Behind Peace Parks Foundation’s bold mission statement – to re-establish, renew and preserve large functional ecosystems that transcend man-made boundaries – there are real people putting in long hours in tricky locations in order to pursue their passion for restoring Africa for tomorrow’s world. The real face of transfrontier work is often grubby and arduous.
That is part of what PeacePark.tv hopes to show you. The hands-on work at the sharp end of conservation carried out by so many people, for whom it is all part of a day’s work. Because of this work, southern Africa and its wildlife, communities and landscapes will be protected and preserved sustainably for decades to come.
In order to carry out this vital conservation work and to achieve this ambitious dream, the Peace Parks team has to be highly committed as often the job does not fall neatly into a 9 to 5 day. Working in vast landscapes, specifically within transfrontier conservation areas – large ecological regions that straddle the boundaries of two or more countries – it often takes hours of waiting at airports, long plane journeys, bumpy truck rides and the occasional ferry to get out into the field.
Travelling across these landscapes can require determination and resilience. Often there are few creature comforts at the end of the day.
It is well known that Peace Parks’ wildlife rangers often endure long weeks away from home and can spend night after night on patrol. But even the office staff who are involved in less adventurous occupations often leave loved ones behind for days on end. They also need huge doses of patience and good humour. In order to deliver a planning session in Malawi, Denton and Nico had to take a lot of flights and needed to filter their drinking water every day. All part of everyday life behind the scenes at Peace Parks.
