Wildlands has been one of the official Comrades charities for more than 11 years. Funds raised by sponsors, Bonitas Medical Fund, and Comrades runners ('Green Champs') every year, go towards supporting a range of conservation projects around South Africa.
The Trust works with communities to restore and conserve our natural ecosystems. The mass tree planting, held over the four days leading up to the Comrades Marathon, is in support of the Durban CEBA (Community Ecosystem Based Adaptation) Initiative, and is also supported by the Province of KwaZulu-Natal through the KZN Integrated Greening Programme.
The Durban CEBA Initiative was conceptualised in partnership with eThekwini Municipality ahead of COP 17/CMP 7 in November/December last year, and forms part of the municipality's commitment to offsetting the local carbon footprint associated with the event. The project will also help to enhance the city's climate change adaptation efforts by restoring an important part of the uMbilo River catchment, and by creating jobs for those employed in the project.
The event this year aimed to highlight the community members that ultimately make an event such as this possible. "Be the change you want to be in the world" - a well-known quote by Mahatma Gandhi - was the theme of the day. "The 70 planters here today and the thousands of facilitators, planting teams and tree-preneurs we work with around the province are really living this mantra and we want Wildlands friends and partners to be inspired to do the same", said Wildlands CEO, Dr Andrew Venter.
Wildlands have recruited and trained community members around the country to become tree-preneurs and grow trees, for their personal benefit and that of the environment. Tree-preneurs grow trees and can barter them at Wildlands' Green Future Stores for items they need such as food, building supplies, JoJo tanks and bicycles. Tree-preneurs from Nazareth Island contributed trees to the eThekwini Paradise Valley Initiative and are true examples of people "being the change".
Peter Mhlongo, a 42-year-old tree-preneur from Nazareth loves his new job. "It is a wonderful experience working with trees! This project has also changed my community because it gives them a reason to get up in the morning and they don't have to do horrible things in order to survive."
48-year-old tree-preneur Margaret Zuma, also based in Nazareth has learnt that you are never too old make a difference, "Doing small things really does count!"
There is also an educational element to the Wildlands' initiative that excites 22-year-old Nomthandazo Yilo. "I want to have a career in Environmental Conservation. I have learnt so much about protecting the environment and looking after it and I want to share my knowledge with others," says Nomthandazo.
56-year-old tree-preneur, Nosibusiso Mhlana, summarised the purpose of the Bonitas ReLeaf Campaign and the event perfectly, "If we take a stand and share our knowledge, it will only be a matter of time before every person look after the environment."
"These are the individuals who inspire us to do what we do," said Dr Andrew Venter, CEO of the Wildlands Conservation Trust. "The 30 000 little saplings we're planting here today might not look like much but in 20 years' time we'll be standing in an indigenous forest rich with biodiversity. Paradise Valley forms part of an important life supporting ecosystem for the Durban community and we hope that all sectors of society will one day be contributing to restoring and protecting it."
