ago in South Africa ’ s Sabi Sand Reserve by Luke Bailes . His grandfather first purchased a piece of land there in 1925 , before the reserve had been created .
Over the years , the property , located in a remote corner of the Lowveld region , evolved from a hunting ground to a strict conservation reserve where all animals are protected . Now Singita has 14 sites across four countries in Africa totaling 500,000 acres , including the newest camps , Kwitonda Lodge and Kataza House , on the edge of Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda .
At the heart of everything Singita does is its 100-year vision , a carefully laid-out and closely followed mission to preserve and protect Africa ’ s wilderness . It ’ s anchored by three tenets : biodiversity , sustainability and community . This is done largely through partnerships and initiatives to stop poaching , study wildlife , minimize impact and empower the local communities .
For Kotze , 45 , it means she ’ s managing private conservation projects and partnerships in different regions and countries . With 2020 an “ environmental super year ” full of global commitments made by organizations to protect the earth ’ s wildlife , oceans and habitats , Singita ’ s current priority is to grow and scale its conservation partnerships across Africa .
“ If one looks at Africa , most of our nature reserves and protected areas are under immense pressure because they ’ re just so largely unfunded ,” Kotze explains . “ Although they , on paper , are protected , we simply don ’ t have the resources , financial or human capacity to be able to manage them .”
Additionally , Kotze says Singita is working on several initiatives to minimize its environmental impact by 2025 , including powering 80 % of its off-grid lodges with renewable energy , reducing water use by 30 % and using 100 % electric game viewer vehicles . The company already has reduced single-use plastic by 90 % and converted 50 % of its lodges to solar power . And Singita will continue to support local communities living near its wilderness areas , often through education and career development .
Kotze is also working on refining messaging to include more information and opportunities to get involved with conservation , especially as guests arrive seeking meaningful connections with the land .
DSHIP
“ They are traveling around with such knowledgeable guides and they are exposed to so much ,” Kotze says . “ We find almost the majority of guests are deeply , deeply interested in these areas , their own connection and their own missions attached to the conservation efforts behind keeping these areas alive and well , well beyond our lifetime .”
While protecting the earth may feel as if it ’ s all doomsday and tipping points , Kotze says there actually is a lot of good that can be done in a relatively short time frame , pointing to the Grumeti Game Reserve in Tanzania , where in 15 years Singita has helped restore the ecosystem .
That ’ s something Kotze , based in Cape Town , takes seriously — she often is exploring South Africa ’ s remote areas with her husband and two teenaged children .
“ That ’ s probably what excites me the most ,” she says . “ How quickly we can scale and restore some of the landscapes that we thought were lost .”
WE FIND ALMOST THE MAJORITY OF GUESTS ARE DEEPLY , DEEPLY INTERESTED IN THESE AREAS , THEIR OWN CONNECTION AND THEIR OWN MISSIONS ATTACHED TO THE CONSERVATION EFFORTS BEHIND KEEPING THESE AREAS ALIVE AND WELL , WELL BEYOND OUR LIFETIME .
Singita guests on safari
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