this is a fantastic idea for our low rainfall areas in Zimbabwe, Africa such as Gonarezhou National Park, and Save Valley Conservancy…….providing local vegetable crops and herbs with minimal carbon footprint…
How to create a key-hole garden | Fossil Rim Blog.
Unlikely success: how Zimbabwe has become a global leader in rhino conservation.
Read this link, very heartwarming, great article, thank you all…but I do NOT feel that we have an ‘unlikely’ success story here…we have a very LIKELY success story…Zimbabwe has a strength of resolve and a plethora of committed, highly moral people who aim to make a difference for the future of all wildlife in Zimbabwe, Africa and even further afield!
A rhino monitor tracks a cow…
We at Senuko, Clive Stockil and indeed the whole Save Valley Conservancy, are excited that Raoul Du Toit will speak at the Wildlife Conservation Expo in San Francisco….
Raoul and Natasha check for bullets…
Thank you Lowveld Rhino Trust for so many years of dedication to the cause of Zimbabwe”s and indeed, the World’s, rhinos!
A beauty….
Clive and I traverse the centre of the gorgeous Gonarezhou National Park…part of the GLTFCA..
We safari through the golden dry Post-winter scenery of Gonarezhou….drifts of red mopani leaves carpet the sandy earth….
Clive Stockil Driving in Gonarezhou
Between Rossi Pools and Centre Pan we discover a Lappet Faced Vulture Nest, active with one chick, most heartwarming, considering the poisoning threat we face for our vulture populations…
Joy of Joys. early in the morning after a rainy and wind filled night, we wake on our wet pillows to see three Wild dogs at the pan!
wild dog at Centre pan….
At the Chilojo Cliffs we camp with guests from Switzerland….
Clive hosts guests at Chilojo Cliffs
and share stories about Conservation and the Prince William Award…
Pictus wine by Painted Wolf Wines, with a label painted by Lin, is a fireside must!
Pictus wine at Chilojo Camp
on a walk we find a gentle bull elephant and are happy to share his space…
Clive and Bull elephant, Gonarezhou
What a precious experience this National Park is…Clive and I never tire of spending as much time here as possible.
Clive and Lin in Gonarezhou
and now we share it with the Prince William Trophy!
the trophy poses
Clive Stockil is the proud winner of the Tusk Trust Prince William Award for a Lifetime dedication to Conservation!
We are in the wilderness of Zimbabwe! please keep visiting this post as we travel through the wild areas of Gonarezhou, after receiving this fabulous award in London…we will be updating this blog as we go, many more great photos to come!
We had a wonderful and uplifting few hours at the Awards dinner in London, surrounded by the goodwill and passion of so many people. Thank you all, and most especially thank you to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, whose gracious presence we shared at our dinner table. I have never seen Clive so emotional and so nearly at a loss for words in his acceptance of the Award. His acceptance speech went brilliantly, and he certainly got his tongue back after the ceremony whilst sitting at dinner and sharing ideas for the future of African Conservation with Prince William.
Prince William and Clive
Clive and I were humbled and encouraged by this fantastic recognition of his efforts for African Conservation, supported so ably by all the people we work with in the field, and across all sectors of society….thank you all, you know who you all are, from the dedicated scouts in the field, tracking African wild dogs and rhinos, and lifting poachers wire, to the dedicated Tusk Trust team headed by Charlie Mayhew, and their sponsors, to the scientists and vets who run our research projects, to Jane and Ian Craig, dear friends and protectors of rhino in Kenya, to the village headmen and their communities who are our neighbors, to the Save Valley and surrounding tourism operators, to the journalists, writers and film-makers who document these wilderness places, to the dignitaries of state, politicians and captains of industry and the general public who share Clive’s visions and hopes….
Clive monitors a black rhino for ear notching procedures.
Charlie Mayhew of Tusk Trust ferried us in sponsored zebra stripe Landrovers…which, as Toyota drivers, we were skeptical of to begin with, but were thoroughly won over by the comfort and style of the vehicles…!
…….now for a chance to try them in a sandy river bed…and I am sure that Landrover will more than live up to its reputation for eating sandy rivers!
Charlie mayhew and Landrover
Clive and I stayed at the atmospheric Draycott hotel, a sponsor of the event, thank you so much, Adrian Gardiner and team. This was the view from our window, with the knitted rhino family that were travelling with us….
