“I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself. I dream of the realization of the unity of Africa, whereby its leaders combine in their efforts to solve the problems of this continent. I dream of our vast deserts, of our forests, of all our great wildernesses. We must never forget that it is our duty to protect this environment.” – Nelson Mandela.
Madiba, the learned and much-loved statesman that he was, is renowned the world over for his messages of unity, building a brighter future for our children, and using education as the most powerful weapon to change the world. He was also deeply committed to promoting a symbiotic relationship between developing a prosperous nation and protecting its precious natural resources.
It’s a commitment shared by Ford South Africa. On the one hand, Ford supports tens of thousands of jobs through the investment of billions of rands in local production of the Ranger bakkie, both for its domestic customers and those in export markets around the world. At the same time, it is investing in greener manufacturing solutions, including already capturing the power of the sun with its innovative solar carpark to run the entire Silverton Manufacturing Plant during the day, while adding battery back-up solutions to provide round-the-clock energy.
On the other side of the coin, it is using the legendarily capable Ranger as a tool to empower environmental organisations, helping them perform crucial work that protects threatened habitats and species of both fauna and flora.
Ford’s support for environmental initiatives in South Africa and across the Southern Africa region spans more than three decades, culminating in the establishment of the Ford Wildlife Foundation (FWF) in 2014.
While Ford celebrates its Centenary in South Africa this year, the FWF remains a cornerstone of Ford’s steadfast commitment to giving back to the country. The FWF is funded by Ford SA with the provision of Ranger 4×4 Double Cabs for a period of two years to partner projects, while the Ford dealer network supports the programme with the efficient servicing and maintenance of the vehicles.
These long-term loan vehicles serve two primary objectives. Firstly, they provide crucial mobility for the non-profit organisations, helping them reach areas that are often difficult to access or far off the beaten track – whether it’s the remote and rugged mountain landscape of rural Eastern Cape, the rivers of Mpumalanga or the soft sandy beaches of Mozambique.
Secondly, by providing the projects with a brand new, efficient and dependable Ranger – which is as renowned for its toughness and capability as it is for long-distance comfort and safety – these non-profit entities can use their limited financial resources to benefit the crucial research, conservation and education work they do, rather than funding the purchase costs of a new vehicle.
Over the past seven years alone, a total of 81 Ranger bakkies have been loaned to projects, with seven of these now on their second loan cycle, 18 on their third vehicle and two long-standing projects now on their fourth unit.
As an indication of the trusted partner each FWF Ranger becomes as part of the various projects, many of the organisations have elected to purchase the vehicles at the end of the loan period, thus expanding both the reach of the environmental impact, as well as the contribution that the proudly South African-built Ranger plays in bolstering the country’s biodiversity.
Rhinos to Renosterveld, carnivores to coral
The range and scope of the 29 projects the FWF currently supports is as diverse as natural world itself, but each forms an essential building block in the preservation of Southern Africa’s endangered wildlife and ecosystems. Of these projects, 17 concentrate primarily on conservation, while seven conduct essential research in their fields.
Naturally, it’s easy to identify with and rally against the threat rhinos face due to the well-publicised yet still pervasive and tragic poaching of these impressive mammals. The work that the Black Rhino Range Expansion Project does in KwaZulu-Natal to relocate the massive herbivores and create new populations in other areas is truly commendable.
However, of equal importance is the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Project that works closely with farmers in the Overberg region of the Western Cape to secure ecologically viable remnants of the Renosterveld which are impacted by fragmentation and mismanagement, and are at high risk of extinction.
Among the bird species, the Southern Ground-Hornbill is classified as endangered in South Africa, and a dedicated FWF-supported project based at the Mabula Private Game Reserve is tackling the decline by harvesting and hand-rearing chicks that are kicked out the nest. The rescued birds are then reintroduced into areas where they have become extinct.
The Whitebacked African vulture is similarly under threat, yet it plays a vital role in the sustainability of the entire ecosystem. VulPro runs a vulture rescue and rehabilitation project while also conducting vulture population research, threat identification and mitigation, as well as education to help protect their habitats, and reduce direct and indirect poisoning.
In the Kruger National Park, the Carnivore Conservation Project focuses on the African wild dog as South Africa’s most endangered carnivore. The team implements a wide range of interventions to increase the range, numbers and status of these lively pack animals.
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) Cheetah Range Expansion Project relies on its FWF Ranger to relocate cheetahs between isolated and fenced nature reserves across Sub-Saharan Africa to maintain the genetic and demographic integrity of the species, while the Cape Leopard Trust conducts research on leopards and their prey in the Cedarberg while addressing human-wildlife conflict.
There are projects that tackle conservation and research in the rivers that criss-cross the country too, focusing on the abundant species that rely on these precious waterways, from fish to frogs, eels and hippos.
South Africa has an extensive coastline measuring more than 3 000km, and numerous environmental organisations are addressing the threat from human activities and climate change, with the assistance of the Ford Wildlife Foundation. This includes the Oceanographic Research Institute that targets coral reef conservation and management.
The battle against the rapid decline in populations of the African penguin and seabirds such as the Cape cormorant is led by the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), which operates rescue and rehabilitation centres in Cape Town and Gqeberha.
Sea Search Research and Conservation (SSRC) also benefits from FWF support, with its extensive marine mammal research on Cape fur seals and killer whales extending from Mozambique, around South Africa and into Namibia.
Education is key
The tireless efforts of these teams, and many others that the FWF supports who dedicate their lives to protecting our wildlife and habitats, would be largely negated if humans didn’t change their attitudes towards environmental sustainability. Accordingly, five of the Ford Wildlife Foundation partner projects are involved in the education of communities, and mitigating human-wildlife conflict.
The Lapalala Wilderness School in the Waterberg region nurtures future conservation champions by teaching children and young adults the true value of the biodiversity of our natural world.
In Gauteng, the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) runs the International Schools Programme consisting of three projects: Eco-Schools; Learning About Forests; and Young Reporters for the Environment. Through project-based learning, the organisation helps educate learners, parents, teachers and broader communities about the important relationship between people and nature.
WESSA heads up the Tourism Green Coast project on the Wild Coast that enables learners to complete an accredited Tourism Guiding Course, ultimately giving them the opportunity to gain employment in this thriving industry. The organisation also operates the Tourism Blue Flag coastal management programme in South Africa which accredits beaches that meet standards of excellence in water quality, environmental management, education and safety.
The EWT’s People in Conservation Programme has implemented Guardians of the Future – a curriculum-based Education for Sustainability project that nurtures a more informed and environmentally conscious youth. The project enables educators to present lessons in Natural Sciences and Technology, Life Skills, Social Sciences, and related subjects engagingly and interactively to capture learners’ imaginations.
Ultimately, there’s a common thread that runs through each of these projects – and that’s the need for an unwavering commitment to protecting our natural resources through education and collaboration. It can’t just be left to the environmental evangelists or responsible corporate citizens to lead the fight, nor can the current generation simply sit back and hand over Mother Earth to future generations in a precarious state when none of it was of their making.
As Madiba said, it is our duty to protect the environment, and it is incumbent on all of us to adopt a sense of responsibility and work together to make a difference, whether it’s changing habits at home and in the workplace, or jumping in boots-and-all to get your hands dirty with meaningful and sustainable environmental action. We need to use education as the exceptionally powerful tool it is to change mindsets, while shaping current and future interventions to ensure the environment we leave behind when our time is up is in better shape than when we were brought into this world.
