← Robin's Nest from American Humane
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- [00:01]
A
Welcome to Robin's Nest. We are live today at the Eastern Cape in South Africa. This gorgeous country and we're in a very special spot, Neosi, a private game reserve. We're here today to celebrate two titans in the space of animal health and well being. Adrienne Gardner, our 2023 Global Humanitarian Medal recipient, and John Payne, our 2024 Global Humanitarian Medal recipient. Today's a very special day celebrating the healing power of the human animal bond. And I'm so glad you've joined us in Robin's Nest. We'll be right back with some great interviews with Adrienne and John. Welcome to Robin's Nest. So many of us have a deep connection with the animals around us and want to protect them from the pets in our homes to endangered species in the wild. That's why I joined American Humane as one of the oldest and most effective animal protection groups. We help billions of animals around the world. Join us as we explore how we can build a more humane world together. Welcome to this edition of Robin's Nest. Today I'm with Adrienne Gardner, the incredible inspiring individual here of the Eastern Cape who really made this beautiful facility in Neossi come to life. It's not your only project, Adrian. In your incredible career as a conservationist, he's been a transformative figure and so much so that we recognized you last year with our Global Humanitarian Medal. I'm so glad to have Adrian Gardner on Robin's Nest.
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B
Wow. What an exceptional experience to be involved today. You know, not only taking me back a year when you awarded me this incredible recognition of not only my work, you know, you can't do it without a team. And Noisey, I've got partners overseas, you know, who trust our vision and the team that we've got here. And I think similar to you, I mean, just having the privilege of meeting your board really in a social capacity and seeing how they support you, what you do, what you've done, I just feel very humbled to be a part of it. So thank you for choosing this place to give John this incredible award.
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A
It's been wonderful. Tell our wonderful listeners who are in Robin's Nest today, tell us about Niosi, this incredible private reserve that you've created. It's a central park, really.
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B
Well, that's what we wanted to be. We wanted to be the central park of the two wonderful cities that we have in this area, Kobeja and Kareka, with our old Port Elizabeth and Utenheig. And we want to make sure that it becomes world renowned for what we're doing, we'll be the first in the world to be able to have done a 3,000 hectare wildlife reserve where we rewild animals and put them back into bigger reserves. And we've been successful with that. And thanks to you and the support you gave us for the cheetahs, that's been amazing. And then when we were going through the drought, the money that you supported us with in drilling a borehole, which is really working well. So this is a dream that's got to happen and as I said earlier is that the institute to me is most important, that we can create this significant institute that's not only for wildlife but for the oceans, for birds, for communities, for.
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A
I want to ask you about your vision for an institute, but I want to take our listeners back to where it all began. Right. I want to take them all back and I want you to share your story of how you were inspired to be a leading transformative leader in the space of conservation. Tell me, Adrienne, and share with our listeners in Robin's Nest, where did it all begin?
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B
It actually began where I grew up in. It was Rhodesia, then Zimbabwe. My father was very involved in cattle farms and one farm was 365,000 acres and it had its own game reserve on it. And he used to look after these when managers went on their leaves and that sort of thing. And we grew up within an environment like that. And then, you know, I work, I came down here, I came to port Elizabeth in 1969 and worked in retail, in construction and then bought a farm and we did horse breeding and all the rest in sold those. And then 30 years ago, you know, I realized I want my patch of Africa. And I actually went back to Zimbabwe and I went to the, I went to the recognized parts of South Africa and I thought to myself, you know, if I don't find something quite close to where I live, it's not going to work because I can't because I'm still running a business.
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A
Yes.
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B
And I luckily found this farm which was only then two and a half thousand acres that start where we all staying. And then the next farm came and the next one came and then I did some reading up of the history of what actually occurred in this area in terms of wildlife. And you know, we've got five of the seven biomes of Africa that occur here.
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A
Well, let me just stop you there. Five of the seven biomes right here in the Eastern Cape where you began your career as a leading conservationist. Tell our listeners what's a biome.