The Gogo Olive Rhino Family arrive at the Draycott Hotel in London…
We presented a Knitted rhino family from Gogo Olive to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, www.gogo–olive.com/
Mama Chiedza and baby George
and Clive proudly gave Prince William a silver Black Rhino from Patrick Mavros. www.patrickmavros.com/
silver rhino by Patrick Mavros -med res
These are Zimbabwe’ s gifts to Their Highnesses, in grateful recognition of Their passion for people and true conservation.
We were honored to share the awards with dedicated nominees from all over Africa, and have forged links with like-minded people which will remain strong for the future of powerful Conservation in Africa.
Visit http://www.tuskawards.com/the-awards/ to see all the finalists and their work….
Tom-Lalampaa
Alasdair-Harris
Nigel Richardson wrote this article in the Daily Telegraph…
In Zimbabwe, the Save Valley Conservancy, Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, and Gonarezhou National Park are all home to unique wildlife species, which are the better protected through the efforts of all who are listed above…
African wild dogs
getting home to our Harare house, 214 Brooke Drive, we are greeted with love and support from those who are our inspiration, my dad Arthur Barrie and Daughter Kelli Barker….
Arthur Barrie, Clive and Kelli Barker in the harare garden
Now that we are back in Zimbabwe, we have caught Mark Saunders, Director of of Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, under a Mopani tree, to share neighbourly happiness at this deeply appreciated Award which will have far reaching repercussions for Conservation and Communities in Zimbabwe, Africa and the World!
Mark Saunders of Malilangwe meets Clive under a Mopani Tree
Tonight we spend with Hugo Van Der Westhuizen of Frankfurt Zoological Society, at Chipinda Pools, Gonarezhou National Park, what a beautiful place….
Chipinda Pools , the Runde River..
We have a stimulating evening of dreams and schemes, to find the best way forward for a Vulture survey with FZS, with the Award wearing Clive’s hat!
Clive Debates…
Clive’s son Glenn shares the moment with his Dad…..
Glenn and Clive
Now we dash off into Gonarezhou for three days of hosting friends and their overseas visitors in the park, who will then proceed by themselves to stay at Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge after that….
We are honoured that Clive Stockil, long time champion of wildlife and communities in the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area of Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique, including Gonarezhou National Park and the Save Valley Conservancy, is a shortlisted nominee for these awards, along with Alasdair Harris (Madagascar), Edwin Kinyangui (Kenya), Tom Lalampaa (Kenya), Josia Razafindramanana (Madagascar) and Kerri Volter ,(South Africa).
On the 12th September we will attend a dinner in London to celebrate the progress of Community and Conservation efforts by unique individuals across Africa. Patron Prince William will attend.
This is so heartwarming for the future of endangered rhinos, African wild dogs, elephants, marine life, Vultures, Lemurs and all the myriad other natural wonders of Africa and the communities who safeguard this heritage.
A 60 minute documentary featuring an exclusive interview with The Duke of Cambridge and featuring the work of the Tusk award winners and nominees is due to be broadcast by CNN and ITV (UK) on Sunday 15th September.
Clive Stockil at the Chilojo Cliffs
“Golden Dog Days” – acrylic on canvas – 126 x 400 cm – by Lin Barrie, is a huge 4 meter long canvas, 126 cm deep, worked on by various people over a few years! Kelli Barker, (my make-up-artist daughter) and her friend Guy Cockroft, originally painted the metallic background on the canvas, for a backdrop to one of Kelli’s body paintings for the “While We Wait” photographic exhibition by French photographer Eric Gauss. I took that inspiration further, adding to the background and showing painted wolves at play…metallic gold and silver is used in the background…this is something I have just finished and will show the Riverside Studios in London,
http://www.riversidestudios.co.uk/
Details from the length of the four metre long painting…
Plus, it was used by Tusk Trust as a backdrop to Clive Stockil’s Conservation Talk at the Royal Geographic Society in London, hosted by Tusk Trust, 23rd October. http://www.tusk.org/
and as a showstopper for Painted Wolf Wines on a bicycle ride around the UK to raise awareness of our African wild dogs…
Next stop Zimbabwe to be shown under shady msasa trees at the Art Festival 2016…..
