Working towards a sustainable future

Mashatu Game Reserve comprises 29,000 hectares (72000 acres) of privately owned land in the conserved wilderness area known as the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, a unique land tucked away in the Eastern most corner of Botswana. This exceptionally diverse landscape includes wide open plains, grassland, riverine forests, rocky hills, marshland and majestic sandstone ridges.

As a privately owned reserve we are mindful of the responsibility to preserve and conserve this special area. Mashatu Game Reserve is working towards a sustainable future and have implemented several initiatives to ensure our land remains a haven to wildlife and fauna and flora for many years to come. A few of the measures we have put in place to ensure the longevity of this special area are:

• Mashatu is moving away from “thirsty gardens” where only natural grasses, bush and succulents and anything indigenous is being planted.

• Mashatu only sun-dries laundry, to save electricity. Tumble dryers are only used as a last resort if it rains, which is seldom – over the last 21 years we have recorded 92% rain free days, or 29 days of rain per annum.

• No animals are killed for human consumption. Mashatu is a sanctuary for wildlife and if there is any overpopulation, the animals move out of the area. Mashatu shares unfenced borders with both the South African and Zimbabwean national parks in the south and north respectively allowing animals the freedom to move.
• Mashatu has been doing the recycling for everyone in area for the last 10 years. This includes plastic, glass, paper and cans.
• In an effort to reduce the amount of waste generated by plastic water bottles, Mashatu has introduced a system whereby each guest is given an 8 hr hot/cold flask to refill and use to drink water. This has drastically reduced the number of plastic water bottles which would have ordinarily been used.
• Mashatu uses biodegradable detergents by ‘Ecozyme,’ so that grey water can be reused to water plants and wash game vehicles
• Investigation is currently in progress to have a hybrid solar/electricity system at the camps. Mashatu enjoys 335 days of sunshine a year and we are working on capitalising on this free source of energy.
• Fire wood is bought from outside the reserve from farms or suppliers, so that all fallen trees or bush on Mashatu can remain to be formed into tiny ecosystems of insects and microorganisms.

As guardians of this land, we at Mashatu Game Reserve, are committed to creating a lasting and sustainable future for The Land of the Giants.

Images & text by Janet Kleyn