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B
A biome is a different, you know, the different species of plants. You know, you get grassland, you'll get this. And so that means that you've got different species of plants and vegetation that the wildlife can. So you can have browsers, grazers and all the rest of it. And so those species are obviously here. And when the settlers came here, there were more species here than there are in the Kruger Park.
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A
Wait a minute, there were more species here in the Eastern Cape than there was ever in Kruger.
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B
Correct, because of the fact of these biomes and the carrying capacity. But then they came here and they wanted to farm and they cleared out all these animals. They got rid of the lions were about 160 years ago the last line here or more. And they got rid of the rhino. There were a few elephants left, which was the start of the Addo Elephant Park. And then when I read all this up, I thought to myself, if I can put these farms together and got enough and rehabilitate them, I can put back what was here. And everybody laughed at me, by the way, they said it will never happen.
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A
Well, you know what, people always laugh when it's the visionary taking, stepping out with moral courage. But when you talk about bringing it back, you're not just talking about the beautiful grasslands or the beautiful trees and plants, you are also talking about reintroducing species, the megafauna, like the giraffe, the elephant, the lions to the space. Am I right?
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B
100% correct. And we brought back species that didn't occur here, like the white rhino, because it wasn't grazing enough here, they were a grazer. And then this great guy, Ian Player, who you know is the great conservationist.
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A
Of Africa, Dr. Ian Player. Friends, we should all go in and do research on Dr. Ian Player and his incredible legacy. Please tell us about your friendship with.
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B
Him, what he did. When I eventually got him here, I was one of the first in the private sector that was going to rewild and he embraced what I did and he really supported me and introduced me to incredible conservationists like Jack Hannah, Sir Lawrence van der Post, you name them, they all came. And John Aspinall, they all came and saw what I was doing and supported it and they recognized it. And he was the one that saved the white rhino from extinction. And when he saw what manned, how they changed the landscape and there was grazing here, he said, bring the white rhino here because there's grazing here. So although man had messed up, he had actually created a habitat that white rhino could exist When I brought the giraffe in, I also got criticized because people said they didn't exist here. So I got one of the universities to do a research program on it, and they said, well, they're doing a lot better because they're eating at the top and not at the bottom, like the goats and creating umbrellas around this whole country. So you're doing a great job because it's actually supporting that biome.
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A
And I want to just make sure our listeners heard that. It's amazing. You introduced the white rhino because they were critically endangered thanks to Dr. Ian Player, but then you brought the giraffe in. And so when you look at this beautiful space, you've got grazers at the top and grazers at the bottom, the.
- [08:06]
B
Browser at the top and the grazer at the bottom. And then we brought in the black rhino, which were extinct from here, but they existed here when. When the settlers arrived here. You know, it's just so. And then I think the real legacy is the number of people that have followed the example that we made. So all those that thought it would never work have made it work on their own farm. So they've cut out cattle and sheep and goats and all the rest and put back wildlife. And the result of that is there far more people employed.
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A
So what I'm loving about this is what we talk about a lot in our coffee chats at Founders Lodge, where it all began and great, beautiful Shomari Private Game Reserve. You've talked to me about your passion for the fact that conservation can't work without community involvement. Please share a little bit about that.
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B
You know, that really came to me from Dr. Ian Player, too. You know, he just said to me, is that in his experience, and we've seen it all around, the poaching and all the rest that happens. Yes, unless they get involved to understand the significance of it, the people that are employed by it, and what do they get out of it? We have to involve them. That's why we want to create this institute which will bring students through. You know, I started a university in South Africa called Stenden, which is the only university in the world where you can do part of your degree, one of the semesters in wildlife conservation. And it's all going to happen here. We had another farm that we did it on, but we've decided to do it here. So we're changing the lives of the students. Instead of them just doing an academic thing, really, for business, they can see what the world's about and what the future is. If they learn about what the communities are and what conservation is.
