the green side of the red carnation hotel collection south africa www.redcarnation.com/southafrica
“No request is too large, no detail too small�
leave only footprints Across the globe, a dramatic shift has occurred in the way people look at the world. As much as the growing speed and demands of life make people feel more deserving of a break, such rewards now hold within their conscience the effect that such indulgences are having on the environment. From rainforests to reefs, the need to protect natural environments increases as the presence of travellers grows. This means that it is becoming progressively more difficult for travellers to leave only footprints. As a result, the very success of tourism can undermine its long-term viability, as shown by many tourist destinations. The very development created to support the success of hospitality businesses across the globe can in fact put the future of the business, and its environment, at risk. This is why true leaders in the business of travel have made conservation a critical part of their business strategies and actions. The hospitality industry has become acutely aware of its responsibilities towards the magnificent places which it operates, embracing the idea that travellers exploring the world in search of personal experiences can, in fact, work towards creating a reality where the environment is in perfect harmony with travel dreams. The hotel sector is on the frontline of this movement. However, while consciousness has been awoken, action can lag behind because of the holistic commitment required by a hotel company to turn good intentions into operational impact - appreciating that what is good for the environment can in fact be good for business. One hotel group that understands, and activates, this principle deeply and sincerely is the Red Carnation Hotel Collection.
leading the industry by example Award-winning travel industry leader, The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, stands tall as one of the world’s most respected luxury boutique hotel collections. Founded in the 1950s by South African born, life-time hoteliers Mr Stanley and Mrs Bea Tollman, today the Red Carnation Hotel Collection operates 14 exceptional four- and five-star properties in some of the most breathtaking locations across the globe. Since the founding days of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, the company has been run on a non-negotiable foundation of sound business principles, continuously and consistently demonstrating tireless commitment to: • • • • •
guest appreciation and care service excellence offering undisputed value to guests staff development the environments in which Red Carnation Hotel Collection operates
Today, with Mrs Tollman continuing to lead the company as Founder and President, and with three generations of Tollmans actively involved in the business, the Red Carnation Hotel Collection has stayed true to its original ethos and principles of performance excellence. At the heart of Red Carnation Hotel Collection’s promise, and success, remains the award-winning hotel group’s core pledge: continuously and consistently investing into the critical aspects of what it takes, within and outside Red Carnation Hotel Collection, to establish and grow a leading, respected, global hotel group that remains focused on the customer - being ‘driven by service’. This service ethic is central to everything that the boutique luxury hotel collection has been doing since it first opened its doors. And it is what makes Red Carnation Hotel Collection today one of the world’s most admired travel businesses and brands. The company has, from day one, understood and appreciated that within the brand is encapsulated not only a distinctive look and feel for communications, but critically: • a set of standards for exceptional guest experience creation • a set of values for staff delivery of service excellence – the “12 Beliefs” • an enduring commitment to investment in the people and properties of Red Carnation Hotel Collection as a prelude to living and operating by example • an over-riding commitment to the protection, preservation and promotion of the places in which the Red Carnation Hotel Collection operates, including natural, cultural and community environments
Across the portfolio of properties in the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, as much as special emphasis is put on achieving ultimate guest and staff satisfaction, equal priority is put on ensuring that operations of Red Carnation’s properties across the globe are executed with the highest levels of conscience and consideration for their locations. As a result, conservation has become a central part of the world-class business model of this award-winning group of luxury properties.
conservation – a firm commitment, not a passing consideration Uniquely, and because of the extraordinary ethic of its founders, the Red Carnation Hotel Collection has gone to great lengths to ensure that conservation remains an active component of the hotel group’s approach to business, across all aspects of its operations and interactions. What sets it apart from other hoteliers across the world, is the way in which good intent has been turned into exceptional application.
green carnation: four critical areas The commitment to conservation, forming a vital part of the brand and business model of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, is translated directly into the four dimensions that make up the Green Carnation: • Policies • Properties • People • Projects Examining each in order to appreciate the depth and breadth of commitment to conservation, it is clear to see that The Red Carnation Hotel Collection takes conservation seriously, with a long-term commitment to best practice in green practices. POLICIES For good business practices to be consistently executed with recognition of their priority, creation of company policies is critical. Not only do policies call out the importance of desired actions, they offer clear guidelines around their activation and resulting measurement. The Red Carnation Hotel Collection has also recognised that conservation policies are best developed when they respond to the unique environments in which each property is located. Policies put in place by The Red Carnation Hotel Collection clearly demonstrate a holistic approach to excellence in hotel management through ongoing consciousness of impact – now, and in the future. PROPERTIES Similarly, the actual properties within The Red Carnation Hotel Collection – each a piece of architectural majesty and unique character befitting the status of ‘luxury boutique hotel’ – are carefully examined for opportunities to minimise environmental impact. The company also invests heavily in technological advances to bring green practices into existing and new properties. Not only is such an approach undeniably good for conservation, it is also good for business as, innate to green technology, is cost savings through energy management. The initiatives undertaken by The Red Carnation Hotel Collection are worthy of careful examination by the global hotel industry, as the industry seeks ways for maintaining guest satisfaction using methods that reduce operational costs. Upfront investment can, and does, yield bottom line savings in the medium and long-term.
