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- THAF Update - Community Focus
- Photography Reflections - Photography Focus
- Research Update - Research Focus
Ansel Adams once said “ You don’t take a photograph you make it”, of which l am going to disagree. In my view it's not the photographer who make the photo it’s you. We bring to each image our own values, our beliefs and as a result of that, the image resonates with us. My name is Bongani Siziba, assistant photographer, and welcome to the latest edition! Enjoy some fantastic articles ranging from our wonderful wildlife to the community projects. Read about the community activities such as conservation education where learners are taught on how to protect their environment and the insects around them. Volunteer updates on their experience here and what their impacts have been on our projects. Don't miss our THAF update on how they have been getting on with fundraising for different projects - testament to that was the pub quiz fund-raiser that happened recently. A big thank you to all our contributors for their amazing content!
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Covershot: Klaserie After Dark| Matthias Raggi, Austria
The
Where do I even begin? Maybe‌ Maybe first I’ll begin by introducing myself. Hopefully by now, all of you reading this know that I am a volunteer photographer with African Impact. But who on earth am I? My name is Dylan Fisher Schattman. I am 21 years old studying Wildlife Biology at the University of Vermont. As long as I can remember, creative expression has always been a major part of my life. Whether it is drawing, writing, dancing, skateboarding, etc. I have always loved the idea of viewing things as deeper than what they are and applying these inner reflections to a use greater than my own. Creativity in itself is my main passion. In regards to a more constructive approach, I dream of applying my passion to help spread awareness towards protecting the natural world. To be honest, I had no idea of what to expect prior to coming here to South Africa. Maybe I thought I would be surrounded by older ladies, hunched over their Sudoku and gawking over lost photos of grandchildren or maybe I expected a rambunctious group of young explorers, embarking on escapades of unanticipated adventure disguised by Patagonia sweaters and undiscovered destinies. I had absolutely no idea that the beginning to the start of my life would be sparked by a bunch of young (and old) enthusiastic individuals gathered around a MacBook exploring the depths of our own photographs. What I got from my time here with African Impact is nothing short of an experience of a lifetime; an experience that will forever change how I view the world.
Aside from my duties here with African Impact, I take photographs in order to test the limits of my own personal creative boundaries. Now I know more than most that this must all sound so incredibly cliché BUT to put it simply exploring photography has completely changed my perspective on how I view the physical world. I guess maybe that’s not as easy to understand as it sounds but let me try to explain. I love the beauty in broken things. I love the way tears well in someone’s eyes when they are overwhelmed with laughter. I love the way the earth smells the moment before it rains. I love the way rust grows on metal like that of wrinkles on skin from old age. I love being able to capture something deeper within a specific moment of time. Through photography, I can continue to express the beauty of everyday objects and apply them to real world situations in attempts to provide a deeper understanding of the naturally existing world. Objects contain so much personality that really can only be captured by photographs. Through photographing nature, I have begun to develop a deeper understanding of the importance between mankind and man’s connection to the environment.
Nature photography in particular has taught me to appreciate the little things in life. African Impact and its leaders have taught me the importance of sitting down and deeply investing time into the space around my feet. There is so much that can’t be seen at first glance from scurrying spiders to anxious termites. From “Timtips” to Lilla Szanto’s patience, I have not only grown as a photographer but as a person in terms of how I view the world. Whether that is from macro walks or long editing sessions, African Impact has taught me the true value behind the beauty of the little things. I am so thankful to be able to physically observe my growth as a photographer and capture the moments in which I myself also change. Until next time, until the next beautiful little nothing that catches my attention, “adios”, “doei”, and “goodbye”.
As the largest land animal, the African bush elephant reaches up to 24 feet in length and 13 feet in height. Also known as the African savanna elephant, it is found in most African countries, living in varied habitats from the open savanna to the desert and high rainforest. It is the largest of the three elephant species and can weigh up to 11 tons and live up to 70 years, longer than any other mammal except humans. African bush elephants are herbivores and need to eat about 350 pounds of vegetation daily.
