1of9
Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and as with all other economic activities there are two sides to it. On one side tourism brings employment generation and opportunities for local people, foreign exchange, funds for conservation projects and on the other side it produces waste, uses resources and creates environmental and social costs.
Due to the possible negative impacts, the World Commission on Sustainable Development urges that all countries should work against illegal, abusive and exploitative tourist activities and find ways to minimize the negative and support the positive impacts of tourism. In response the World Tourism Organization (WTO) recommend that each country should create its own program for sustainable tourism. Namibia reacted to that with the "Eco Award Namibia" in 2005. The Eco Award Namibia is a non-profit organization which encourages sustainable development with the aim to create more awareness for the environment but also looks at the uplifting of local staff in terms of employment and training. The uplifting of local staff not only means to create jobs, but it means to give a higher standard of living to future generations.
Establishments, from campsites to hotels, can apply and depending upon the number of points achieved in the checked areas- conservation, water, waste and energy management, construction and landscaping, guiding, staff development and social responsibility- an accommodation can get a maximum of 5 flowers. For example, the evaluation team looks at what sort of water management policies you have in place and also checks on whether you are using natural building materials for construction such as natural stone and shadow roofing. In order to increase opportunities for rural communities, they are concerned that you give priority to hiring and training local staff, rather than bringing in trained employees from outside. Each applicant gets rechecked every two years.
Our guest farm started to work on sustainable tourism long before 2005 and so we managed to obtain 3 out of 5 flowers already in the first year, 2005. Once re-checked in 2007 we obtained again 3 flowers and with improvements done since 2007 we applied for 4 flowers in 2008. We are proud to say that there are only very few establishments who have obtained 4 flowers and we are so far the only one in the guest farm category.
Water and waste management:
In Namibia 80% of the rain evaporates immediately, 15% is absorbed by the roots and evaporates through the leaves, 2-3% flows off in rivers and only 1% goes into the ground which again is partly pumped as water supply.
At our guest farm, our main source of water is a 70 meter borehole with an electric pump with a 20 minute time switch and a windmill. Out on the farm outposts we only use windmills and dams. We regularly monitor and record our water usage to ensure that our consumption stays within the seasonal averages. Furthermore we installed a time sprinkler system which starts in the early morning hours so it reduces the amount of water lost through evaporation and also controls the overall amount used for watering. Moreover we cover the pool in the evening and most of the winter season due to the high evaporation.
Waste is directly related to the increasing population and consumerism. Our aim is to manage waste so that the tourist and farming operation does not have a negative impact on the environment through landfill use, litter, and water or soil pollution. Therefore the classical formula: reduce, re-use and recycle is also applied here for many years. A recycling-bin system has been set up where we recycle in 6 different areas: paper, carton, cans and tins, hard plastic, soft plastic and glass, which we bring once a week to the recycling centre in Windhoek. Did you know that 1 recycled can gives you 3 hours of television? Moreover we re-use glass jars for homemade jam, envelopes are used as file dividers, all paper that has only been printed on one side is used for internal printing and most of our food waste is used as chicken feed for the employees on the farm. For our sewerage water we have a three chamber biological cleaning system and a French drain. In 2008 we added a trickling filter, to break down the ammoniac. Only now we can in future use the recycled water for the garden. Hereby we hope to have water savings between 30% to 40%.
Conservation:
We try to maintain and protect the integrity of the natural habitats and wildlife populations on and around the reserve. Therefore we are part of the Khomas Hochland Conservancy and we promote biodiversity by re-introducing native species back into their natural habit. In 2004 we reintroduced two white rhinos. White rhinos are endangered in Namibia and they are listed as a CITIES species and furthermore the white rhino is the only animal in Namibia which did have extinct due to extensive hunting and poaching in the pre-colonial time. We are pleased to announce that in April 2009 the female gave birth to the first rhino baby on the farm. (You see the small Rhino in the picture above).
Furthermore, we enlarged the existing population of our Hartmann mountain zebras with further 15 individuals in 2002. The Hartmann mountain zebra is endemic to Namibia and due to their limited numbers and mountain habitat they are classified as a special protected game and are internationally listed as a CITES species.
Construction:
Our isolated location offers visitors access to practically untouched African landscape, local bird and wildlife and from its renovated buildings a in a turn-of-the-century colonial atmosphere. All buildings, including the houses built for the employees, are constructed of locally sourced stone because it blends in best with the surrounding landscape. Moreover every room enjoys plenty of natural light during the day and the roof (colonial verandah style) is designed for managing the temperature by not letting the sun heat the walls and creating a shadow on the wall.
The decor is kept simple, using wood and natural colors. Besides that, there are several examples of German colonial antiques in the main house and some remnants of farmstead equipment, such as the old ox-wagon, a plough and the steam pump as some examples from that time used as decorative elements in the garden and the yard.
Social responsibility:
We feel the sense of responsibility to the social sustainability and welfare of the local people. Our aim is to enhance the well-being and quality of life of the local community, create jobs, improve hygiene and HIV awareness and improve the quality of life and living standard BUT all is also based on own responsibility and own willingness to achieve this goal.
All employees here are members of the families who have lived on the farm for generations, and enjoy housing with running water, electricity and sanitation e.g. flushing toilets. Furthermore, we built an employee kindergarten in 2006, in order to prepare the children better before they go off to school. The kindergarten is managed in day to day activities by the community and volunteers. Guest donations provide the main source of funds for the ongoing operation. We established a fund for the primary and secondary school education for employee children in order to make school attendance possible and to pay school fees, books, uniforms etc. Our aim is that all children should finish at least secondary school. Secure schooling could means (depending also on own drive) more and better job chances and a better life for the kids. All employees with children have agreed that his/her tips are donated to this fund to the advantage of their own kids and it is working very well. In one generation we are getting all the kids to finish school.
Düsternbrook Guest Farm was a cattle ranch of 14,000 ha (30,000 acres). In the beginning the ranch was used for beef production and dairy farming. Due to the outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease in 1962 and the resulting prohibition on selling cattle the mother of the present owner, founded the first guest in Namibia. The purpose was to have a cattle-independent income and to put "value" on the game. This was the first step taken into diversification of agriculture in Namibia and was a major and progressive decision and the start of a big, new, positive movement in the years to come.
We invite every traveler who books a vacation via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the vacations they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same vacation can have different views!