PEOPLE Ultimately, no matter how well engineered a hotel’s conservation operations, it is the people who are the determinants of the honest, holistic way in which conservation becomes a part of how a hotel does business. At The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, the people of the company are viewed, and entrusted, as the most important lever for successful conservation – within, around and beyond the hotel. To this end, The Red Carnation Hotel Collection has created a global ‘Green Team’. Established in 2007 and based in London, the global Red Carnation Hotel Collection Green Team is made up of representatives from each of the 14 properties in the collection from across the globe. Composed of members of staff at every level of the organisation, regular meetings are utilized to review and reinforce company policies, training and practices related to conservation (energy, environment and culture), as well as explore new ideas and innovations that can play a part in ensuring that every property can make a meaningful difference. In addition, and to embed momentum of Green Team interaction and impact, online forums for information, insight and ideas exchange, as well as sharing best practices, media, project updates, opportunities for involvement at staff levels, training initiatives, and special achievements are utilised. Furthermore, a yearly global Green Team presentation is made to staff of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, including the collection’s owners, managing directors, executive teams and selected team members from across the properties Ultimately, the Green Team seeks to establish genuine understanding and appreciation of the fact that conservation is everyone’s responsibility, in every property and community, everywhere that The Red Carnation Hotel Collection operates. PROJECTS Over and above the daily policies and practices brought to life across the people and properties of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, a number of projects have been taken on to further address conservation needs in the environments in which the hotel collection operates. These projects address specific requirements across the various dimensions of conservation, including: • nature • wildlife • culture • heritage Local projects help to further integrate the people of The Red Carnation Hotel Collection, making it possible for staff of the various properties to increase their commitment to conservation in ways that have a particular importance to their hearts. The Red Carnation Hotel Collection has successfully embedded the spirit and practices of conservation into all of its properties because of the firm philosophy that has been embraced by the leadership of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection: conservation is a lifelong commitment.
social involvement Integration of activities with the local community. The extent to which community is involved in business activities. The extent to which community benefits socially from business activities. The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa has chosen to work closely with the Amy Biehl Foundation as its chosen charity. Founded in 1997, the Amy Biehl Foundation is a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town, whose mission is to prevent youth violence through a holistic approach to youth and community development in socio-economically disadvantaged communities in and around the city. The Foundation works to develop and empower underprivileged youths aged 6-18 in the townships to contribute to their communities. The hotel supports the Foundation in the following ways: • Guests are encouraged to donate to the fund by adding a nominal fee of R10.00 to their hotel bill on departure. • The in-room green card informs guests about how they can help lessen their impact on the environment, as well as our respective carbon footprint, by allowing them to reduce the frequency with which linen and towels are changed; as well as encouraging guests to switch off air conditioners when not in the room in order to save our precious energy resources. Cost savings made as a result of this initiative are donated to the Amy Biehl Foundation. • The hotel encourages staff to give 67 minutes of their time on Mandela Day to host a cupcake decorating initiative at one of the Amy Biehl Foundation Schools. • To further The Twelve Apostles’ social commitment to the community, the hotel’s Green Team arranges a project or trip annually with the children of the Amy Biehl Foundation; the most recent outing saw the hotel host 80 children on a beach clean-up on Hout Bay beach, where they learnt about recycling before enjoying a picnic and swim. • Staff who are regular Woolworths shoppers are encouraged to open a My School Card with the Amy Biehl Foundation as their beneficiary, or change their existing cards. • Staff are regularly taken on township tours through the Foundation, visiting various schools and after-care facilities to create awareness of the plight of the underprivileged. • The hotel encourages staff to give their time to the Foundation by allowing each employee up to two paid social responsibility days per year. • All proceeds from the sale of ‘A Life in Food’, a cook book by Red Carnation Hotel Collection President and Founder Mrs Bea Tollman, are donated to the Foundation. • All birthday and greeting cards used for staff and internal hotel matters are purchased from the Foundation, and are made by the children of the Foundation. The hotel is a proud member of ‘Pack for a Purpose’, an initiative that allows travellers to make a lasting impact within the community at their travel destination. Guests are encouraged to save a few kilograms of space in their suitcase to bring supplies for local schools or medical clinics in need. The Azure Restaurant is a benefactor of the StreetSmart Initiative, a registered non-profit organisation raising funds for street children. The StreetSmart card is displayed in all food bill folders and wait staff are trained to brief guests on StreetSmart’s background and beneficiaries. Guests are encouraged to donate a minimum of R5 to the organization - StreetSmart then distributes the money directly to established organisations with the experience and facilities to help children who are living on the streets.
The hotel also has an emotional attachment to the Sunflower Fund as one of its staff members is a leukaemia survivor. The Sunflower Fund is a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town, with a vision to give all South Africans diagnosed with leukaemia and other life-threatening blood disorders the chance to live, irrespective of their race and financial circumstances. The Fund’s core purpose is to educate, recruit and raise funds to build and sustain an effective South African bone marrow registry. The registry is a viable source for well-informed, ethnically diverse potential bone marrow donors, so as to meet the national and international requirements and improve the chances of life-saving transplants for serious blood disorder sufferers. • The Twelve Apostles supports the Fund by actively selling Bandanas throughout September each year. • The hotel further created awareness earlier this year, when Cecile Almazan, an employee who is a leukaemia survivor, gave a heartwarming presentation to the Executive and Senior Management of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection in London. She managed to raise over R7000.00 in the space of one morning. The Twelve Apostles has a donation box in its staff restaurant, enabling staff can donate to various causes. The hotel then ensures that items are passed on to charities worthy of their cause. Donation drives include warm clothing, blankets, food parcels etc.
