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| Our Operational Policy |
Each Back on Track safari encompasses two areas of operation. Firstly, our base
operation at the Paperbark Bush Retreat, and secondly a big-five tour within
Mpumalanga. Our operational policy covers four main elements as defined below.
Conservation – Our management and safari staff have many years experience in wildlife
conservation and are actively involved with ongoing conservation projects. Gerrie
Camacho (the founder of BoT) is a Zoologist and Game Ranger with twenty five years
experience in wildlife conservation, currently specialising in large predators. Gerrie
founded the Ingwe Leopard Project (based at the Paperbark Bush Retreat) and is
Chairman of the Leopard Forum of South Africa and co-founder of PAW (Protection
of African Wildlife) Conservation Trust.
Each BoT safari aims to provide an insight into the real issues associated with African
conservation. The extent of this element is tailored to suit individual and/or group
interest and is normally established prior to each safari.
During any stay at the Paperbark Bush Retreat, guests are offered the opportunity to
become further involved in conservation projects (for example the Ingwe Leopard
Project) if they wish, by accompanying our staff.
Big five safaris, away from the Paperbark Bush Retreat, are conducted in a responsible
manner with respect for the location and wildlife and include visits to the Kruger
National Park and wildlife conservation centres such as the Moholoholo Rehabilitation
Centre and the Hoedspruit Endangered Wildlife Project.
We hold an informal chat with newly arrived guests at the start of each safari. This is
intended to inform guests of environmental and conservation matters associated with
their safari and answer any questions or queries.
Service – We are committed to providing an affordable safari with the personal touch.
We aim to meet customer needs and wishes and tailor each safari to suit individual
requirements. Customer liaison, service satisfaction and visibility of operation, provide a
genuine service. We encourage and rely on customer interaction and feedback at all
stages of the safari. Each safari and our overall service are constantly reviewed to meet
customer and conservation requirements.
A travellers’ code of conduct is issued with each bespoke safari itinerary.
Environment – Each safari is conducted in an environmentally respectful manor, in
that our policy is one of not affecting the behaviours of wildlife and/or the location.
Vehicle access is limited to existing roads and tracks and no off road bush driving is
conducted. Our preference is to escort clients on bush walks to view game, birds and
flora and fauna. Throughout each safari we operate a policy of ‘bring out what you take
in’ i.e. no man made products are left behind in the bush.
Our base at the Paperbark Bush Retreat is run on a carbon neutral basis, using solar
power, river water for irrigation and self composting. Paperbark sits within (and is a
founding member of) the Leutla Conservancy, whose primary purpose is the
conservation of the pristine veld remaining in the area. There are many environmental
matters to consider within the Leutla Conservancy, however we have prioritised
maintaining the water flow in our rivers, which feed many communities down stream
from the Conservancy, as well as maintaining the veld and indigenous wildlife. We
employ a policy of eradicating ‘Black Wattle’ (an invader which is currently choking the
mountain streams and river courses). This work is being carried out on behalf of and in
association with, the Mpumalanga ‘Working for Water Group’, who unfortunately do
not have the resources to deal with the huge Black Wattle issue in all but a few areas.
We limit vehicle access to the Conservancy - escorted access only, via prior appointment.
This policy is intended to minimise the environmental damage to local flora/fauna and
to limit carbon emissions. Guests are transported in and out with a minimum of
vehicle movements. No off road vehicle access is allowed. Only existing footpaths are
used. Our bush rehabilitation program repopulates surrounding grassland with
indigenous tree species and simultaneously acts to offset our carbon emissions.
Electrical power is via solar energy. We have deliberately installed a system which is only
sufficient for lighting and some other minor consumption uses. Guests are asked to
consider power consumption, we do not encourage the use of electric hair driers etc.
We do not use a generator, as we wish to minimise noise pollution and emissions.
The Paperbark Bush Retreat does not have a swimming pool (as in a tiled area with
treated water), for two reasons. Firstly we don’t feel that a swimming pool fits in with
the natural ambiance of the area and secondly, because of the required use of chemicals
and the potentially disastrous impact of draining these chemicals. As an alternative we
have piped river water into a small dam and return to the river. This pool provides a
natural swimming hole.
We recycle and reuse waste. Kitchen waste is composted where possible together with
garden waste. Plastic, cans, glass and paper is segregated and recycled. Also we reuse as
only Africa can, by utilising some waste products for a variety of ingenious uses. We
constantly look for methods of reusing waste products.
Water saving is integral in our operation rather than an add on. We ask guests to
consider their use of water, use showers not baths, consider towel and linen usage, etc.
Only fallen trees are used for camp fires and in that, only those which can be removed
within the natural order. Black Wattle eradication also provides an abundant source of
wood for camp fires and cooking.
Back on Track Safari conducts administration functions from its base at the Paperbark
Bush Retreat and as such office functions are bounded by the facilities available i.e. low
electrical usage. We aim for a paper free office and prefer to conduct our business via
internet. We strive to achieve a paperless office in the following ways:
Encourage suppliers and our bank to use e-mail and electronic transfer.
Maintain our own records on magnetic media.
Use website and magnetic media as marketing tools rather than brochures.
Social Responsibility – The Paperbark Bush Retreat had previously been a cattle ranch
and has been converted to eco-tourism with the intent of providing a low impact
commercial venture, which continues to sustain the existing employees and their
families living on the land. Within the Leutla Conservancy we have a policy of recruiting
staff from one extended, indigenous family, who have lived and worked within the
Conservancy boundaries for many years. This policy has proved very successful and the
resultant loyalty from both employer and employee benefits all. In addition we minimise
any negative security issues, which sometimes occur when recruiting from outside.
Our safari staff are encouraged to develop within the company. Staff receive a reward
package made up of a fair base salary, accommodation, their individual performance and
that of the company. Personal development lies at the corner stone of the BoT and
Paperbark staff policy. Individuals are encouraged to develop within the organisation to
achieve their goals and where applicable to produce conservation based items for sale
(100% of the proceeds going to the originator).
All of our food, bathroom and kitchen supplies are from local sources and as far as
possible, we aim to use a combination of organic, fair-trade and sustainable products. In
the case where a local supplier has no formal policy in place, we conduct our own
assessments, which helps to highlight those areas of supply which fall outside of our
desired criteria and require improvement. Records of these assessments and our policy
are available to all visitors on request, as part of our ‘open book’ policy. It is worthy of
note, that this concept is relatively new to this location and as such provides long term
opportunities at many levels for improvement. Thankfully many Suppliers are by their
very nature operating in a responsible manner, however have not considered or recorded
their policy. We encourage improvements, where necessary, and when invited, advise in
a respectful manor.
Whilst on safari customers are encouraged to purchase goods and souvenirs from fair
trade shops and market stalls. Our Safari Rangers provide guidance and advice in this
matter.
Big five safaris are conducted in the Kruger National Park and Sabi Sands in the
company of Gerrie Camacho. Tours in the Kruger National Park fall within that
organisations and governmental rules, regulations and boundaries for fair trade and
Black Empowerment and by the very nature of the location have a strong bias towards
conservation. Any other big five lodge or location (such as Sabi Sands), will have been
vetted by our management prior to being used and a record of their compliance to our
own operation policy made.
Open Book Policy
With the exception of areas of commercial or personal confidentiality, we operate an
open book policy with regard to environmental and socially responsible matters.
Records and assessments to be held on magnetic media are available for guests to view
on request.