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A
You know, Adrienne, I shared this story with you a day or two ago. So here I am in South Africa and at a beautiful place, and a young man comes up and he's helping us out at one of the lodges. His name is Bunto. And Bunto said something very interesting. I said, I'm here with Adrian Gardner. Do you happen to know him? And then this young man opened up and shared with me his life. He shared that he would. He won a scholarship to the tourism school that you sponsored, your scholarship. He said he had never met you, but because of the fact that he was given that opportunity to go to school and study tourism, he said, now I have a life. He said I would never have had a life if it hadn't been for Adrian Gardner. So I know how many animals you've saved. You're working to the fight against extinction for the rhino, what you've done for so many other species. And the lions are, I know, near and dear to your heart, the tragic lion situation here in South Africa. But when I met Bunto and saw how you changed this young man's life, I was just totally moved. And now he's devoting his life to making sure that people understand the value of animals and the value of ecotourism. Well done, my friend. What a legacy.
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B
Thank you so much for that. But, you know, there's quite a few that are put through the university and have done these. And to me, that's as important as bringing in wildlife. If I can just get those people educated and understand what we're trying to do for their benefit as well as our benefit. So to hear that story from you, and I've never met him. I've got to meet him. And when we get the institute going, I'll get him to come and do a talk here.
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A
I would love that. I think he'll cry when he meets you, just to be prepared. It'll be quite emotional. It's wonderful. So we're going to fast forward a little bit because. Because you created Shomari, people laughed at your vision, but now it served as a model. A model take down the fences. And I think that's wonderful. And that allows animals to roam freely, engage in their original behaviors, behaviors that they were meant to engage in in a natural environment. As you look at what you've done and you fast forward to Neossi, what makes Neosi so different and so special.
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B
I think because of the fact is that it's close by. You know, the Communities can come here. We've got a community right next to us. We've got Port Elizabeth where people live. We've got a golf course next to us here where people live. They can come and see it again. We're being laughed at, you know, but I guarantee it's going to work because we've already seen success. So I just think that to have something like this so close and to be able to get people in volumes through here, I mean, we have a lot of people that just come here to lunches and listen to stories and that sort of thing and then go on a drive. So I think it's just its position is really what's going to make it and what we stand for and what we're doing. And to be, I think, very special for us all is to be certified by Global Humane. I mean, that is a significant achievement for what we're doing here. So thank you for that.
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A
Oh, well, you earned it. I'm so proud that we are at NEO C, which is globally humane certified in humane tourism. It provides an opportunity to engage with animals and their natural environment safely and most importantly, humanely. It's one of our newest initiatives in Naosi. Was one of our pilots. What I love and what people don't understand unless you've been to Africa, Adrian, is that you talk about the importance of these communities having the chance to come into a game reserve. I think where we come from, a lot of people think that elephants are going by, giraffe are going by, and everyone has that opportunity to see these magnificent megafauna creatures. But the reality is that's not so. So there could be people living in those villages and those communities that have never interacted with an elephant unless they come to Neo Sea. Is that correct?
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B
Yeah, 100%. But the best example of it, what you showed us yesterday in your incredible second edition of the movie Planet Extinction, is Rwanda.
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A
Yes.
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Look what happened there with the gorillas.
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Yes.
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If the community hadn't got involved, that whole program wouldn't have existed. But to hear that story firsthand, really close to my heart, because that endorses what we're trying to do. That's a great example. Well done in finding that and promoting it so well.
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A
Thank you. Thank you. And we are talking about the case of Rwanda as an excellent example of winning the fight against extinction, particularly for the mountain gorillas that have now moved up on the IUCN Red List because of the incredible work that Rwanda has done with nonprofits, with communities and with government. That triad that's working so Beautifully in supporting ecotourism, which those dollars are shared with communities and then shared back with the conservation spaces.
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B
But I think important for us is that you just mentioned it there. Now, the nonprofits, the non profits that have endorsed our work means a hell of a lot to us because that's endorsements that you get if you're doing the thing correctly. So though, you know, it started off with Wilderness foundation that Ian Player had, and then, you know, we've been involved with African parks. We've been involved with yourselves. As you know, we founded Born Free out here at Shamwari. So we worked with those nonprofits which have been very successful. So to have Global Humane here at Noise as one of the first endorsers of our work here is very significant.
