Environmental Protection in a South African UNESCO Reserve
In briefAI summary — tap to read
Dino Sakkas, a retired aerospace engineer from the Rotary Club of Certino, presented a global grant project to protect the Mahalisburg Biosphere Reserve in South Africa through education and anti-poaching efforts. The project combines curriculum updates in five high schools with on-the-ground snare removal by trained echo rangers to combat illegal wildlife poaching that threatens the UNESCO-protected reserve's diverse ecosystem and local ecotourism economy.
Key takeaways
- The Mahalisburg Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site home to 90 mammal species and over 440 bird species, faces threats from illegal poaching using wire snares that injure or kill both targeted and non-targeted animals.
- The project addresses poaching through dual sustainability strategies: integrating conservation education into high school curricula to reach 2,000+ students annually, and funding dedicated echo rangers for weekly snare removal and hotspot monitoring over 24 months.
- Local authorities lack sufficient funding and resources to patrol the 3,600-square-kilometer reserve effectively, making community-based conservation efforts essential to protect wildlife that underpins the region's growing ecotourism economy.
- The Rotary Club of Certino partnered with established conservation organizations (Rotary Club of Brits and WESA, founded 1926) to develop a culturally grounded solution that builds local capacity and fosters cultural change around wildlife protection.
- Rotarians can discover international service needs through travel and personal connection, then leverage Rotary's global network and matching grants to scale solutions that benefit both ecosystems and local livelihoods.
About Dino SakkasDino Sakkas is a retired aerospace engineer and member of the Rotary Club of Certino who leads conservation initiatives in South Africa.
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Program: Environmental Protection in a South African UNESCO Reserve
Speaker: Dino Sakkas
We bring you a new program every week on innovation, entrepreneurship, and education and how they contribute to service to others.
This week's speaker, Dino Sakkas, is a retired aerospace engineer and an active member of the Rotary Club of Cupertino, where he channels his energy into advancing environmental sustainability. An advocate of Rotary’s Environmental Area of Service, he leads projects such as installing solar panels on charitable nonprofit residences (a project we've highlighted in one of our club's programs before), supporting the adoption of heat pump water heaters, and helping organizations maximize the benefits of clean energy.
The project in South Africa Dino will describe is designed to eliminate illegal traps threatening wildlife and ecosystems, equip the community with skills to sustain conservation efforts long-term, and protect the environment, along with the tourism-based livelihoods that depend on it.
Beyond Rotary, Dino is deeply committed to local environmental stewardship. He volunteers with the Bluebird Nest Box program, monitoring bird populations and maintaining nesting habitats, and he is a beekeeper and Project Leader for the 4-H Beekeeping program, where he mentors youth on the importance of honey bees and sustainable beekeeping practices.
Members and guests, please welcome Dino Sakkas!
To learn more, go to:
To learn more about this beautiful reserve, go to:
https://magaliesbergbiosphere.org.za/
For more info on Wildlife & Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) go to:
https://www.wessa.org.za/
To learn more about the Rotary eClub of Silicon Valley, go to:
http://rotary.cool
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