Maintaining the integrity of our reserves and the fragile ecosystems that exist within them is the primary concern for Singita’s conservation teams; a dedicated workforce tasked with preserving the vulnerable wildlife and natural habitats under our care. A critical part of their role is managing anti-poaching operations in an effort to stem the tide of...
A severe lack of water can have a devastating effect on the ecosystem and agriculture of a region and cause great harm to the local economy. Drought is something that affects large parts of Africa on a regular (and increasing) basis, but Ian Mey, Field Guide at Singita Sabi Sand, explains that this environmental phenomenon can have an upside:
Singita’s commitment to conservation, development and community outreach come together in perfect harmony in the establishment of the Environmental Educational Centre (EEC) in Tanzania. The Centre serves to engage and educate the community’s next generation of leaders on the importance of a balanced, sustainable ecosystem. The EEC conducts approximately 25 week-long courses per year which are attended by 300 youth from the 26 secondary schools in the districts which border Singita Grumeti.
Caring for hundreds of thousands of acres of vast wilderness is Singita’s core vision; a commitment to preserve and protect these fragile ecosystems for future generations. The 12 lodges and camps in South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe support this vision by funding ongoing conservation projects and community development initiatives, and are a stunning example of sustainable tourism in action.
Singita Grumeti, situated adjacent to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, is an integral part of the Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem. Singita manages the concession on behalf of the non-profit Grumeti Community and Wildlife Conservation Fund, and is responsible for the long-term sustainability of the reserve. Elephants, the gentle giants of the grasslands, form an essential part of this ecosystem. Here field guide Ross Couper tells us more:
One of the most successful ongoing community development projects at Singita Grumeti is the Grumeti Horticultural and Marketing Co-op Society (GHOMACOS), supplying the lodge kitchens with a constant flow of high-quality, freshly harvested, locally grown vegetables, herbs and fruits.
As part of its ongoing commitment to the surrounding communities, Singita Pamushana (Zimbabwe) partners with the Malilangwe Trust which runs regular courses in conservation education for pupils at local schools. The four-day courses are held at nearby Hakamela Camp for students in Grade 6 and 7 who come from eleven local schools.
For most safari travellers, the first image that’ll spring to mind when they think of Singita is a luxury lodge parachuted effortlessly into the wilderness. It could also be the smiling face of the guide that took them deep into the bushveld, and returned them safely home that night. Perhaps it’s the crackling fire and star-spangled sky during a memorable boma dinner.
There was a time when the earth was lush with unspoilt wilderness teeming with game; today, places like this are the exception rather than the rule. As trusted guardian of over half a million acres of untouched African bush, Singita is proud to play a role in the conservation, preservation and protection of such vulnerable land.
In an age where the destruction of pristine wilderness continues to accelerate, Singita is making a profound difference in many parts of Africa. Orchestrating an interdependent relationship between communities, wildlife and tourism that ensures true sustainability, Singita is blazing a trail which is seldom achieved on this scale anywhere else on the continent.
