Support the Endangered Wildlife Trust by 'adopting' a Wattled Crane
The Wattled Crane is by far the most endangered crane species in Southern Africa. Wattled Cranes are exceptionally susceptible to disturbances whilst nesting in wetlands and will easily desert their nest. To make matters worse, although they sometimes lay two eggs, only one chick is usually hatched and reared. Around 80% of the Wattled Crane population worldwide occurs in the seasonal floodplains of Southern Africa, including the pristine wetland areas of the Okavango Delta. Several Wattled Crane nests have been located along the Khwai River close to Khwai River Lodge.
As guests of Khwai River Lodge you may wish to help the plight of the Wattled Cranes by "adopting" a Wattled Crane cuddly toy. By doing so, you are helping to support the work that the Endangered Wildlife Trust does in conserving the eco-system in which the Wattled Cranes live, to ensure they have a sustainable future. To 'adopt' your own Wattled Crane for R100 in support of EWT, please email reservations@orient-express-safaris.com mentioning your intention to purchase this fluffy toy.
Environmental Focus
The main focus in our camps is to give visitors the opportunity to experience a true example of modern conservation and wildlife tourism, with emphasis on the co-existence of wildlife and people in a predominantly undisturbed environment. The luxury accommodation offers modern comforts within an authentic "bush" experience.
All the camps were initially constructed in accordance to guidelines laid out by the Department of Wildlife, the Department of Tourism, Department of Lands and the Department of Labour. Over and above these regulations, Orient-Express Safaris Botswana has ensured that all the camps are semi-permanent (thus meaning that the camps could be removed quite easily, with little trace left behind of their existence). There is also a rehabilitation plan for the area, should the camps ever removed. Day to day operations within the camps are conducted in such a way as to ensure minimal disturbance to the environment and to accomplish this we strive to operate all three properties to the high standards and guidelines of the ISO 14001.
All the fuel storage within the camps is done in such a way as to minimize pollution to the environment. All storage tanks have "catch basins" built around the holding tanks, which are capable of containing a spill (greater than the equivalent in volume of the fuel being stored).
Regular services and maintenance checks of vehicle and boat engines ensure that they are running in the best possible condition, thus minimizing unnecessary pollution. Vehicle and boat engine maintenance is carried out over concrete service areas which allows clean up of possible oil and fuel spills. Ground areas that are susceptible to pollution from accidental contamination by oil and / or fuel spills are regularly dug up and transported to the government designated waste disposal site in Maun. Boat engines are not permitted to be serviced whilst boats are still in the water, thus ensuring that no spillage occurs in the Delta water systems.
In addition to our involvement with the Endangered Wildlife Trust, Orient-Express Safaris also assists a number of local Botswana NGO's and research projects, collecting information whilst in the field. Many of the guides have specific interests in a variety of subjects and often assist specialist research groups in the area.
Our Guides
All our guides are qualified professional guides (as is required by law in Botswana). In addition, many of the guides have completed additional wildlife related training courses and tertiary studies, and many have also previously worked within the Department of Wildlife in Botswana. We actively support our local Government Guide training institutions, the DWNP as well as other organizations, the Botswana Training Authority, The Okavango Guide Training institute, Botswana Tourism and the Okavango Delta Management Project. The principles of these organizations are incorporated into our overall standards keeping our Professional Guide’s skills and the operation of our three camps up to date with the ever changing standards and demands of the tourism industry. We assist and support major organizations like the Department Of Wildlife And National Parks and Botswana Tourism by regularly inviting their training attachments, for a period of three months, into our camps for an intensive all rounder practical in order to assist these students to gain the necessary experience within the tourism industry.
In-house training is conducted on an on-going basis and special attention is given to communication skills in order to enhance guides' interpretation skills, language ability and cultural understanding (all OES Botswana guides are Motswana, with their first language being Setswana).
