Making a difference

Local anti-poaching team leader Gaven Holden-Smith (Limpopo Ranger 2003) was instrumental in assisting police in apprehending a group of rhino poachers in the Bela Bela district, Limpopo Province, South Africa last week (late July 2011).

Holden-Smith, who is also a FGASA qualified Level 3 Trails Guide, trains and uses K9 assistants in the ongoing battle against poaching and other crime on game reserves in the area.

This is an excellent example of how basic field guide training can open doors in the conservation industry and how field guides can specialise in expert areas after building up experience through guiding.

Gaven began his guiding career in 2001 when he joined an apprentice guide program at a prominent Big 5 game reserve. After gaining valuable in-house training as a field guide, Gaven qualified with FGASA Level 1 as a start. It is imperative to understand that in Southern Africa, FGASA Level 1 forms the foundation for all guiding levels thereafter. Gaven worked hard as a junior field guide and was always keen to get involved with conservation activities on the reserve. At the same time he furthered his expertise in weapon handling and security services, an area of skill shared with his siblings in those industries.

Gaven completed his FGASA Level 2 practical evaluations through Limpopo Field Guiding Academy in 2004 and added this to his Trails Guide status which he also achieved in that period. After working for several game lodges in South Africa, Gaven secured a position as a wilderness ranger in Zambia in 2005 and continued to build up valuable guiding, tracking and anti-poaching experience. During visits back to SA in this period, Gaven freelanced as a Trails Guide for Limpopo Field Guiding Academy and worked toward his FGASA Level 3 qualification.

Level 3 is a high level qualification and the pinnacle of professional field guiding in Southern Africa. Although there are specialist qualifications beyond it, such as the FGASA SKS categories, Level 3 is the highest level of general field guiding qualifications and the result of years of bush experience, research and study. The level 3 guide has advanced guiding and interpretive skill and is able to interact with guests at the highest level. Gaven achieved the FGASA Level 3 category in 2006.

Gaven returned to South Africa and worked as a senior guide and relief lodge manager at various game reserves in the Limpopo Province while at the same time furthering his experience in security services. The rising trend in poaching incidents from 2007 onwards were a warning of what was to come and this, together with the increase in housebreaking and theft on game reserves during the same period, led to the need for full time security services on most reserves. Gaven was employed full time as an anti-poaching officer at a mainstream game reserve from 2009 onwards. He has continued to impress in his position and has achieved numerous successes in the fight against game reserve criminals.

Gaven is regularly called out, together with his K9's, to assist in tracking perpetrators who have fled the scene of the crime and last week's successful rhino poacher bust can be viewed as a moral victory against the scourge. It is also a great personal victory in one man's relentless battle against poaching in Southern Africa. Gaven Holden-Smith, we salute you. Once a Limpopo Ranger, Always a Limpopo Ranger!

Negativity in the workplace

There is a strange phenomenon that occurs in many workplace environments within the field guiding industry in Southern Africa. Aspiring young students join field guiding courses, become qualified as junior guides, and enter the workplace. There are also many mature students who change careers or begin guiding in their later years, but it is rare that this phenomenon plays out with mature guides.

These young people will all tell you that they want to work in nature because they love animals, are passionate about the bush and want to make a contribution to conservation in Africa. Admittedly, many of them dont actually want to work with people (preferring to pursue careers in research, wildlife mangement etc), but realise that a solid foundation in field guiding will not only improve their knowledge and work experience, but may also open doors in the industry for them (jobs that do not involve working with tourists in nature are rare and hard to come by, especially if the candidate does not have a  University degree in Natural Sciences or similar).

It is not long after beginning work in a typical game lodge situation, that many guides become negative. This is certainly not the case with all guides and there are many professional field guides in the industry who have never fallen to this scourge. My opinions and statements do not include them and I would rather use such positive people as a shining example of what field guides ought to be. It is very disappointing for trainers and employers to watch guides becoming negative, as some of them were extremely positive at the outset. Those who join their training courses in a negative frame of mind generally do not qualify as they are not able to reach the demanding criteria for  the outcome of competence at the end of their initial course.

