ABOUT THE COMPANY

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Sustain is a consulting services company possessing extensive expertise and experience in the ecotourism, environmental management and agricultural consulting sectors. We love to provide solutions to projects that enhance ecotourism potential and/or offer optimal environmental outcomes, and believe in pursuing sustainable and responsible development and operations.

 

Our offices are based in Cape Town, South Africa, and the company manages a range of ecotourism, environmental and agricultural projects across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.  We seek to offer passion, expertise, excellence and honesty to every project, and are able to work in remote locations and overcome most logistical challenges.

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At Sustain we believe and understand that achieving biodiversity preservation and expansion in a global environment increasingly under developmental and utilization pressures, requires sustainable and responsible developments and operations that provide socio-economic benefits and environmental education, while simultaneously respecting communities and cultures. Hence, in undertaking our work we subscribe to the 4Cs framework, which provides our business with a concrete way to internalize sustainability in our operations and decision-making, namely: Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce.

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In essence, we care about creating a biodiversity economy that provides real returns in the following four areas: the Return of Virtue and Inspiration, the Return of Natural Capital, the Return of Social Capital, and the Return of Financial Capital. These returns need to be realized in the following two zones: the Natural Zone and the Socio-economic Zone. Without such interventions, the alternative is certain development and utilization in an unsustainable manner, which leads to the unaffordable loss of biodiversity and life.​

Download Michael's CV here.

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Purpose in Work

• To ensure sustainable and responsible tourism developments and operations;

• To establish viable wildlife economies and tourism destinations;

• To expand and enhance protected areas and biodiversity through regenerative tourism;

• To promote the environmental education of our clients;

• To positively transform ecosystems and the communities around them.

 

Key Characteristics and Experience

• Key skills include leadership, administration, analysis, research, project co-ordination, creativity.

• Values love, integrity, honour, faithfulness, excellence, professionalism, business ethic, respect, teamwork, relationships, service, socio-economic upliftment, and justice;

• Man of faith, family and friends;

• Reverence for the Lord, all His people and His creation;

• Passionate about ecotourism, environmental planning and management, ecotourism property development and guest experiences, and shared vacation ownership;

• Passionate about nature, wildlife, adventure, sport, the outdoors, travel and exploring;

• Acquired broad and significant skills and experience in business at shareholder, director, executive management and employee level in several companies over 18 years;

• Analytical, diligent, methodical, like results and to grow and develop things to fruition;

• Hobbies: fishing, birding, golf, touch rugby, gym, photography, nature getaways, ministry, snowboarding, other ball sports; 

• Countries worked in: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho and United States of America.

 

Professional Qualifications

• Professional Natural Scientist: Environmental Science (2018) – South African Council for Natural Science Professions (SACNASP) – Reg. No. 009205;

• B.Sc. Agriculture (Agribusiness & Wildlife Science) (2001) – University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg (1998 - 2001);

• Estate Agency Affairs Board – Qualified Estate Agent (2007);

• Regional Nature Guide – NQF Level 4 – THETA (2003);

• Local Bird Guide – NQF Level 4 – Birdlife South Africa (2003).

 

Professional Memberships

• Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA) – Since 2019;

• South African Council for Natural Science Professions (SACNASP) – Reg. No. 009205 – Since 2014;

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist (TAPAS) Group – Since 2016;

• The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) – Since 2012;

• International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIAsa) – Reg. No. 3287 – Since 2012;

• Birdlife South Africa – Reg. No. 1039173 – Since 2015;

• Field Guide Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) – Reg. No. W0924 – Since 2002.

 

Academic Honours

• Awarded the Agricultural Economics of South Africa National Prize for the best Under-Graduate Thesis of 2001;

• Awarded the H.I. Berhmann Book Prize for the final year BScAgric, BAgricMgt (Hons) or BCom (Hons) candidate with the best performance in Agricultural Economics or Agribusiness.

 

Publications

• Author of a chapter entitled, “Funding Proposals for New Tourism Ventures”, in the book entitled, “Handbook of Applied Research for Sustainable Tourism: A Guide for Practitioners”, edited by Dr Anna Spenceley. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2021.

• Tariff Determination of Safari Lodges in South African Game Reserves using the Hedonic Pricing Method. Michael Wright.: Lambert Academic Publishing, 2017. ISDN: 978-3-330-31738-3.

 

Additional Qualifications, Certificates and Training

• Certified South African Specialist – South African Tourism – May 2020;

• EIA Law Event – Business Success Solutions (BSS) – February 2020;

• Public-Private Partnerships Foundation Training Course – May 2019;

• Toastmasters South Africa – Oct 2018;

• Tourist Guide – National Department of Tourism (NDT) – Reg. No. KZN0688 – 2003-2005, 2019-2022;

• National Federation of Tourist Guides & Affiliates (South Africa) – Reg. No. 1900464 – Since 2020;

• Introduction to Project Management Course – ECSA accredited – Nov 2014;

• Firearms Competency – Firearms Control Act, Rifle, Shotgun, Handgun, Self-loading Carbine – Apr 2009;

• Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) – Level 1 – Oct 2002;

• Professional Driving Permit (PDP) – Code 08 and Code 10 – 2002, 2015, 2019;

• South African Red Cross Society – Level 1 First Aid Course – May 2002, renewed Apr 2019;

• Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association – Spirit of Hospitality Programme – Aug 2002;

• Beaver Run Resort and Conference Centre (Premier Resorts) – Spirit in Service Training Class – Dec 2001;

• Temba Game Viewers (Pty) Ltd – 2 Week Safari Vehicle Mechanics Training – 2002.

 

Conferences Attended

• Eco Hotel Summit – 2021;

• Virtual African Bird Fair – 2020;

• Indaba Tourism Show – 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 to 2017, 2019;

• Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA) Launch – 2018;

• Hotelier Summit Africa – 2016;

• Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Investor Summit – 2016;

• International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIAsa) Conference – 2016;

• Animal Demography Unit Conference, by the University of Cape Town – 2015;

• SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas Workshop – 2014;

• Hospitality Investment Conference for Africa (HICA) – 2007, 2013;

• Vacation Ownership Association of South Africa (VOASA) – 2010.