About Us

OUR MISSION

Landmark Rewilding Trust was founded in 2023 carries forward the legacy of ecological rewilding initiatives originally launched by the Landmark Foundation in 2004.

The Landmark aims to promote a conservation economy to protect Southern Africa's rich natural landscapes, which are under major threats mainly from irresponsible human activities. We advocate for a shift in thinking, where conserving biodiversity and landscape is seen as beneficial and economically valuable. As an organisation, we uphold strong ethical standards and operate with integrity, free from undue influence.

CORE ORGANISATIONAL OBJECTIVE

Landmark promotes the mainstreaming of biodiversity by practical, economical, and ecological viable land use management approaches that ensure sustainable conservation goals at a large scale.

We promote evidence-led, ethics-driven practices that create effective conservation custodianship so that Southern African landscapes can effectively be conserved.

OUR TEAM

At the Landmark, our team is driven by a shared commitment to conservation and sustainable development. Each member brings unique expertise and a passion for preserving biodiversity and fostering human-wildlife coexistence.

Dr Jeannine McManus (PhD)

ACTING DIRECTOR & RESEARCH DIRECTOR

jeannine@landmark.org.za

Dr. Jeannine McManus completed her PhD in Ecology at the University of Witwatersrand. Currently a research fellow at the University of the Western Cape, Jeannine brings strong academic expertise to our work. Her research spans various disciplines, including ecology, ecological restoration, conservation biology, economics, population genetics, landscape wildlife connectivity, and human-wildlife coexistence. Leading the Landmark's research efforts, Jeannine is dedicated to generating evidence-based insights to inform policy decisions and best practices for conservation.

Dr Bool Smuts

GENERAL MANAGER

bool@landmark.org.za

With a medical doctor degree, B.Sc., MBChB, DCH, and MPhil in Environmental Management, Bool Smuts brings a wealth of expertise in sustainable development, socio-economic development, and environmental auditing. His special interests include renewable energies, protected areas development, tourism, species conservation, and conservation economy development. Bool focuses on initiating large projects and innovative models to expand, consolidate, and manage conservation areas and related socio-economic initiatives.

Monica Vaccaro

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION MANAGER

monica@landmark.org.za

Monica has three decades experience in environmental education and conservation advocacy. She heads up the Landmark's education program, focusing on engaging schools, pre-schools and young adults in core fieldwork areas. She conducts talks, activities, and holiday programs, developing sustainable environmental education nodes. As an art teacher and professional photographer, she brings creativity and inspiration to her role, fostering a deep connection between students and the environment.

Dr Lauriane Faraut (PhD)

RESEARCHER AND FIELD MANAGER

lauriane@landmark.org.za

Dr. Lauriane Faraut earned her PhD from the University of Goettingen (Germany), where she studied the influence of social systems on communication and social cognition in primates, using recording, playback experiments and behaviours data collection. She has held research manager positions with various universities, including the University of Lethbridge (Canada) and UNISA. Lauriane joined Landmark as an ethology expert, focusing on the behavioral ecology and human-wildlife conflict.

Expert Panels

Dr. Louise Boronyak.

Environmental sustainability and stakeholder engagement.

Clement Cupido, MSc.

Rangeland ecologist and socio-ecologist.

Prof. Lesley Green.

Justice-based environmental governance scientist.

Prof. Eugene Moll.

Rangeland ecologist and restoration.

Dr. Igshaan Samuels.

Rangeland ecologist and restoration.

Dr. Thulani Tshabalala.

Spatio-ecology analyst.

Current and Past Students

Carolyn Devens, PhD.

Spatial ecology and density of leopards.

Chris Hasselerharm, MSc.

Ecological changes monitoring using innovative technologies.

Kamila Jandová, MSc.

Spatial ecology and resource selection of leopards.

Erin Jooste, MSc.

Caracal ecology in various land use zones in the Karoo.

Etsy Yanko, MSc.

Evaluation of one-health system, considering social, environmental and animal welfare to promote conservation action.

GOVERNANCE

The Landmark Rewildling Trust is a registered NGO with the Department of Social Development as a non-profit organisation (320-978 NPO).

The NGO is audited annually and is governed by a Board of Trustees according to the highest corporate governance standards.

PAST PROJECTS

Knysna Elephant

Camera traps set to study leopard populations in the forests between George and Plettenberg Bay captured images of what appears to be a lone female Knysna elephant. Once numbering around 500 in 1876, the population has likely declined to a SINGLE individual due to poaching, habitat loss, and failed conservation efforts. This alarming finding highlights the urgent need for targeted conservation to protect the last of this iconic species.

Learn more

Upper Tsitsa Falls Adventure Tourism & Agriculture project

This project aimed to establish a tourism attraction and hazelnut farming initiative in the Maclear area of the Eastern Cape, within the Elundini Local and Ukhahlamba District Municipalities. The project promotes conservation-friendly tourism and agriculture to stimulate economic growth in one of the province’s poorest regions. It is a collaborative effort between local communities and private landowners, featuring a tourism venture, small nature reserve, and commercial crop production.

Learn more