What exactly creates this negative mindset and the inevitable related poor work performance in a guide? True, there are many challenges for junior (and senior) guides eg: low salaries, inferior meals and accommodation, very long working hours and a lack of recognition of the vital role they perform in the industry - all of this generally equates to a lack of support by management. But none of these are valid reasons to become negative - the positives in such situations far outweigh the negatives. After all, these young guides are doing exactly what they wanted to do in the first place - working in nature and getting paid to do it! In spite of tough conditions, these young people are living the good life - a life that most city bound people can only dream of! Field guides dont have to worry about traffic, pollution, crime and the mundane exisitence of the average office worker. By contrast our field guides in Southern Africa enjoy the sun on their face, the grass between their toes and the smell of fresh air every day. Crime is minimal on game reserves (being stupid with your possessions will end badly), traffic involves rhino or elephant blocking the road and nature is their office. Yes, it is indeed a dream lifestyle. And yet, these very same guides will continuously complain about their work. Have a look at any social network site and you quickly pick up on an array of negative commentary from field guides - covering topics such as salary, work conditions, board and lodging issues and any other aspect that is bugging them at that particular point in time. True, the same individuals will often post commentary about exceptional game sightings or a great tip (gratuity) they just earned, but these are quickly forgotten when the next "crisis" hits them.

I am of the opinion that a vast majority of field guides entering the industry are just not the right kind of people for the job. I do not include those who are actually doing a good job and remain positive despite tough conditions, but rather focus my commentary on those who cannot find anything positive to talk about.
I have also seen an upward trend in the negative set in the past 15 years that I have been directly involved in this industry. It seems that if a person cannot "make it" elesewhere they come to the bush. I dont know why the perception exists, but it is clear that people think they can get into this industry without working hard. I make absolutely no judgements against individuals, but rather comment on the concept of an individual joining the eco-tourism industry as an "escape". This is fundamentally wrong and it is our industry that suffers because of it. If people are too lazy and unmotivated to be successful in other sectors of our economy, they should NOT be allowed to take up positions in field guiding if they do not put in the required effort and work performance. After all, these guides are ambassadors for our country and our natural heritage. Why should they do it half-heartedly? Why should paying guests be exposed to a negative, rude and unprofessional individual? The answer is simple - they should not.

So, what is the solution? I believe there is a three-pronged approach that can be adopted by our industry in order to improve the situation and see an upward trend in positivity. It requires all stakeholders to co-operate and work together toward a common goal (professionalism), rather than self-enrichment.

1. Selection criteria in joining training courses - trainers and endorsing bodies should workshop the requirements of candidates and act accordingly. Too often money is the only criteria for acceptance and anybody is let in. Legal aspects must be considered, but there is a way.
2. Stricter assessment criteria for national qualification - there should be more focus on the professionalism of the individual, and less focus on merely their nature knowledge. Knowledge is important, but can be assessed in theory tests etc. An individual should be assessed over a longer time period and in the workplace as far as possible.
3. Support from employers - more ownership needs to be taken by employers such as game lodges and touring companies. Dont just employ anybody and leave them to their own devices. Be selective in your appointments and then back it up with fair salary packages and proper support sytems involving training and development, mentoring and good food and accommodation.

Until such time as these issues are addressed, the situation is unlikely to improve. Having said this, I want to add that much of these issues and challenges have very little to do with the essence of the topic. A positive individual will remain positive in most circumstnces. Our industry is open and enough opportunities exist that dynamic individuals can advance themselves with very little resources at their disposal. The very same social networks that are currently a sounding board for negativity, could be used much more positively. Forums promoting knowledge, training and day to day activities such as sightings and experiences should be the focus. We dont want to hear about your bad day! Get over it already.

Field guides must take responsibility for their own situation and if you are unhappy in your current job - dont advertise it. Rather - focus on being a positive individual and demonstrate a true passion for nature - after all, you said you had it. Use the social networks to find a better job - its all out there waiting for you.

To quote an old friend: " You get two types of people in this industry - builders and bleaters".

Start building.