safaritop

CONSERVATION

Camera Traps

Operational Policy

Each On Track safari encompasses two areas of operation. Firstly, our base operation at the Paperbark Bush
Retreat, and secondly a big-five tour. 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 OTS) is a Zoologist and Game Ranger with over 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 co-founder of PAW (Protecting African Wildlife) Conservation
Trust.

Each 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.

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.

Services

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.

Paperbark Bush Retreat does not have a swimming pool (as in a tiled area with treated water), instead we have a natural
swimming hole. This is for two reasons. Firstly we don’t feel that a swimming pool fits in with the natural ambience 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.

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.

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 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 guests 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 and other big five locations. 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.