Page 68 - Gondwana Value Creation Report 2020

HOW WE MAKE AN IMPACT Our most recently constructed lodges, The Desert Grace and We believe that all Namibians should enjoy the benefits of – and The Kalahari Farmhouse near Stampriet houses the Gondwana As custodians of nature, we strive to protect the ecological biodiversity in the areas under our influence. Where we have lodges in communal areas, we support the re-establishment and conservation of diverse

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Self-sustaining supply of food
Sustainable construction methods
A commitment to nature conservation
Environmental education
Etosha King Nehale, as well as our new Palmwag Camping2Go
SSC, a farming operation from which all Gondwana’s properties
share the responsibility for – a pristine environment. We invest in
indigenous plant and animal species.
campsite, were built using environmentally friendly construction
are supplied with fresh vegetables and organic cuts of meat.
initiatives to help foster a sense of ownership in our employees
We operate lodges on the banks of Namibia’s perennial rivers. These systems are sensitive and vital to communities and wildlife. We play our part in protecting these areas by supporting the establishment and
methods. All buildings at The Desert Grace and Etosha King
and communities. For our employees, we design and present
Nehale were built with sandbags filled on site. This natural
layered aquifer system. The centre includes chickens, pigs and
building material has excellent sound and thermal insulation.
The Sikunga Fish Protection project protects fish stocks in the proclaimed Sikunga fish protection area in the Zambezi River. A team of permanently employed Fish Guards combat illegal fishing. They also assist
initiatives. With our communities, we run clean-up campaigns
hothouses, as well as an on-site butchery and smokehouse.
in protecting a carmine bee-eater colony on the river banks, which is said to be one of the largest breeding colonies in Africa. We find like-minded partners such as FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust to fund
in the communities and conservancies surrounding our lodges.
We renovated the Palmwag Lodge and Campsite and Etosha courses on environmental protection that form part of our training The Stampriet area provides a ready supply of water from a multi- administration of protection areas.
Safari Lodge during the year. In these renovations, most of the old In 2020, Chobe River Camp, Zambezi Mubala Camp and Lodge, A local, community-based, sustainable agri-development company, and manage the Fish Guard project.
wood and steel was reused. At Palmwag, employees participated Namushasha River Lodge, Hakusembe River Lodge, and Etosha ROOTS, bought approximately 4 000 hectares of land in the It is essential to plant trees to offset excess carbon and combat climate change. We cultivate indigenous trees at our nurseries at Holoog Nursery at Fish River Canyon and at the Zambezi Mubala Camp. We
in brick-making training offered by Ohorongo Cement, utilising Safari Camp and Lodge all received environmental training, which farmlands surrounding the Kalahari Farmhouse and SSC, where replant these trees at our properties and the communities around us. In 2020, we began a tree planting initiative at Gondwana Canyon Park. Visitors can adopt quiver trees at the Holoog Nursery to plant at the
their self-made bricks in the renovations. focused on recycling, and saving water and electricity. they planted a variety of vegetables and fruits on agricultural plots. Gondwana Canyon Park. We planted over 140 quiver trees this year alone.
ROOTS employs local community members to work the fields
Gondwana uses glass-crushing machines to recycle the glass and allows them to buy land to grow fruit and vegetables to sell. As the drought continued in 2020, we needed to continue feeding wildlife at the Gondwana Kalahari Park and manage game in the Gondwana Canyon Park.
waste from our lodges. Gondwana purchases these foodstuffs for our lodges and our
MealForTwo programme through ROOTS’s distribution partner, A threat to our pristine environment is light pollution, which is increasing with the continuous development of Namibia. We take steps to minimise light pollution at our lodges.
The proof of our success 161 Gondwana employees Kercon Food Enterprises. These companies have taken over the
management of the vegetable gardens at the SSC. This strategic
100% of our lodges have Environmental Clearance attended courses on partnership allows Gondwana to focus on the butchery while still
Certificates from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism. providing vegetables to our lodges at a fair price.
environmental protection. We planted We aim to have the Gondwana Canyon Park accredited with Dark Sky status
Gondwana’s lodges are also encouraged to establish self-
sufficiency gardens to cater for their basic fresh fruit and 345 trees by the International Dark Sky Association by the end of 2021.
vegetable needs.
16 members in 2020
of the local conservancies also At Damara Mopane Lodge, each 2019: 830 Annual Plant-a-Tree Day Adopt-a-Tree project
joined in on the training at guest room has its own vegetable We faced a variety of challenges this Guests pay for a tree to be planted
Namushasha River Lodge and garden. These supply 80% of the 1 480 year, sadly, reducing how many trees in communal areas at lodges. The
respective community will be given
Chobe River Camp. lodge’s required produce. trees planted since the project we were able to plant. This does not the funds received from the guests for
deter us, and we aim to plant 2 021
began in 2018 trees in Namibia by the end of 2021. the planting and nurturing of each tree.
Most of our lodges have netted
tunnels where herbs, tomatoes,
lettuce and cabbage are grown.
As custodians of nature, we take every measure to Our human footprint

minimise our footprint thereon and maximise our Canyon Park: 0.4%

Zambezi Mubala Lodge has an
aquaponics system to supply positive impact. Kalahari Park: 1.2%
guests with herbs and lettuce. Namib Park: 0.6%

66 VALUE CREATION REPORT 2020 GONDWANA COLLECTION NAMIBIA 67