Since the last Warthog post we have decided to start fundraising for the different projects we have currently running here at Dumela Lodge.
Random questions pose as personality analysis of the most fun loving Canadian at the lodge: What is your favorite palindrome? - Yo, banana boy! What would you do if you found a penguin in the freezer? - #dodata!! Then figure out which species it was and return it to its habitat. How would your best friend describe you? - "Thoughtful, gentle yet stern, kind hearted, passionate, hard working, intelligent, and beautiful. Extremely reliable, dependable, I would trust her with my life." (Straight from her words...promise I'm not being full of myself haha) If you were a brand, what would be your motto? - Live life by design, not default
We decided to fundraise for conservation education as this is one of our projects in desperate need of different materials. In order to make the importance of conservation fun and engaging for the kids in the local schools, lots of materials are needed. After going through several potential fundraising ideas we settled on holding a quiz event at the local pub, the Bush Pub Inn. This tavern is highly popular with guides in the area making it the perfect spot to fundraise for conservation education. With a lot of advice and help from fellow staff members I was able to put together a fun and competitive night. Everyone that came had to pay a R50 entrance fee and R10 of that R50 went into our rolling cash pot, which was only open for the winning team to answer. If they got it right they would win the money. This time however they did not get our question right which means the R840 has been kept until the next quiz we hold and the winners of that quiz could win the R840 plus the money collected on the next night.
In order to raise more funds during the night people could buy hints and answer cards. Hints were priced at R25 and answers at R50, except for the final round which was the hardest where we doubled the cost of both hints and answers! The atmosphere for the night was incredible. Everyone was relaxed and having a good time, of course there was an undertone of friendly competition, but what is a quiz without some competition. We had a draw for second prize and the teams were Jolandie’s Chickens and The Vicious Six. Jolandie’s Chickens won 6 vouchers to MJ’s photography shop in Hoedspruit provided very generously by MJ’s. The Vicious Six are now the proud owners of a Jägermeister Hamper which was sponsored by our hosts the Bush Pub. Our first prize winners are the highly knowledgeable Bar Badgers. With a score of 60/78 this team have won the amazing prize of a game drive in the Greater Kruger area for up to 8 people. The total amount of money raised during the night was R6,600. This amount is going to go a long way in helping conservation education in the local areas. A BIG thank you to everyone that helped in any way to make the night as successful as it was. Bring on the next one!
The lion is one of the big cats in the genus Panthera and a member of the family Felidae. The commonly used term African lion collectively denotes the several subspecies in Africa. : 10 – 14 years (Adult, In the wild) Male: 420 lbs (Adult), Female: 280 lbs (Adult) Male: 3.9 ft. (Adult, At Shoulder), Female: 3.6 ft. (Adult, At Shoulder) Females do 85 to 90 percent of the pride's hunting, while the males patrol the territory and protect the pride, for which they take the "lion's share" of the females' prey. When resting, lions seem to enjoy good fellowship with lots of touching, head rubbing, licking and purring. But when it comes to food, each lion looks out for itself. Squabbling and fighting are common, with adult males usually eating first, followed by the females and then the cubs.
Siobhan (meaning God’s grace) is indeed a gracious soul, who decided she wanted to give back by working for a nongovernmental organisation, namely The Happy Africa Foundation. An added bonus of her position here was it fulfilled her desire to return to Africa, yet explore parts unknown to her. With hidden talents in both computer espionage and singing (she loves to holler along to Adele and Sam Smith), she also loves reading, swimming, and long walks on the beach. Affectionately known as ‘Shiv’ by the other members of staff, her favourite quote is, aptly, from the film ‘Invictus’: “I’m the master of my fate. I’m the captain of my soul.”