environmental management Managing of environmental impact as a business in a sustainable and responsible manner • The Twelve Apostles’ Green Team consists of a committee of green thinking individuals who are passionate about the environment and sustainable tourism. The Green Team meets quarterly and is encouraged to come up with innovative green ideas that are practical to implement; as well as help hold the departments and employees accountable, ensuring that simple green practices are adhered to: e.g. taking the stairs instead of the lift where possible, turning lights and office equipment off when not in use, conserving water, sharing transport etc. • The hotel also runs regular ‘Green Awareness’ training sessions to help educate staff on making simple green choices at work, at home and in their communities. Employees are invited to sign a green pledge document, pledging to adhere to simple green practices every day. WATER MANAGEMENT • In-room green cards – see above • All taps throughout the hotel are aerated, which ensures a reduction in water usage while maintaining pressure. • Gound staff conducts regular walks to clear invader plants from the surrounding fynbos on the Table Mountain National Park World Heritage Site. This is further supported by the Arbor programme, through which the hotel actively repopulates its gardens with indigenous trees. The lack of invader plants means that only natural precipitation is needed in the hotel gardens and no additional irrigation is required. ENERGY MANAGEMENT • In-room green card – see above • The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa has become the first hotel in Cape Town to install energy-saving LED lighting technology in all public areas of the award-winning hotel; expecting an electrical saving of up to 70%. • All public area lights are fitted with day/night light sensors ensuring that lights are not unnecessarily left on when not required. • The hotel is fitted with inverter-type air-conditioners throughout - the most energy efficient air-conditioner category available. • The hotel’s hot water system runs off heat pumps, an energy saving solution to heating up water. Furthermore the hot water pipelines are all insulated to reduce heat loss, thereby reducing the need to reheat water. • The hotel is a participant in the Hotel Carbon Measurement initiative 1.0, a project driven by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the International Tourism Partnership (ITP). The WTTC and ITP have collaborated in a groundbreaking initiative to unite hotel industry efforts to calculate and communicate carbon impacts by agreeing on standardised methodology and metrics. A working group consisting of representatives of both WTTC and ITP developed the methodology to measure greenhouse gas emissions from individual hotels on a meeting room and guest room basis. This methodology allows the hotels to measure their emissions accurately in a manner that is easy to implement; and are then placed in a position to make informed choices regarding new and existing green initiatives within their organisation.
WASTE MANAGEMENT • The Twelve Apostles contracts a waste management company, WastePlan, to sort the hotel waste. Staff are trained to separate waste in coloured recycle bins. Dry waste is then sorted and sent for recycling. Wet waste is sent to pig farms as pig food, or to make compost. The use of the waste management programme has helped the hotel reduce its waste to landfill from 80% to 20%. • Organic waste from the kitchen is placed in a wormery, where earthworms naturally convert the organic material into rich compost juice to be used in the hotel’s herb gardens. • The hotel’s kitchen adds to its excellent green credentials with a customised air extraction system that uses UV filtering to remove all odours and turn all grease not caught by the filters into ozone, for an environmentally-friendly waste product. This customised air extraction system provides a healthy, fresh environment and ensures comfortable working temperatures throughout the year. • All offices are equipped with paper recycling bins; used paper is then sent on to Mondi to create recycled paper. Furthermore, all staff are encouraged to re-use paper by printing on the blank side of previously printed paper whenever appropriate; and avoid printing documents unnecessarily. • All batteries are disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner through the hotel’s waste management contractor, WastePlan. • Fluorescent tubes are sent to a nearby specialist recycler who disposes of them in an environmentally friendly manner. • Old furniture from revamped guest rooms is sold at significantly reduced rates to staff for use in their homes.
empowerment Reflect and communicate the extent to which your business has addressed the issues of empowerment and has contributed to a globally competitive, demographically representative tourism industry. • The Twelve Apostles focuses on actively developing future managers from within the organisation. The hotel does this through its ‘Am bassadors in Management’ programme which consists of three levels of development: Foundation, Level 1 and Level 2. • The Ambassadors in Management Foundation Course is an introductory course, preparing employees for the Ambassadors in Management Level 1 course. The course was introduced to address employees who show natural leadership qualities but, due to educational deficiencies, lack the literary, numerical, administrative and computer skills to commence the Ambassadors in Management Level 1 course. • The Ambassadors in Management Level 1 course is a supervisory course where trainees learn key management principles and feedback through a practical presentation on how they have applied these principles in the workplace. • The Ambassadors in Management Level 2 course is a management course where trainees learn key management principles, and then apply them through the implementation of a work-based assignment. • In conjunction with the International Hotel School, The Twelve Apostles also focuses on assisting employees from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to complete subjects towards a Diploma in Hotel Management or a Diploma in Food and Beverage Management. The courses are all correspondence based, and students are assigned a senior Hotel Manager as their mentor. • The hotel also focuses on developing employees from previously disadvantaged backgrounds in areas where skills are very scarce; and as a result created the Chef Development Programme and the Sommelier Development Programme: • In conjunction with the Cape Wine Academy, selected members of staff are placed on a four-year programme to help them become a sommelier. The programme includes completion of the Cape Wine Academy Front of House Course, Certificate in Wine and Diploma in Wine. Furthermore the programme includes completion of Ambassadors in Management Level 1 and computer literacy for Office Excel, Work and Outlook and computer literacy for the stock management programme FnBShop; as well as completion of the in-house ‘train the trainer’ course. The students are mentored by Twelve Apostles Head Sommelier Gregory Mutambe. • In conjunction with the South African Chef’s Academy, selected members of staff are placed on a three year Chef’s Development Programme to help them become professional chefs. The programme includes completion of the Certificate in Food Preparation and Culinary Arts, and the completion of either their Diploma in Food Preparation and Culinary Arts, or their Diploma in Patisserie. The course runs on a day release basis, whereby students go to class once a week and then apply what they have learnt in the workplace. The students are mentored by Twelve Apostles Executive Chef Christo Pretorius. • Every year the hotel sends a group of deserving individuals to London. This trip is both an employee development opportunity and a reward and recognition occasion. During their week-long stay in London, staff are exposed to the working environments of the London-based properties within the Red Carnation Hotel Collection by cross-training within the hotels and ‘buddying’ up with their London counterparts. Employees also get to experience UK culture - for many attendees this is their first excursion beyond the borders of South Africa. The trip culminates in the attendance at the Red Carnation Hotel Collection Staff Appreciation Party, an ‘Oscars-style’ gala dinner where the best of the best are recognised amongst their peers. The selection of attendees is based on merit, but has a strong bias towards staff who may not normally be in a position to travel and experience global cultures.
