‘Conservation should be something that not only protects land and animals, but also benefits people’ – this understanding expressed by Fred Swaniker, founder of the African Leadership University, talks to the power of our integrated approach to Care of the Land, Care of the Wildlife and Care of the People.
Our Vision 2020 Care of the Wildlife goals centre on the protection of four endangered species (both land and marine), the active support of wildlife conservation education and, where we have full control of the land, the active management of the wildlife population and conservancy land to maintain biodiversity. Impact partnerships and collaborations have been a key element of our successes in this regard.
These conservation endeavours work hand in hand with a wide range of community development projects, creating meaningful benefits for neighbouring rural communities.
The instrumental role of Phinda
In 1991, &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve (KwaZulu Natal) was an area of 13 076 hectares (32 311 acres) of land reclaimed by &Beyond (then known as Conservation Corporation) for the reintroduction of wildlife.
Today, Phinda is part of the Mun-Ya-Wana Conservancy: 28 622 hectares (70 672 acres) of protected land and wildlife that is actively managed by our Phinda Conservation Team. This is where the fundamental concepts related to our Care of the Land, Wildlife and People have been put to the test and shaped into a powerful, far-reaching Impact Model.
Protection of four endangered species
A cornerstone of &Beyond’s Care of the Wildlife strategy is the preservation of endangered species through conservation (of the species and the land on which they exist), translocations and breeding programmes. In securing them, the health and biodiversity of an ecosystem is assured.
A strong foundation of research and dedicated monitoring has been instrumental to the protection of four species we are actively safeguarding.