Conservation Education is fun all the time! We split grades 6 and 7 who each come once every Monday. The reason for this change is because these classes are overcrowded and it is hard to concentrate on each learner so we had to take one group a day. Lessons covered: insects; the role insects play in the ecosystem, identification of insects and their purpose. We also covered in this term ways to protect our environment, insects and the roles they play in the environment and to identify them. We had a total number of 12 hours spent in community and an average number of 134 learners.
Homework assistance for Grade 4 covered poetry, English grammar and tenses. Grade 5 covered instructional writing, and understanding statistics. Total number of hours was 15 and a total attendance number of 244 kids. At reading club we had an average of 103 learners attending. When we first started most of the learners couldn’t understand what was happening in a story, but now it’s very different and it’s rewarding to see the kids grow and improve their reading. We would like to thank everyone involved in the projects and more importantly our amazing volunteers from all across the globe.
There’s never a dull moment when doing community, and this month has been filled with so many beautiful and amazing things. Firstly I will start off by saying that before volunteers go on projects they are briefed so that they understand the objectives for that day, and also what is expected of them to do. This month we started our own mini eco heroes’ garden in Dumela lodge, where we have supplied Seganyane Primary School with 250 seedlings to help grow in the garden with a short term goal of contributing to feeding the learners.
We then started a mini flower garden in mahlathi primary school helping our partners Eco children to make the school nice, beautiful and clean. We believe a beautiful clean school encourages kids to have pride, respect and love for their school and also makes them feel passionate about going to school. We also painted the school’s outside to make it more attractive and clean. From nothing to something: Makwetse primary school, a newly adopted school by Eco children, has just started building the eco villages. We are helping out our partners Eco Children with the construction, and this will help feed the community as a whole and the learners in Tsakani Community.
BUFFALO
1,500 pounds About 65 inches at the shoulder Herbivorous/grazer Gestation: Between 11 and 12 months Predators: Humans and lions
Behaviour
Buffaloes can live in herds of a few hundred, but have been known to congregate in thousands in the Serengeti during the rainy season. The females and their offspring make up the bulk of the herd. Males may spend much of their time in bachelor groups. These groups are of two types, those that contain males from 4 to 7 years of age and those that have males 12 years and older. The older bulls often prefer to be on their own. Males do not reach their full weight until about age 10. After this, however, their body weight and condition decline, probably because the teeth become worn. Sight and hearing are both rather poor, but scent is well developed in buffaloes. Although quiet for the most part, the animals do communicate. In mating season they grunt and emit hoarse bellows. A calf in danger will bellow mournfully, bringing herd members running at a gallop to defend it.
There’s a saying that runs “Those that can, do. thathow can’t, Let me just state We Those can show theteach”. Hippo has for the record that this is hokum. an affectionate, not just aggresive I’ve met many inspirational figures over the years and side, we can show the industrious dung beetle working awayhave (the flies more than half of those been teachers here, incidentally, ana sometimes in some guise or point other.like It is arrow towards subject – I at times too, and thankless task,the bittersweet trained them myself), or a lonely things I’ve yet one of the most rewarding impala with a long way toIgo. ever tried to do – those instruct and their work will attest to whether or not I have been We can also create confusion successful. within the image to make the viewer look deeper, like a crocodile’s eye
The week of thecroc’s photography seenfirst through another mouth, project here is all theto workshop – learning getting theabout audience engage with about the camera and its functions – and a photo, get them thinking. generally there’s a varied range of Bringing twoIt’s elements experience. difficult together, to manage everyone’s we can make a suggestion here expectations, but around–the middle of the that African Impact works with week, something fantastic happens. Those snakes – soexperience you can see start that even with more to help those with few variables, a photograph who are new to the craft; people become becomes more and more inspired by what they see on the screen in complicated. critiques, and learn how to look at the world in different ways and This, for me, is part of to mysee photographically. fascination with photography - the
It’s not we just the students, either. control can have over what we I see new want to communicate, by simple ways approach a subject all the time from inclusion omission. It’s alsoangles I’ve never work thatormy guys submit, where we have a responsibility, thought of, or a different way in to manipulate only what we but howthe we first to admit anot photograph. I’dsay, be among say it. There is no way many we canthings get that there are many, I know that perfect image, that puts an idea nothing about and there are areas of in another’s head with no confusion photography I’ve yettowards to explore, whatsoever. Striving that and this is just one of however, the things I get back perfection, is what keepsfrom working and teaching here in Greater the photographer coming back.Kruger.
