day Out’ took place, involving 102 learners from 6 different schools just outside the Royal Natal National Park.  Sponsored by N3TC, Bonitas Medical Fund, Old Mutual and Coca-Cola, the Big Day Out aims to give learners an opportunity to spend a day within the National Park (often a first for a lot of the children) and get an opportunity to learn more about the environment, endangered species – such as the Bearded Vulture – and take part in interesting environmental activities.

The top 6 learners (3 boys and 3 girls) that took part in a “mini fun run” challenge won beautiful, bright red Coca – Cola bicycles, which they all exclaimed would give them transport to school. The 18 educators that joined the learners, all took part in a ‘’On the Money’’ workshop, presented by Old Mutual. All the participants were also given backpacks filled with fun, educational goodies.

The Wild Series events are renowned for being professional sporting events, and raising significant funds for conservation projects around the country. In partnership with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, the Mont-Aux-Sources Challenge funds are allocated to the monitoring of Bearded Vulture through the fitting of satellite transmitters, providing amazing detail in their movement patterns throughout the year. In addition, in partnership with N3TC, a vulture hide has been constructed at Cathedral Peak, which will be used for scientific research, as well as allowing the public to experience vultures at close range. Bearded Vultures are listed as “critically endangered,” numbering approximately only 350 individuals, and require significant conservation support. The hosting of the Mont-Aux-Sources Challenge by Wildlands, Bonitas Medical Fund, Sunday Tribune and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife will continue to provide a much-needed boost for the conservation efforts of this iconic species of the Drakensberg Mountains.

New Vulture Hide opens in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park at Cathedral Peak

“Bearded Vultures are critically endangered with approximately 330 in Southern Africa and only 3000 Cape Vultures,” commented Sonja Krueger of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. “These extremely low numbers are mainly as a result of a lack of suitable habitat and food, as well as significant impacts through poisonings and collisions or electrocutions with powerlines,” said Krueger.

It is for this reason that the N3 Toll Concession (N3TC) has generously donated funds in order to construct a hide at Cathedral Peak in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, a world heritage site in KZN. By constructing a hide and a feeding site in this Park, it is hoped that the vulture populations of the area will have a much more stable source of food.

The hide came about through collaboration between the N3TC, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation Trust and is one of three which are to be built within the Drakensberg area. Designed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s Glenn Harboth and superbly built by Lawrie Raubenheimer (Heritage Design and Creations cc), this hide has been modelled on the local rocks and blends in beautifully to its surrounds. The N3TC has a 30 year contract to manage and maintain the N3 highway and, as a result, they bring a large number of people into the area. “It is important for us to leave a legacy behind when we one day step out of this area,” said Neil Tolmie, CEO of N3TC. “It was for this reason that we easily agreed to support the conservation of the Bearded and other vultures within the area three years ago and we look forward to building on our relationship with Wildlands and KZN Wildlife in the years to come.”

Saturday the 7th September, only 2 days after the official launch, it was International Vulture Awareness Day, and we hope facilities such as the hide launched at Cathedral Peak will add to this awareness.

The hide will be able to accommodate a number of visitors at a time and is fitted with rain water harvesting tanks and full ablutions. “This is an amazing project which will not only create an additional feeding site for these endangered birds, but also much needed awareness amongst the public, allowing them the privilege of spending time close to the action of feeding vultures,” said Kevin McCann, Strategic Manager of Wildlands. “Without the incredible support of the N3TC and passion of the staff at KZN Wildlife, this project would not have been possible,” McCann concluded.

One Million Trees for Stellenbosch

On the 5th of September 2013 a partnership agreement between the Stellenbosch Municipality, Wildlands Conservation Trust and ‘Leaf a Legacy’ was signed in order to see the successful implementation of the “Million Trees Project.”

Stellenbosch Municipality have initiated the Million Trees Project aimed at greening the communities that fall within the Municipal boundaries and restoring the ecosystems which underwrite the health and livelihood of these communities.

Wildlands and its partners have well established mechanisms for supporting and enabling the propagation, planting and care of indigenous trees by disadvantaged and marginalised community members, while Leaf-a-Legacy is developing a community project aimed at job creation, greening the environment and creating a culture of cooperation amongst the communities of Stellenbosch.

Stellenbosch Municipality, Wildlands and Leaf-a-Legacy have therefore collaborated with a view to enabling the successful realisation of the Million Trees Project, with emphasis on maximising the greening, poverty alleviation and environmental restoration impact of this Campaign.

This campaign will be implemented with the help of a full time team of local community members, funded by the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). This team comprises of community facilitators who recruit and nurture Tree-preneurs, a nursery team based at the Beltana Municipal nursery, a restoration team working on the rivers running through Stellenbosch Municipality (integrated with the activities of the teams currently working on the Eersterivier) and an administration and communications team working at the Stellenbosch Eco-Centre.

“Stellenbosch Municipality is grateful for the partners who share their vision to use the green environment to build community resilience and to improve the quality of marginalized communities”, said Gerald Esau, Manager Community Services at Stellenbosch Municipality. “This is an exciting and innovative approach to create jobs, green the environment and to improve our carbon footprint.”