: Mr Horst Frehse General Manager Telephone : +27 (0) 21 437 9000 Email : generalmanager@12apostels.co.za Website : www.12apolsteshotel.com
environmental sustainability: caring for our natural environment Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat is the proud winner of the 2012 Virtuoso Sustainable Tourism Leadership Award. It was the Global Winner of Wildlife Conservations Programs in the Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Awards (2009), and won the coveted Relais & Châteaux Environment Trophy in 2007. Its entire operation is based on sound environmental conservation practices. This covers a wide spectrum: from the implementation of a comprehensive reserve management plan, ongoing monitoring of water quality, rainfall, soil erosion, vegetation cover and wildlife to prevent degradation, to environmentally friendly solid waste disposal and advanced Biolytix waste water processing system. All management actions are governed by a comprehensive Environmental management plan, ratified by the Bushmans Kloof Conservation Trust. Each trustee is an expert in a particular field including wildlife management, botany, archaeology and cultural heritage. Bushmans Kloof makes regular use of the services of the Nature Conservation Corporation, an independent environmental management consultant. Bushmans Kloof supports the following environmental organisations: • Cape Leopard Trust (sponsorship of research by means of GPS collars) • South African Botanical Society and Cape Nature (saving the Clanwilliam Cedar tree) • Northern Cederberg Conservancy (participation in fire protection, alien vegetation eradication and promotion of eco-friendly farming techniques) Bushmans Kloof has furthermore developed active relationships with the following organisations: • Archaeology department of the University of Cape Town • SAHRA (South African Heritage Resource Agency) • South African Department of Environmental Affairs • University of Stellenbosch SCARCE project (a pilot survey of amphibians and reptiles in the Cederberg) • Cape Town and Western Cape Tourism Association (membership) We ensure minimal impact by tourists on the environment through implementation of the following: • Strict protocol is adhered to at archaeological and rock art sites • Guests are educated in terms of the protection of and respect for rock art sites • Particularly sensitive rock art sites are closed to the public, but interpreted through high-quality MS Power Point presentations • Only indigenous wildlife species are introduced on the reserve • Irrigation of the gardens is done through micro-jet irrigation and at judicious times to limit unnecessary evaporation • Treated grey water is used to irrigate the larger grassed areas • Only biodegradable detergents are used • Guests are encouraged to assist in the property’s water saving policies and are made aware of the need for water conservation in the Western Cape
• Lodge sewage is treated in a Biolytix system (raw sewage is broken down by worms) • All non-organic waste is transported off the property to the Clanwilliam municipal dump site • Organic waste is used as mulch and compost in the gardens • All the swimming pools are salt chlorinated • Vehicles are prohibited from driving off-road • All roads are maintained annually • Hiking trails are carefully marked and maintained • All firewood in the lodge is sourced from alien vegetation such as Port Jackson Willow • All infrastructural development follows strict environmental scoping protocols before submission for final approval from the regional district municipality.
community involvement SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT • The lodge has been actively involved in the pilot project to include local farming communities in creating the Cederberg Biosphere Reserve and super-reserve, consisting of the Biedow River Conservancy, the Wupperthal Conservancy and the Cederberg Wilderness Area • The lodge contributes to the improvement of local infrastructure and supports the West Coast Municipality • Bushmans Kloof is proud to support and contribute towards Elizabethfontein Primary School, in a bid to uplift and emphasise environmental education for local school children. The lodge supports the School in the following ways: • The lodge donates stationery to the school every year • The lodge sponsors the school youth camp every year • Every year, the lodge hosts pupils aged 13 to a ‘Footsteps of the Future’ open day to experience the hospitality industry, and to learn about the importance of conservation. • Senior staff buys Christmas gifts for the underprivileged kids in the surrounding communities. • Executive Chef Floris Smith has developed a Riel dancing troupe called ‘Die Nuwe Graskoue Trappers’ from Wupperthal and other local communities. The group participated in the 2012 ATKV Riel Dance Championships in Paarl, where they received the trophy for the ‘Most Promising Group 2012/2013’. • The lodge has donated computers to the Wupperthal Community to help the development of young learners. • The lodge has trained the waiters from the coffee shop in Wupperthal to help them provide an improved service to guests visiting their town. • The lodge entered into a trade partnership with the German Moravian mission station near Wupperthal, which provides Bushmans Kloof with products such as Rooibos Tea and leather goods. This in turn has a positive effect on job creation in the area. • The lodge is proud to be involved in the refurbishment and upkeep of the Clanwilliam Museum. HR Manager, Pieter van Dyk is part of the Museum Committee. • The lodge donates items of linen, towels, blankets, crockery and cutlery to the old age home and ambulance service in Clanwilliam. • The Lodge has contributed to the development of the local rural medical clinic in order to provide the farming community with improved access to medical attention. • The lodge always looks to fill vacancies from within the local community. • All proceeds from the sale of Mrs Tollman’s Cookbook, ‘A Life in Food’, goes to the Amy Biehl Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Cape Town that reaches out to thousands of children in the Townships through After School programmes. • The lodge is a proud member of ‘Pack for a Purpose’, an initiative that allows travellers to make a lasting impact within the community at their travel destination. Guests are encouraged to save a few kilograms of space in their suitcase and bring supplies for area schools or medical clinics in need. • The lodge sponsors various prizes for local charities and businesses. Examples are gift vouchers given to the local CANSA branch to be raffled, an overnight stay for the prize winner of the competition of a local school (the school sourced funds on that day), an overnight stay for the prize winner of a photographic competition held by the Clanwilliam Tourist Association to attract tourist to Clanwilliam and its surrounds.