Our Camp Environmentalists
The full-time Environmental manager co-ordinates and trains camp environmentalists and guides in a variety of conservation / environmental related projects and tasks. One of these projects includes our support and active participation in the Biokavango Project and its role in the biological control of Salvinia Molesta, an invasive weed that has been a key concern Department of Water Affairs for the past three decades. Through this organization we have trained our camp environmentalists and Guides in both our Eagle Island Camp and Khwai River Lodge to become part of an integrated control program for aquatic invasive species. Extensive spread of evasive weed like the Salvinia Molesta could be detrimental to the ecological, hydrological and biological processes of our Botswana wetland systems. Other projects range from local area clean up operations (litter), assisting local communities with medical facilities and conservation initiatives, through to more technical issues such as the supervision of construction of "environmentally friendly" soak away systems.
To emphasize Orient-Express’s commitment to global environmental standards in all of their properties worldwide, we have recently installed a major sewage plant at our water based Eagle Island Camp. Due to the biodiversity of the Okavango Delta and the fact that the delta system is one of the earth’s biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial ecoregions, Orient-Express Botswana has placed emphasis on the possible impact that our property could have on this sensitive environment. Because of the ever fluctuating water levels of the delta system we have decided to completely omit the possibility of underground water pollution from our existing approved soak away systems and to install this advanced new sewage plant.
Lofdal Community Project
Orient-Express Safaris is also dedicated to supporting local community initiatives, such as the Lofdal Community Projects in Cape Town. Established in 1993, Lofdal Community Projects has a simple philosophy: to transform people’s lives and give them a chance. Therefore we actively support the Lofdal School and orphanage by contributing a percentage of profits to these projects – so by travelling with Orient-Express Safaris, you too are helping to make the future brighter for those less fortunate.
Our Staff
Orient-Express Safaris Botswana will give first option for employment within the company to the local neighbouring communities. Where specific skills are required, staff with the appropriate skills are recruited from the nearest available community. Highly competent trainers are employed throughout the company to train members of staff in a variety of skills. Through in-house training we are increasing the knowledgeable personnel resource base within the company and of course, Botswana.
Orient-Express Safaris conducts in-house training for staff in all spheres of our operation, ultimately developing the skill base for sustainability in the tourism industry in Botswana. From an environmental perspective, Orient-Express Safaris employs an Environmental Manager, with an environmentalist resident in each camp. The environmentalists work with environmental, conservation and community conservation issues within the areas of operation. In order to assist the Department of Wildlife in managing protected areas, Orient-Express Safaris also has Honorary Wildlife Officers within its employ and endeavors to encourage more staff to become Honorary Wildlife Officers. All Orient-Express Safaris curio shops sell a variety of local curios and Orient-Express Safaris also encourages staff to sell their hand-made local home-crafted wares within the camps' curio shops.
Health and Safety
Orient-Express Safaris has a dedicated Social Welfare Councilor, appointed specifically to address and educate staff and their extended families on HIV/AIDS related issues. The company is actively involved in assisting local NGO and non-profit organizations in fund raising activities, with special focus on supporting those affected by HIV/AIDS within the community. The senior staff and guiding staff undergo regular first aid training and regular refresher courses. All staff who handle food undergo regular health checks, including x-ray check-ups, in order to ensure a high level of hygiene within our kitchens.
The Neighbouring Communities
Orient-Express Safaris Botswana has initiated a number of small conservation orientated initiatives with the local communities near our camps. Orient-Express Safaris Botswana is also currently corresponding with local government linked initiatives to enhance private participation processes in the areas of community development and community based natural resource management.
Based on the Management Plans for Orient-Express Safaris Botswana properties, various environmental management issues that are dealt with on a daily basis are:
- Treatment of grey water in a manner as to ensure minimal pollution of ground water systems and terrestrial ecosystems (as well as fauna and flora)
- Disposal of refuse in such a way as to minimize pollution of the environment. This includes the removal of all non-combustible waste to a government designated waste disposal site in Maun.
