Nature guides choose Eastern Cape

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THE vast number of field guides in the Eastern Cape is testament to strong, local and steady development of Eastern Cape game reserves, lodges and tourism, according to  Eastern Cape regional chairman, Schalk Pretorius.

FOR THE LOVE OF NATURE: Prize winners at the Field Guides Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) Eastern Cape AGM and prize-giving held at Amakhala Game Reserve were, from left, Shani Preller (accepting on behalf of Juan-Luc Durant), Jan Dykema from Shamwari Game Reserve, head ranger at Amakhala Justin Barlow, Andrew Kearney from Shamwari and Jason Smith from Amakhala Picture: CANDICE PRETORIUS

The FGASA- Eastern Cape held their annual general meeting and prize-giving at Lalibela Game Reserve in recent weeks where field guides and game reserves were honoured with trophies for their excellent achievements and contributions.

FGASA, one of the biggest associate for nature guides in southern Africa, provides educational opportunities to promote the conservation and rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage of Southern Africa and promotes a high standard of tourist guiding, skills development and job creation within the tourism industry.

Of the 200 registered guides in the Eastern Cape, around 60 arrived at Lalibela for the AGM, fun day and prize-giving.

Pretorius, who heads the course management, training and mentorship at Ulovane Environmental Training, said the day had been extremely successful and it was good to honour the guides who had shown much dedication and hard work.

Two directors of FGASA and the Eastern Cape registrar Mbelelo Siyo attended the event as well as guest speakers Tony Ribbink from Sustainable Seas Trust and international motivational speaker Quinton Coetzee. Ribbink focused his conservation talk on plastic pollution and the role of guides in the future.

[pullquote]“Plastic – you cannot turn a blind eye to it any longer,” said Ribbink.[/pullquote]

Coetzee, South Africa’s leading bushcraft specialist and presenter of the popular wildlife television programme 50/50 and Veldfocus, used visuals to take the audience on a journey into the African bush. He demonstrated how a San Bushman tribe is able to thrive in a harsh, ever-changing environment due to a thorough understanding of the wildlife on which they depend and the predators with which they).

The powerful message drew parallels between survival in the bush and success in the business world.

Pretorius said that guiding has always been perceived as inferior in the Eastern Cape compared to other provinces. He said that opportunity in guiding is growing in the Eastern Cape and that although it has taken a long time to be recognised, the profession has definitely taken off.

“The best thing about people in the Eastern Cape is they work together. There is a great sharing of knowledge and ideas. Guides have broken corporate barriers and there is a cross-pollinating of ideas and skills,” he said.

“The Eastern Cape is growing together. Tourism is the biggest industry and who looks after tourists? Guides are assets to lodges and to tourism; they are ambassadors for country and need to be well trained and have a desire to learn more.

“It’s a practical profession for people who love the outdoors and adventure. It’s not just a gap year,” he said.

Five awards were handed out during the prize-giving with Amakhala Game Reserve receiving the Frontier Award for the reserve that has shown the greatest development in the guiding department.

The Settlers Award, sponsored by Andrew Kearney from Shamwari, was awarded to Jason Smith for acting guide who scored the highest in one round of an advanced weapon handling assessment over the year.

The Albany Award for acting guide who performed the best in the EC Regional Birding specialisation assessment and exam was awarded to Juan-Luc Durant.

The Addo Award went to Jan Dykema for the individual that demonstrated the greatest level of improvement in their level of guiding in the region, and the Karoha Award bestowed to Andrew Kearney was for active guide who has achieved the highest individual score for a track and sign evaluation.

The Honoris Aloe Award given to a guide only if they have continuously shown excellent dedication, a minimum of five years in the field, who promotes their company’s participation in FGASA-EC efforts to ensure a higher level of nature guiding in the Eastern Cape, was awarded to Rudi van Niekerk.

“Thank you for all who made the journey, it was a great day of everybody sharing ideas, and especially to Lalibela Game Reserve who were excellent hosts and sponsored the whole day,” said Pretorius.

 

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