monitoring programmes and research Adhering to the adage, ‘to measure is to manage’, Bushmans Kloof’s field guides have developed a number of important scientific monitoring programmes, which include rock art, vegetation, soil erosion, human impact, water quality, wildlife and rainfall. The data is stored on a database and statistically analysed to detect long term changes and fluctuations in the natural equilibrium. Monitoring forms the cornerstone of planning and decision-making and is constantly updated and reassessed. A number of research projects have been initiated at Bushmans Kloof including: • A comprehensive survey of the Cederberg reptiles and amphibians for conservation and ecotourism, by the University of Stellenbosch SCARCE Unit • A photographic Cape mountain zebra identification project • A leopard survey project by The Cape Leopard Trust The lodge monitors environmental impact through the following steps: • Waste levels are monitored and reported on a monthly basis • Hazardous chemicals are stored in a secure place, kept on register and reported on monthly • Roads and infrastructure are monitored annually • Professor John Parkington, Head of the Archaeology department at the University of Cape Town (UCT) monitors the rock art on a continuous basis • Wildlife populations are counted from the air annually • The Bushmans Kloof Conservation Trust meets bi-annually • An internal and external environmental audit is carried out on an annual basis.
historical and cultural heritage PRESERVATION OF THE ROCK ART OF THE ANCIENT SAN PEOPLE Bushmans Kloof is proud custodian to over 130 remarkable documented rock art sites – some dating back 10 000 years – left behind by one of mankind’s earliest societies, the San. Since its inception, Bushmans Kloof has shown a rare dedication to the preservation of this rich cultural treasure, and, accordingly, has been awarded South African Natural Heritage status. In September 2004 the Bushmans Kloof Heritage Centre was opened, which features the Rudner Collection, as well as other authentic, irreplaceable Bushman artefacts that include jewellery, dancing sticks, hunting kits, musical instruments, digging sticks and magic sets, to offer further insight into the history and lives of the San people. To further research the knowledge of this remarkable culture, Siyakha Mguni was appointed as Resident Archaeologist and Curator at Bushmans Kloof between 2005 and 2011. During this time, his primary function was the recording, documenting and research of all the rock art sites in the reserve, in order to create a database linked to a Geographic Information System (GIS) platform. Mguni also lectured and assisted the University of Cape Town’s Clanwilliam-based Living Landscape Project, and further trained the guides at Bushmans Kloof in current rock art analysis and interpretation, based on new research being conducted all over the continent. Siyakha Mguni was awarded the coveted UK Antiquity Journal Ben Cullen Prize in 2006, for his paper ‘King’s monuments: identifying ‘formlings’ in southern African San rock art paintings’. This followed closely after Mguni’s announcement that he had discovered a rare rock art site at Bushmans Kloof, which was of great significance as a ceremonial rock art site. Guests at Bushmans Kloof may enjoy daily rock art walks to discover the caves and sites, which have been recognised as ‘the world’s largest open-air art gallery’. Trained guides provide insight into the rich cultural history of the San, a tribe of diminutive ochre-skinned hunter-gatherers who traversed this area in search of food and water, for thousands of years.
englishman’s Grave ANGLO BOER WAR Bushmans Kloof is also custodian of the legendary ‘Englishman’s Grave’, and maintains the lonely grave site, which is located on the periphery just outside the reserve on the road towards Wupperthal. Bearing the inscription ‘Brave and True’ this Anglo Boer War memorial was erected by the mother of a young British soldier, Vinicombe Winchester Clowes, who was a lieutenant in the First Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders. He died here on 30 January 1901 at the age of 21, when British forces were attempting to prevent incursions into the Cape Colony by the Boer Commandos under General Smuts.
flora ALIEN VEGETATION ERADICATION Arguably the greatest environmental threat to Bushmans Kloof’s biodiversity is the encroachment of the Port Jackson willow (Acacia saligna), an alien tree species introduced from Australia in the 1800’s to stabilise the dunes of the Cape Flats area. With little local competition, this species spread like wildfire, migrating north and east, invading areas of indigenous Fynbos and colonising riparian river banks. Since its inception, Bushmans Kloof has invested an enormous amount of money and manpower in an attempt to remove this scourge, and the results have been very satisfactory. Every year, local teams are employed to cut, pull, poison and burn several hectares of infestation. The seedless dry branches are then chopped and used as mulch to brushpack and stabilise disturbed areas. It seems like a thankless task as the enormous seed bank built up over the years is incredibly viable, resulting in a new crop of seedlings every year. However, the Port Jackson species has been virtually eradicated from the Boontjies and Perdekraal tributaries, with only a small area below the Main Dam wall remaining. This project not only removes aliens, but provides much needed work and income to the local community. THE CLANWILLIAM CEDAR Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat, together with the Botanical Society and Western Cape Nature Conservation, has given its commitment to support the Clanwilliam Cedar Tree Project. Bushmans Kloof grows sapling in its nursery and hosts an annual tree and seed planting ceremony in an effort to reintroduce this highly endangered tree into its natural habitat, and specifically around Bushmans Kloof. The Cederberg Mountains are named after the Clanwilliam cedars (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis) that were once abundant on the upper slopes, and are now faced with possible extinction. The number of trees has declined dramatically over the past two centuries, partly due to unsustainable exploitation, and partly due to an increase in fire frequency. The Clanwilliam cedar is listed as endangered on the Red Data List, and has been shortlisted onto a global list of 43 conifer species that are worthy of special conservation attention. THE BUSHMANS KLOOF SPECIAL COLLECTION Bushmans Kloof has selected the following plants that occur naturally on the Reserve, as part of its very own Special Collection: • Rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) • Taylor’s Thatching Reed (Cannamois taylori) • Khakibutton (Crassula columnaris) • Clanwilliam Daisy (Euryops speciossimus) • Paintbrush Lily (Haemanthus coccineus) • Fragrant Evening Flower (Hesperantha cucullata) • Rocket Pincushion (Leucospermum reflexum) • Magenta Pelargonium (Pelargonium magenteum) • Breede River Yellowwood (Podocarpus elongates) • Clanwilliam Cedar (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis)