Natural lighting has an advantage over flash photography in that, well, it’s Use what’s onandoffer. natural! Your eyes brain have, over time, used to Natural lighting become is always seeing everything lit from above, going to be way better than and at an angle. This is why anything man can horror movies light their subjects manufacture, so use it!toThe from below sometimes, give hours just after and just the subject extradawn dramatic effect.
before sunset (the golden When give taking portraits, hours) light with a look for soft, natural light – coming beautiful, rosy quality (which through a window, for example. is why most romantic shots In this way, you get a nice, even are set at sunset). spread of soft light over your ‘Bad’ lighting in your subject. This iscan thework most effective favour. Atmospheric way of flattering your subject, as harsh lighting show every conditions canwill lead to up moody detail and flaw in the skin! shots, so maximize any definition in overcast clouds to make sure it doesn’t look painted out. Rim-lighting (a technique used in studio lighting setups using a designated ‘hair light’ for models) and silhouetting can have a very dramatic effect. Just because you can’t get into the right position doesn’t mean you should try for the shot. Remember – let nature inspire you!
Crocodile Crocodiles are large reptiles found in tropical regions of Africa, Asia, the Americas and Australia. They are members of the order Crocodilia, which also includes caimans, gharials and alligators. There are 13 species of crocodiles, so there are many different sizes of crocodile Interesting Crocodile Facts: Closest relatives of crocodiles are birds and dinosaurs. Crocodiles have lived on the Earth 240 million years. They appeared at the same time when dinosaurs appeared. Crocodiles vary in size. Largest crocodile species is Saltwater Crocodile which can reach 13-18 feet in length and weigh up to 2200 pounds. Smallest crocodile species is Dwarf Crocodile which can reach 5 feet in length and weigh up to 40-70 pounds. Crocodiles are meat-eaters (carnivores). They have 24 sharp teeth which are used for killing fish, birds, mammals and small crocodile (their prey).
A wise man once told me, “In order to keep it, you have to give it away first”. At first I thought this ridiculous, but the more I teach, the more I realise it’s true. If you want to keep your passion in life, show others why you love what you do. Sooner rather than later, others will join in the conversation and through inspiring others, you’ll be inspired yourself: this is one of the fundamental reasons why, I believe, our photography project here works. Volunteers come to enhance their skills and get a taste of Africa, but what they get is so much more. By immersing themselves in the projects, the family, the atmosphere, they get the passion, too – not just for photography, but for Africa herself. And it’s a beautiful thing to watch happen from the outside. Like most of our volunteers, I originally came here with no experience of Africa apart from David Attenborough, and now I cannot imagine ever being apart from it. My photography and the project is a massive part of that, just like Africa is now a part of me. Being able to share my passion and the joy of showing the world what I have discovered here is a gift which, if I keep on giving it away, continues to come back to me. I mentioned before that teaching can be bittersweet, and it’s for all the right reasons. I’ve had students arrive with the camera still boxed, with the cellophane wrapping on, still sealed. By the time they leave they may not quite be Annie Leibovitz or Ansel Adams but they now have a passion and a way of expression that, to me, is second to none (although I’m slightly biased in that respect, I’ll admit).
To look at how the volunteers’ photography improves as the 4 weeks pass by is just amazing, sometimes to the point of my own jealousy, when I wish I had taken that photo, but that’s when I know that what I, and the rest of the team, are doing is worthwhile. People leave here with skills they wanted to acquire, and some they never knew existed – wielding a machete, tracking animals, making short films – and are invariably better off for it. I know if any one of us has been an inspiration to even just one of our volunteers, it’s been worth it. The work may be hard, the hours long, but the rewards, for staff and volunteers alike? Priceless.