“We would like to see all citizens living in and around Stellenbosch joining in this vision of a Million Trees and thus leaving a wonderful legacy. To plant a tree is to have hope for the future,” said Lydia Willems, Project Manager of Leaf a Legacy. “Through the partnership with Stellenbosch Municipality’s Million Trees Project and the support of Wildlands’ ‘Trees for Life’ activities, Leaf a Legacy hopes to facilitate the protection and restoration of our vulnerable natural environment and help restore dignity and hope to our local community with greening projects.”

“Wildlands would like to offer support and guidance for the progressive and strategic development of this campaign, and also align our existing Cape Metro focused ‘Trees for Life’ activities, funded by SPIER and PSG Konsult, with the Million Trees Project,” said Wildlands CEO Dr Andrew Venter. “This partnership is very exciting for the future of Stellenbosch and will ultimately see the creation of ‘green jobs’ and the building of a ‘green economy’ – one tree at a time!”

If you would like to contribute to the “Million Trees Project” please visit www.leafalegacy.org and click on the “Get Involved” page to sign up and pledge for between 100 and 1000 trees, or simply donate to this cause.

Engen launches R4.5 million enterprise development partnership

On the 5th of September 200 Waste-preneurs and special guests gathered at the Wildlands Recycling Transfer Station, near Midmar in Pietermartizburg, to officially launch the partnership.

Engen, South Africa’s market-leading downstream petroleum company has invested R4.5 million in an enterprise development partnership with Wildlands Green-preneurs (Pty) Ltd, with numerous spin-offs for the environmental and recycling focused organisation and local entrepreneurs.

Wildlands Green-preneurs (Pty) Ltd collects waste from a network of Waste-preneurs, businesses, schools and charitable organisations, sorts and bales materials at depots and sells it to recyclers. In 2012, the organisation collected and recycled over 4 million kg’s of recyclable waste.

“Given the company’s reach, Engen’s investment will significantly boost recycling efforts, and promote black empowerment and local enterprises,” says Tasneem Sulaiman-Bray, Engen’s General Manager of Corporate Affairs.

“It is a multi-faceted investment with far-reaching impact, allowing us to integrate socio-economic imperatives with enterprise development elements to help Wildlands’ Waste-preneurs build sustainable businesses. In addition, we are contributing to Wildlands’ business efficiencies,” added Sulaiman-Bray.

In return, Engen will receive carbon credits, supporting its sustainability and planet change agenda.

The investment provided new infrastructure and equipment for the Midmar Recycling Transfer Station, including conveyor belts, glass crushers, a concrete slab for drop-off and loading, and closed sorting sheds which will protect workers from the weather. In addition, it will support two new recycling transfer stations in the eThekwini Municipality and uThungulu Municipality districts – with a vision to do most of the above on a smaller scale.

“The infrastructure will increase the core efficiencies of the recycling processing plants, resulting in Wildlands also being able to increase its current staff complement from 63 to 75 at the depot,” said Wildlands CEO Dr Andrew Venter. “This runs counter to many efficiency-boosting interventions. As sorting and crushing was done manually before, the new infrastructure will speed matters up, allowing Wildlands to increase volumes and work through its stockpile of waste,” Dr Venter explains.

In addition, Engen’s investment has contributed to the building of a new office block, training centre for 25 people, canteen, kitchen, locker facility and a computer room at the depot, as well as an ablution facility for the disabled, thereby further improving working conditions.

The office block was also declared open today by Tasneem Sulaiman-Bray and Dr Andrew Venter with an official red ribbon cutting ceremony.

“Engen’s investment has certainly increased the wellbeing of our staff,” says Wildlands Recycling Operations Manager Urvashi Haridass. “It has made their working environment healthier and safer. The staff are also very excited about the canteen facility, as this will mean they can leave their work station and enjoy their lunch in a different space. Overall I have already seen a more efficient system, making me very excited about the future.”

Sthembile Zondo, a sorting supervisor at the recycling depot, says the enclosure around the sorting area has helped a lot. “It used to be very cold and windy and the rubbish would blow away or onto you,” she says. “The new conveyor is also faster, so you can sort faster and everyone can work harder. It is also nice to have cement around the depot instead of standing in mud.”

Philani Zondi started working at the Midmar facility two years ago. “The new glass crushing machine makes a big difference,” says Zondi. “It is easier to work and production is a lot faster. We used to do two bags a day and now we do about twenty. It is also safer. Our arms used to get tired, but now we can’t hurt ourselves anymore.”

“Wildlands are very excited about this partnership with Engen,” says Venter. “Green-preneurs (Pty) Ltd does some great work, and with this funding we will be able to ensure it is better equipped to do what it does best – green the economy.”

True to Wildlands form, Dr Venter also mentioned the sustainable resources used in the construction of this benchmark facility, including upcycled bricks, tables, wood, second hand computers and electronic equipment and chairs.

“None of these exciting developments would have been possible without Engen. We also need to acknowledge that the upgrading of these facilities is ultimately changing lives – we can now collect more waste, take on more Waste-preneurs in rural communities and change the faces of these communities into clean, green environments,” said Dr Venter. “We organised for 200 of our local Waste-preneurs to join us today,” said Dr Venter, “because we wanted to use this opportunity to honor them and express our appreciation for the work they do in helping us clean and green communities. We could not do this without you,” he said, while he asked them all to stand so all those in attendance could acknowledge their outstanding contribution.