THE INDIGENOUS ROOIBOS PLANT Naturally occurring only here in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape, the indigenous Rooibos plant (Aspalathus linearis) is renowned across the world for its extraordinarily powerful qualities, proven health benefits and delicious, nutty taste. The Rooibos plant was widely used by the Khoisan in the region as a herbal remedy for many different ailments, and it is believed that this ancient culture was the first to discover that the needle-like Rooibos leaves could be used to make a refreshing brew. Growing wild across the expanse of the Bushmans Kloof reserve, Rooibos has been introduced extensively into all aspects of the lodge’s operations, and in its many forms, uses and guises, is an integral part of the Bushmans Kloof experience. From the refreshing, chilled Iced Rooibos Tea served on arrival as ‘signature welcome drink’, and the deliciously fragrant, hand-made Rooibos soap in guest bathrooms, to a steaming pot of Rooibos tea served at High Tea, it is essential to the guest experience here. On a culinary level the Chef makes use of Rooibos tea as an ingredient in some of the lodge’s Cape Country Cuisine dishes, which has led Bushmans Kloof to be a proud contributor to Rooibos Limited’s newly published Rooibos Cookbook.
fauna View the expansive environment and indigenous game with daily nature drives through the reserve including: Gemsbok, Bontebok, Cape mountain zebra, Eland, Red hartebeest, Black wildebeest, Vaalrhebok, Klipspringer, Springbok and Steenbok to name a few. Bushmans Kloof is home to 35 species of mammals, several of which are listed in the IUCN Red Data book and 150 different species of bird such as the Malachite kingfisher, African fish eagle and Black harrier. Sightings of Aardwolf, African wildcat, Bat eared fox, Cape fox and Porcupine are possible. The owners declined the option to establish the ‘Big 5’ as Bushmans Kloof remains committed to the ethos of creating a credible, indigenous Western Cape reserve where guests may wander and explore the reserve in complete safety to appreciate the smaller, yet equally significant wonders of nature. The objective is to create a unique wilderness reserve in the Cederberg Mountains as it was when the San people roamed the land 300 years ago. SAVING THE CAPE MOUNTAIN ZEBRA Bushmans Kloof has been instrumental in the quest to save the rare and endangered Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra) from extinction and is the proud owner of one of the largest privately owned herds among the estimated total population of 2790 animals worldwide. In genetic terms this still represents a small population, but is a vast improvement of the just over 400 recorded in 1984. It is considered the largest mammal in South Africa to have come so close to extinction, a fate that sadly awaited the Quagga, an extinct sub species of the plains zebra. Historically, Cape mountain zebra existed throughout the Cape Fold Belt Mountains and the edge of the Great Escarpment of the Cape Province where its fast-growing hooves adapted to the type of rocky terrain inhabited. Natural populations survived in three conservation areas: the Mountain Zebra National Park at Cradock, and the Gamkaberg Nature Reserve and Kamanassie Nature Reserve in the Oudtshoorn district. Herds were subsequently established in a number of other locations, including Bushmans Kloof. Bushmans Kloof has photographed and documented each of the zebras on the property for the ‘studbook’, a valuable tool used to determine the reproductive success of individual zebra. In layman terms: ‘tracing the family tree of each individual’. The ‘studbook’ also monitors movement of individuals between breeding and bachelor herds.
SAVING THE CAPE MOUNTAIN LEOPARD Further demonstrating the commitment Bushmans Kloof has to the preservation and protection of indigenous wildlife, it has undertaken to support another major conservation project: The Cape Leopard Trust. This organisation is dedicated to the conservation of the Cape’s predator diversity, and in particular, the leopard (Panthera pardus) as the flagship species. Bushmans Kloof is one of the main sponsors of the Global positioning Satellite systems (GPS) collaring project for the leopard - the apex predator in the Western Cape. In August 2005 the first Global Positioning Satellite system (GPS) collar was fitted to a leopard for monitoring purposes, before the animal was released back into the wild. The Cape Leopard Trust works towards conserving the Cape’s predator diversity through simultaneously implementing conservation and research projects, and tourism initiatives. The leopard is utilised as ‘flagship species’ to highlight the plight of the trust and to find effective ways to facilitate harmonious co-existence between these magnificent animals and farm owners in the region. Bushmans Kloof has provided funds that have enabled the Trust to acquire GPS collars with tracking devices that allow them to determine the home range and behaviour of leopards in the Cederberg Mountains of the Western Cape. In turn this will supply invaluable information pertaining to leopard ecology in this area. It is the first time ever that GPS collars are being used to research the leopard in the Cape. In recent years research has expanded to also include vital data on the Caracal (Felis caracal), another endangered cat species. PROTECTING THE ENDANGERED CLANWILLIAM YELLOW FISH Small and large-mouthed Bass from the USA were introduced to the Western Cape river systems during the last century in an attempt to ‘improve’ sport fishing. These aggressive species set about devouring the indigenous fish eggs and juvenile fish to the extent that indigenous species were soon fighting for survival. In the past Bushmans Kloof offered excellent Bass fishing in two of its three dams. It has since initiated a project to prioritise the conservation of the highly endangered Clanwilliam yellow fish (revered by fly fishermen as the ‘freshwater bonefish’), which is entirely endemic to the Olifants River system, including the Doring and Biedouw tributaries. The Bushmans Kloof catchment area is an important nursery for the young fry (juvenile fish) which migrate downstream in the wet winter months. The project involves systematically eradicating all alien fish from the dams that feed on the fragile river systems. Bushmans Kloof successfully restocked these dams with Yellow fish fingerlings caught in nets in the Biedouw River. Two other species that are introduced are the Clanwilliam Redfin and the Sawfin, both endemic to the Olifants River system. Gravel beds have been laid at the mouth of the Boontjies River that feeds the main dam, to assist the adult Yellow fish upstream to spawn again in spring. During the summer this results in excellent ‘catch-and-release’ fly-fishing in the rock pools of the Boontjies and Perdekraal tributaries near the Bushmans Kloof lodge. Currently fly-fishing is available in the deeper rock pools, with reasonably sized Yellow fish being caught with mayfly nymphs or bead-head flies. Depending on the success of the project, Bushmans Kloof may be in a position to offer very exciting fly-fishing in its main dam within the next two years.