Chabaudii Aloes overlook the Save River……
Chabaudii aloes
Sabi Star…Adenium obesum is a ‘fat ‘ name for such a beautiful plant!
Adenium obesum
Arthur Barrie spent months last year creating these stunning rock gardens….
Arthur Barrie in his aloe rock garden …
A joyous splash of pure colour….
Winter colour…
The Chilo garden team strike a pose…
The Chilo Gardeners
Jephias, James Arthur and Enoch…..
Jephias, James Arthur and Enoch
This ethereal view could be a setting for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, except that it is mid winter!
ethereal view
Arthur gives a lesson in compost making, an essential component of managing the waste from the Chilo Gorge kitchen and gardens……
the compost heap
Chilo Gardens, gorgeous red succulents in bloom….Kleinia fulgens is the name, I think!
Kleinia fulgens…?!
Back to the setting for A Mid Winter’s Dream….!
a setting as spectacular as any theatre stage-set!….
The Aldo Leopold bench that I dreamed about placing in the Chilo Gardens last year is now a reality, and to sit on it at this time of year is to be immersed in dozens of Scarlet chested sunbirds – a surreal and dreamlike experience!
The Aldo Leopold Bench
I sit on the deck at Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge, fresh brewed coffee in hand, and watch the sky brightening as the sun rises behind me over the Save River and the moon sinks in the west. It was full moon two nights ago, and a Hyena has been calling all night, colouring my dreams with melodious yodelling! We have a Spotted hyena den on the far bank of the river, within Gonarezhou National Park, and we regularly we hear the pups learning to yodel like their parents, very cute.
Just as the rays of sun begin to warm the cliffs on which the baboons roost, a leopard grunts, a series of rasping elemental coughs, to remind anyone who cares. To listen that this is untamed wilderness. A vervet monkey nesting in a tree below me responds with a nervous chatter, even though the spotted cat is across the water…
Striped swallows begin their day, dipping and swirling in front of me in pursuit of their flying breakfasts.
I wander down to the aloe gardens , facing downstream, and marvel yet again at the glorious burst of colour from the massed Chabaudii aloes that Dad planted here only one season ago. The hum of busy bees increases as the suns rays intensify. White bellied and Scarlet chested sunbirds are intent on vying with the bees for sips of sweet aloe nectar, and bulbuls argue over the tastiest flowers to pluck and devour…all is bursting with life, a joyous way for me to start the day, in one of my favourite gardens…..
My view to the breakfast deck through the aloes…..
Then comes a delicious choice of fresh baked pastries …..
And hot cooked breakfast, served straight on to the plate to one of our guests from Boston..
What a satisfying way to start a winter day!
No better view than this combination of colour and serene river to accompany a breakfast….
Pedals 4 Paws, bicycle rides by Painted Wolf Wines and friends, is such fun, and doing great good for conservation of African Wild Dogs in the South East Lowveld of Zimbabwe….
the team arrives in the south of the Conservancy…..
flat top acacias in the Save Valley Conservancy
A Safari drive on top of sunset rock, senuko…
Savanna and Nicola on safari on sunset rock
off to Dombo School……
the art banner at Dombo school….
the banner
Amy and Oliver at Dombo School…
Amy and Oliver
we stop at Sengwe school en route to Mutapurwa school…
Mutapurwa school welcomes us…
on to Chilo Gorge and the gorgeous colours of the winter garden…
Chilo Gorge has decided to help the mahenye Primary school children by renewing ht eseats of their school chairs…thank you Chilo Gorge!
Early morning view form the rooms at Chilo, across the Save River…
Taste of Africa 2013 was a fabulous event…..hosted by Painted Wolf Wines and Mukuvisi Woodlands, all in aid of awareness anfd fundraising for African Wildlife Conservation Fund and Painted Dog Conservation.
Chisipite String Quartet played fabulous background music
Katy Lannas ably manned the art sales and auction prizes table…
gorgeous sweets for the sweet toothed….
Tony Vas on the saxophone…..
hats and fascinators galore…Lenore goes mexican!
guests enjoy the wildlife…………..
who is looking at who?!…….
the Mukuvisi setting sets off Ralph Stutchbury”s magnificent Wild Dog portrait….