Do you want your photographs to go from ordinary to extraordinary? Do you have a passion for photography and travel? Take that passion to African Impact South Africa and volunteer for the photography program. You will visit one of the most diverse wildlife countries in the world and learn about the research that is going on to help save many of the endangered species. You will see beautiful landscapes and help in the community. By immersing yourself daily in this program you will learn what makes a photograph tell a story. Learning the importance of lighting, composition, creativity, shadows and so much more, your photography skills and thus your photographs will improve immensely. You will also learn how to use Lightroom for post-production to put those finishing touches on your art. In the 4 weeks we have been here our photography skills have grown by leaps and bounds. Going on game drives, bush walks, bird walks, and macro walks you will soon learn to train your eyes to see all the creatures great and small. Be prepared for an intense experience; getting up early to catch the best light, staying out for the beautiful sunsets, going on night drives, painting with light and so much more will be presented to you in a beautiful setting. You will meet and become friends with other photographers from around the world with the same goals
Hippo
Hippopotamus means "river horse" in Greek. Male hippos can be up to 15 feet long, 5 feet high, and 8,000 pounds in weight, making them one of the largest terrestrial mammals. Only elephants and some white rhinos are larger. At birth a hippopotamus weighs 30 - 60 kg, and it takes 4 to 5 years to reach maturity and a weight of 3600 kg. Hippo lips are about 2 feet wide. Hippos can turn each ear in a different direction at the same time. A bull hippos' bellow has been measured at 115 decibels. Hippos cannot float because their heavy muscles weigh them down and cause them to sink. This does not present a problem, since they can either paddle to stay afloat or simply walk along the river bottom. Feeding always occurs on land. However, courtship, birth and nursing takes place underwater. Adult hippos can stay underwater for five to six minutes. However, baby hippos can only stay underwater for twenty seconds. Few animals can open their mouths as wide as hippos can. They use this ability to scare away other animals. Around the turn of the eighteenth century, hippo tusks were used to make artificial teeth.
The smallest species in the mongoose family, and the smallest carnivore in Africa, the dwarf mongoose has a dark brown or black coat, with white or grey grizzling at the ends. With few exceptions. Only the dominant pair in each group breeds successfully, with litters of 2-5 born normally at the start of the rainy seasons. The eat mainly insects, although their diet has been known to extend to scorpions and small birds. and their predators are mostly larger mongooses and raptors.
As a team we have learned how to produce amazing photographs. Each photographer may see the same animal, but by taking the photograph from different angles, different lighting and focusing on different parts of the body it changes the entire feel of the photograph. The photography instructor Tim Feherty, will help by looking at your best photographs and possibly tweaking it in the post production process. These lessons add so much more knowledge to your constantly improving photographs. You will learn a flow pattern to work on your photographs during post production that will decrease the time spent behind the computer and allow more time to spend behind the lens of your camera. During this post production process we learned how to change a good photograph and turn it into an eye catching photograph. As an added benefit we have learned about the ever decreasing populations of these amazing animals. Seeing in person the effects of poaching, loss of habitat, global warming, and more, helped create a desire in us to go home and teach others about the severe plight and potential extinction of rhinos, large cats, wild dogs, and many more species. African Impact is also very involved in the communities and doing research to try to save these beautiful animals. Seeing the villages and how some people live has opened our eyes to the importance of saving the environment and how lucky we are to be living our dream of travel and photography. We want to thank Tim Feherty and his photography assistant Lilla Szanto for all of their guidance and patience during this amazing 4 weeks.
Two new males came into Klaserie together this month and were first spotted by our researchers on June 7th. It is unknown where the two males came from but it seems as if they will stay for a while because the older and larger male has been mating with the females in the area.