General Manager
: Mr James Basson
Telephone
: +27 (0) 27 482 8200
Email : james@bushmanskloof.co.za Website : www.bushmanskloof.co.za
Having purchased the 1954-built, legendary Oyster Box Hotel near Durban in 2005, the opportunity and responsibility to create a beacon of enlightened environmental stewardship was realised. As part of a major property refurbishment, significant sustainable tourism practices were built into the classical architecture, including a sophisticated building management system to control major service installations and ensure maximum energy efficiency and control at all times.
the environment INITIATIVES INCORPORATED DURING THE RE-BUILD • State-of-the-art performance glazing was used in windows and doors to assist in maintaining constant interior temperatures and reduce noise.
Energy efficient lights and lamps were installed and sensors on bedroom sliding doors switch off the air-conditioning
immediately guests open up access to the balconies or terraces. Dulux ‘Light and Space’ paint, which enhances natural reflection and as a result saves on artificial light, has been used on ceilings throughout the property. • Moso Bamboo, a sustainable resource that replenishes itself naturally after it has been harvested, was used for a number of floors and all wardrobes. All other timbers used in floors, doors and joinery, are FSC-certified (Forestry Stewardship Council). • Environmental protection was paramount when planning the luscious and extensive hotel gardens. Indigenous fauna and flora have been planted wherever possible and during the renovation process many of the mature plants already on the property, such as aloes, frangipani and hibiscus, were re-located and preserved and have now been replanted at the hotel. SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT The Oyster Box belongs to the Green Leaf Environmental Standards Foundation (GLESF), who audits the hotel on a regular basis. Utilities are tabled and compared against the number of bed nights in order to analyse the use of the hotel’s resources. WASTE Waste is separated and sorted on site. Light and tubes are crushed on site in tube-crushers. All recyclables are removed by a private waste contractor and sent to the appropriate local collection organisations and sites. All the moving and dumping of waste is recorded on and monitored via the contractor’s website, to ensure it is dumped accordingly and in legitimate landfill sites. Since opening, The Oyster Box has saved 274.6 cubic metres of space of landfill site by recycling 30% of waste.
WATER Bath and shower water from the rooms is collected and stored in a grey water tank. This water is treated in a treatment plant on-site and the clean water is mixed with the collected rain/storm water and re-used. Once commissioned it is used to flush toilets and for irrigation purposes. Water quality, including air-conditioning cooling towers is monitored and tested monthly and the quality of water in the swimming pools on the property is monitored daily and tested on a weekly basis. All water is monitored on an ongoing basis, to ensure that it is in accordance with Government Legislation and Responsible Environmental practices. GREEN GARDEN INTERVENTIONS Moisture levels in the soil are tested and monitored to manage and avoid unnecessary watering. Larger flowerbeds are mulched to retain high moisture content. Hand weeding is used to prevent chemical interventions. Weed killers used when required, are recognized by the industry and are environmentally friendly.
energy conservation AIR-CONDITIONING AND HEAT PUMPS The air-conditioning system is a chilled water system, consisting of a chiller unit, a cooling tower and a reticulation system providing water at 6째C to all areas requiring air-conditioning. The heart of the chiller is a screw compressor which has a very high co-efficient of performance (defined as cooling effect/electrical input). In a sub-tropical climate such as Durban, the chillers will run throughout the year; the heat rejected by the air-conditioning system is used for other purposes e.g. to heat the domestic water and the swimming pools. In the case of the swimming pools, the condenser or cooling water from the chiller, is passed through a heat-exchanger with the pool, warming the water to 30째C. In the case of the domestic water, the same process is used as a pre-heater and then the water is passed through the chiller de-superheaters to take it to approximately 55째C. The heat exchanger has no wearing parts and will last for the lifetime of the plant. The cost of the heat exchangers has shown it to be a very reliable source of free heating. This is energy that would normally be rejected into the atmosphere. In this system the input power (electrical energy) is effectively used twice. The air-conditioning and space temperatures are monitored and controlled via a Honeywell Building Management System that regulates the individual environments. HEAT PUMPS During winter, the cooling load on the air-conditioning is greatly reduced and during these times it will be necessary to divert all the chiller heat reclaim to the domestic water heating. During these periods, the pool water will be heated with the heat pumps. The heat pump is a refrigeration machine running in reverse i.e. it extracts heat from the air and transfers it to the water. The benefit of the refrigeration cycle provides an energy transfer multiplier. ROOMS Aerators have been installed into the hand-basin tap mixer to minimise water consumption. Light cards activate and deactivate the lighting circuits according to occupancy and when sliding doors are opened, automatically turn the cooling cycles off. Timers have been installed on all the outside lighting to ensure that lights do not burn during daylight hours.
