PROJECTS and NATURE CONSERVATION
Another subject worth mentioning, is that we are primarily Nature Conservationists. Not because it's good for our "About Us" page or our image, or because of what anybody else thinks actually, but because we are passionate about this subject, much of this evolution of information and reasons for living comes from the adventures in pursuit of understanding and finding of Rocks!
To put this in perspective, which is better... A natural Mineral formation or a grown lab specimen, a plantation Fir or a gnarly old Oak on a mossy knoll? We have put our money and efforts into where our mouths are and we have, and are, busy with several projects. We help set up the Nature Conservation are where we live The Lower Mpushini Valley Biosphere area where we live in South Africa, Guards, Anti Poaching, Anti Litter campaigns, fences down for game movement, Protecting Bush, Signs for slowing down, Booms etc. The biggest challenge is trying to convince most folks (who don’t seem to care, as they are Human-centric, rather than Earth-centric which is actually much more Human Centric, but just longer terms) that this matters, which is does, as the folks that don’tcare wouldn’t have much left if we don’t help preserve what we can.
Our planet is mostly man-made already and preserving some areas as close to their original Biosphere condition is not only rewarding, but essential. Resources can be used, but there is a line where it becomes abused. When the seed bank of wild plants and animals is gone, rehabilitation is often not possible...and that's a large % of the World now.
Rock Philosophy should be a subject as the keystone to understanding all of the other Natural Sciences! It isn’t purely about appreciating them for their exceptional beauty. Collecting Gorgeous Minerals and Gemstones Spheres is a worthy cause, but also understanding all the other essential Spheres and getting to grips with understanding the Geosphere and what happens with formations and their mineralisation is also essential knowledge and the road of Collecting these beautiful items is certainly a worthy cause that leads one down this path directly.
Understanding Geology tells you about the past and present mineral content and reason for the lands present form in any region, the Hydrology (Hydrosphere) will determine the plant variations and mineral content (haven't you ever wondered why Lettuce shines ..Bauxite and Zinc! Plants are Mineral converters giving you what you need in the right dosage (usually)! Spinach has Arsenic, Manganese, Potassium, Calcium and Iron hence the dark green leaves, but don’t drink too much spinach juice from a high arsenic content area! Plants have everything to do with Mineralisation. As do you!
Geo-movement will also allow understanding of what the Chemical Composition of the Atmosphere is (from the minerals and gaseous processes, which are geologically related subjects) and what it should be, why certain species of flora grow and need certain minerals and why the fauna evolved in a particular Biosphere. It isn’t pointed out very often, but it has all to do with ROCKS! By observing Geology and Nature, it gives one a vastly different and realistic view of our Precious Earth. (The largest Sphere! ) Politicians should probably listen to Geologists and Mineralogists more often if they want actual real information rather than half of the opinions out there these days! People we are not always so sure about!
Besides the area that we live in, we are always in the business of catch and release with our abundance of snakes that we have here. We leave our nature alone and live with it with pleasure (not that we wouldn’t cull to eat if we need to) but why would you pay to visit a zoo or game park when you can live in one where everybody and thing is there by choice! We might have shot at the odd poacher sometimes too! We love our Fauna and Flora and Protect it whenever we have to and help to teach and show others how to do the same.
The African Raptor Centre in Kwazulu, Natal, along with Ben Hoffman, (well known International Raptor Ornithologist) will be setting up a Conservation project and a whole new Educational Raptor Centre, at our farm on the B8, in the Otavi Triangle (Otavi-Gootfontein-Tsumeb) up in Namibia. One of the aims is to breed endangered Raptor Species, specifically certain vultures that are rapidly becoming extinct. We plan on increasing the size of certain Vulture Populations by double every year by hatching chicks from the Kwazulu Natal base here. So besides finding the best rocks, whatever is leftover gets spent on this kind of project, so don’t be shy! It’s great to know you are a small part responsible for a species surviving or stabilising, or helping to save a wild area, just from a small gesture of buying something that you wanted at a better price than you would find it normally!
Our farm in Namibia is close to the Hoba Meteorite (The largest Iron Nickel Meteorite in the world, weighing in at 60 odd tons) and close to the Dragon's Breath caves (The largest Underground Cave lake in the World as seen on David Attenborough's Documentary) and very little else besides beautiful bush and mountains as far as the eye can see....bliss! We have just built the warehouse, made several km of roads, put internet towers on tops of the hills for 20km, drilled boreholes, built a couple of houses, and then we will start with The Ancient African City, The Raptor centre, Lodge, Mineralogy Museum, Paleoanthropology and Artifact Museum and we have our own old 1905 German Copper Mines to dig our own Dioptase, Duftite, Chrysacolla and copper minerals from.
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