Originally from South Africa, Emma spent 18 years in the UK, but always wanted to come back. After completing her law degree, then volunteering on both Photography and Research projects, it was time to let Africa pull her back in, and working for African Impact was the perfect move. She loves the creative side of her job – working with brochures and marketing, but also talking to volunteers, explaining that “You’ll meet new people, experience and do things you never thought possible.” Her favourite quote? “Nothing game-changing comes from staying within your comfort zone.”
The most commonly sighted lion at Klaserie in the month of May, Mabandi, hasn’t been seen by any of our researchers since June 1st. KF1 and KF2 are still the most commonly seen females at Klaserie and have been mating with several different male lions over the course of the month. If either gets pregnant, this could possibly increase the chance of the cubs survival as the males will not know for sure if the cubs are theirs or another male’s cubs therefore making them less likely to kill off the cubs than if they were known to be from another male. Leopard tracks are everywhere and now that winter is in full effect leopard activity has increased. Our individual track data will be added to our maps at the end of the month. With so many tracks hopefully we can better understand the range and patterns of these leopards within the area. After measuring the tracks we definitely have at least two different males and at least one female with the possibility of more in the area.
Makhula is now back in the area. He was the first leopard that was ever identified at our new location. He was seen by me and other volunteer researchers at the main hole where he was active last year, as well as being seen on one of our camera traps along the southern fenceline. We now know a new part of his range that also follows the river. Ncila was also seen with her cubs for the first time in Buffaloland by a group of our researchers. A new female leopard was seen on our camera traps this month as well, along with reports of another female with cubs at Buffaloland. Wild dog sightings have become a special commonality in Klaserie over the last month with a female, male, and a juvenile being spotted nearly every research trip. The den site of this family of wild dogs was located, and while there was suspicion that wild dog cubs were in the den it has now been confirmed that there are as many as 9 wild dog pups at the den site as well. Elephant sightings have increased over the last couple weeks as well. With a new elephant ID kit made it is now easier to identify which herds we are seeing and what activities they are displaying. Our physical conservation work continues to progress as the water hole on our property here at Dumela continues to be a main focus as we get closer and closer to finishing it with every hour of hard work that gets put in. Lastly, we continue to work on clearing brush in a section of Buffaloland nearly every week in hopes that soon water from the dam can be released into the area and grasses can be planted and will grow to provide more food for the grazing wildlife.
Re-setting your camera
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In order to be prepared to get those fantastic, spontaneous shots, always reset your camera back to settings that you’re happy with. When shooting, settings will often change in order to suit the subject, but if you revert to default every time you set the camera down, you’ll know exactly what you’re dealing with every single time.
Research Focus: The Journey of FBL1 and her Offspring
Wild Dog The African wild dog, African hunting dog, or African painted wolf (Lycaon pictus) is native to subSaharan Africa. It is classified as endangered, as it has disappeared from much of its original range. The current population has been estimated at roughly 39 subpopulations containing 6,600 adults, only 1,400 of which are fully grown. The decline of these populations is ongoing, due to habitat fragmentation, human persecution, and disease outbreaks. The African wild dog is a highly social animal, living in packs with separate dominance hierarchies for males and females. Unique among social carnivores, it is the females rather than the males that scatter from the natal pack once sexually mature, and the young are allowed to feed first on carcasses. The species is a specialised diurnal hunter of antelopes, which it catches by chasing them to exhaustion. Like other canids, it regurgitates food for its young, but this action is also extended to adults, to the point of being the bedrock of African wild dog social life. It has few natural predators, though lions and hyaenas are a major source of mortality.
FBL1, or Ncilia Wo Leha, has been seen with her two 6-month-old cubs!! This is the first confirmation of these cubs since we heard her mating last year. While seeing cubs is special on its own, the journey our team has taken to arrive at this point makes the sighting extremely special.