LAUNDRY The laundry uses innovative techniques to reduce the number of harmful chemicals used in the cleaning process, as well as conserve energy and water. All guest and staff laundry is hung on re-usable hangers and delivered in re-cyclable leather containers, avoiding the dumping of large quantities of paper and plastic. Guests also have the option to assist with water and energy conservation by reducing the amount of linen and towels they send to the laundry daily. The hotel uses the latest laundry technology and detergents made from renewable resources such as grape-seed oil and uses biodegradable enzymes in the washing process - protease for protein based and lipolase for fat-based materials. To clear the hotel’s sewage system, only products harvested from natural microbial cultures, which degrade the fats, oils and greases into natural gases and water, are used. For their Green efforts, The Oyster Box was awarded GOLD at the SALI Awards in 2012. Through the implementation of the current initiatives and ongoing efforts, the Oyster Box is committed to ‘green best practice’, the effects of which it is hoped, will make The Oyster Box one of the most ‘environmentally-caring’ hotels in Africa. In all the ways that reflect and celebrate the legend of The Oyster Box, the experience of the 21st century Oyster Box is one that holds the grand hotel’s history, heritage, heart and ‘home’ in perfect balance.
the community THE OYSTER BOX CSI PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES The Oyster Box sees itself as an integral part of the broader community in which it does business. As a result, all the hotel’s CSI projects are aimed not only at improving the quality of the lives of the less fortunate and needy in these communities, but also assist recognized charities, wherever possible, to meet the ongoing financial and material demands required to carry out their valuable work. Lungisisa Indlela Village (LIV) The Hotel has chosen to work with Lungisisa Indlela Village (LIV), which provides holistic residential care for vulnerable children. Their core vision is to rescue a child, restore a life, raise a leader, and release a star. The organisation places vulnerable, parentless children into a family environment where they receive unconditional love, spiritual discipleship, care and nurturing. The hotel supports the Village in the following ways: • Beneficiary of the ‘Pack for a Purpose’ project • Condemned Linen • Monthly Mandela Morning – team of 8 different staff members visit LIV monthly to assist with various projects at the Village • The Oyster Box Staff Choir visits and performs with the LIV children’s Choir, building relationships with the children • Staff crochet squares to make up blankets, which are given to each child on arrival at the village, for their beds • Over 50 LIV children attend the annual Bea Tollman Tennis Tournament where they enjoy coaching, fun and fellowship • A team of 24 staff, including Executives, visit the village to take part in an annual House Management Project to prepare the homes to receive new children Towels, Linen & Decor Items Large quantities of condemned items such as linen, bedding, towels, bath-robes, slippers etc. that can no longer be used in the hotel are regularly donated to: TAFTA (The Association for the Aged); LIV; Ottawa Boys Haven; Hospice; Open Door Crisis Centre; iCare Street Children’s Shelter; Aryan Benevolent Home Council; The LEARN Project; Umthombo Street Children’s Shelter; Addington Hospital; The Manor Halfway House; Lions Club; Catholic Woman’s League; Happy Hours Day Care Centre; Oyster Lodge Frail Care; Natal Settlers Home; Sukumawenza Hospice; Lakehaven Children’s Home; The Sunflower Fund; Shepherds Keep and Phoenix Child & Family Welfare Society
Books & Stationery Used books from rooms and public areas have been given to The LEARN Project, for distribution to under- privileged schools and organisations and the SPCA Charity Bookshop. Food & Groceries The Red Bucket/ 67 Minutes Campaign was devised by the staff of The Oyster Box as an innovative way for every staff member to be able to GIVE to someone less fortunate on former president Nelson Mandela’s Birthday. The 67 Red Buckets containing food items were distributed by staff members to identified charities during a 67-minute programme on Mandela Day. The Amy Biehl Foundation All proceeds from the sale of Mrs. Bea Tollman’s cookbook, ‘A Life In Food’, go to the Amy Biehl Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Cape Town that caters for thousands of children in the Townships through After School programmes. Pack for Purpose Oyster Box is a proud member of ‘Pack for a Purpose’, an initiative that allows travellers to make a lasting impact within the community at their travel destination. Guests are encouraged to save a few kilograms of space in their suitcase and bring supplies for less fortunate communities, schools or medical clinics in need. Other Charities Financial donations and contributions are regularly made to numerous other charities including: • Annually over 100 orphans from St Francis Orphanage are transported to the hotel to enjoy a Christmas Lunch, with gifting from the staff. • Midlands Forum - 600 pensioners are hosted quarterly to functions put on by the Oyster Box staff. • Bea Tollman Tennis Tournament is an annual event for children, sponsored by Mrs. Tollman and organized by the hotel at a local tennis club. A group of children from LIV Children’s Village also attend the tennis clinic. • The Oyster Box partnered with Wonderbag (heat retention cooker) and the staff distributed sponsored Wonderbags filled with food items, to less fortunate communities. • Home4ever organization works with feral cats in the local community & is supported by selling merchandise in the hotel’s retail shop. • Zululand Rhino Ride Adventure - annual mountain bike challenge through a game reserve to raise funds and create awareness around the plight of rhinos in SA, receives sponsorship from The Oyster Box. • Save the Rhino organization merchandise in sold in the retail shop • The Salvation Army receives financial support annually from the hotel.
General Manager
: Mr Wayne Coetzer
Telephone
: +27 (0) 31 514 5000
Email : wcoetzer@oysterbox.co.za Website : www.oysterboxhotel.com