2015
FBL1 was the first leopard we saw at Buffaloland. On 15 June 2015, a large leopardess strolled in front of the researchers, confirming that there were leopards present in the area and that this was a potential priority research area. By August, activity from the large males, MBL1 and MBL3, sparked the leopard project as they were using holes in fences to travel through multiple properties. On the 21st of August, we observed leopard mating noises close to the corridor we had been monitoring. On the 23rd of August we heard mating calls again, followed by seeing two leopards quickly walk into the bush. One day later, we had a camera trap photo of both leopards and were able to discern it was MBL3 and this female. Over the next few months, sightings, track and camera trap data on FBL1 increased in a more southern area of the reserve. It became clear that this area was a core section of her range.
2016
In January, a photo of FBL1 showed that she was lactating. A gestation period of 90-105 days was consistent with our mating data and we excitedly questioned whether the den site was in the area. At the beginning of February, researchers had a visual of FBL1. She was noticeably more aggressive with the vehicles, most likely due to her offspring close by. Although we did not see the cubs, we decided to avoid the area to ensure the potential den site was not disturbed.
Data on FBL1 decreased in the following months. However, the beginning of June brought the most welcome surprise of two beautiful cubs, approximately 6 months old, on an impala kill with FBL1. FBL1 was noticeably more relaxed compared to the February sighting. MBL3 is potentially the male who sired these cubs. So far, we think that it is one male and one female cub, but will need new photos to be sure. FBL1’s journey is a perfect illustration of the story that data can tell over a period of time and represents the life cycle of leopards living in regions of South Africa that are not formally protected. Leopards travel through different properties that have various levels of human disturbance. They cross roads, they enter agricultural properties, and they continue to populate regions outside of reserves. FBL1 is the leopard that we have obtained the most data for since arriving in 2015 and her cubs are possibly the offspring of a very large male. The flow of genetics is extremely important to ensuring healthy populations, and this flow has occurred within unprotected areas, across human erected boundaries. Eventually, these two young leopards will leave FBL1 to form their own territories. But where will these territories be formed? In landscapes where suitable habitat is increasingly fragmented and disturbed by human activity, where will these leopards survive and how will they continue to ensure their genes are passed on in these areas? We will not be able to answer some of these questions, but they represent our mission to protect and understand leopard populations in the area as well as the need for pooled data initiatives such as the Hoedspruit Leopard Project. FBL1, MBL3 and the newly coded CBL11 and CBL12 will continue to stand as flagships of that purpose. (Photos: Jolandie Botha)
Our resident DJ/mixmaster and Community Liaison, Trico, from a small village, Chavela Gaza, has an inspiring story about passion, focus and how if you put your mind on your goal you can accomplish anything. With 8 languages under his belt and having studied human relations in university, Trico is one of the best when it comes to working within the local schools and community. Through Eco Children, a program Trico was a part of as a child, he now works with them and other community programs to instill in the young people of today the passion and focus which made Trico into the essential member of our team he is today.
Ecosystems are in a constant state of flux, continually striving to maintain equilibrium whereby all natural organisms can flourish equally. When human nature impacts an ecosystem negatively, it surely becomes our responsibility as the “caretakers” of this planet to realign those natural processes towards a healthy balance.
Dumela Lodge has a vibrant history, however; the many changes the property has been through have led to an ecosystem that is debilitated. So how do we rectify this problem? We regenerate the property with a constructive Ecology Management Plan that makes it viable in the future for flora and fauna to thrive in harmony with the human elements of the lodge. Involving a multifaceted strategy starting with the basics of removing anything artificially occurring from the property, for example the volunteers have removed concrete, glass, metal, barbed wire and general litter already. Completion of this allows for the commencement of soil and vegetation sampling, enabling us to study the health of the land within Dumela’s boundaries. The knowledge gained will enable us to determine what flora would be beneficial to the fauna and general ecosystem health, be it removing alien invasive and bush encroachment species, and/or replenishing grasses and trees. The project is long term and will require the dedication of both staff and volunteers to complete…however imagine years down the road, an ecosystem that is healthy and thriving, providing for the greater ecosystem that is planet Earth. (Photos: Michelle Bitzi)
Check out our newest submissions for this month on: africanimpactphotography.com