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A
That's wonderful. Well, last year we presented to you this incredible medal, our global Humanitarian medal. You are our recipient for 2023. What did that mean to you?
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B
You know, the surprise that I got was, as you heard, when, you know, I mentioned that who you ordered today to John, it's really not about me. I wouldn't have got this medal if I hadn't had the support that I got from the people that I got that were also, when I started, you know, they were skeptical. Yes, but those. Their lives have changed completely. I mean, you take the vet at Chamorri, John. I mean, he'd never traveled out of the country. You know, he's done lectures in Russia, in the Middle east, in America, and John O'Brien, who was a ranger at Malamala Game Reserve. And I got him to. And he's now Dr. John O'Brien.
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A
Oh.
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B
And he's a leading ecologist in this part of the country.
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A
That's wonderful. You've impacted and changed lives, humans and animals.
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But that's what enabled you to do give me this award because those people endorsed what I was doing.
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A
I love that. I love that. Well, Adrienne, any final words to our listeners who are inspired by your story? Any words in Robin's Nest about how people can make a difference?
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B
Yes. Very simply, come and see us. See what we're doing, understand what we're doing. And I hope, together with our travel company, that again, people laughed at me when we started that which my son runs, that we can put programs together with your incredible database to bring those people out that support you, to come and see what you've endorsed and what we do.
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A
That's wonderful, Adrian, again, congratulations, and thanks for being with us on Robin's Nest.
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B
Thank you.
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A
Well, John, I know one of the programs that touches your heart is so much. Is our Pups for Patriots program providing service dogs for wounded warriors? Those warriors facing those invisible wounds of PTS and tbi. Tell me about your thoughts about our work that's yet to be done on pups or Patriots.
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C
Well, it's fantastic work. And you just have to talk to one of the veterans that has been through the program that now has a service dog, and the first thing out of their mouth is, this dog saved my life. It should be, this program saved my life.
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A
Yes, yes.
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C
And so we have to get that message out to the masses because we have too many of our service people, men and women, that take their lives every day because they have no hope. These service animals and this program that we provide give them the hope and the reason to live.
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A
Yes.
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And to get back into society and to be able to function because these people are non functional. And that's why, you know, they end their lives tragically. But the dogs save their lives. The program saves their lives, and we bring them back into society. It's not just the animal and the care and the love that's going on here, but they're able to integrate back.
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A
Into the world, and that's so important. For as the world gets increasingly more challenged with threats, our soldiers, our servicemen, they're going to be facing incredibly challenging times. And when they retire, to have them come back and be able to have a service dog, it will be life saving and even needed now more than ever.
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C
And people just think, you know, we unite these animals with the soldier, but we have a program that helps them become again part of society because they feel like society has abandoned them.
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A
Yes, absolutely. They do. They do. And in many cases, they're just not able to recognize those symptoms of PTS and tbi. And the drugs are so dangerous as well. But a dog saves lives.
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C
A dog saves lives. And there's so many other things that we're doing with this program. We've just recently found out that nutrition is a big part of helping the veterans ward off the episodes of ptsd.
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A
Yes.
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C
And so certain foods trigger these responses, and so eliminating that kind of food in their diet will help them immensely. And, you know, American Humane is looking into the possibility of developing a cookbook, Right?
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A
Absolutely.
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That they've done in the past for veterans to help them with their ptsd. So it's a whole program, not just the animal, but to get them reintegrated into society is so very important.
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A
One common thread between your leadership and your unwavering commitment to animals. And Adrienne Gardner's is the ability to connect people, planet and animals. But I really love the fact that you have just spoken about the human connection with the service dog program. And I know what is so important to Adrienne is the community connection to conservation. It's the people. And so, as much as we say that we're on the front lines fighting for animals, we're trying to pull people along with us to help them heal as well.
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C
Well, the people are an integral part of this whole thing. They have to not only buy into it, they have to feel a part of it.
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A
Yes.
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C
They have to economically benefit from it.
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A
Yes.
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And that's what makes it work to have a game reserve here between two towns, people giving up their land from farming to allow the natural inhabitants of this land to come back. They have to feel part of it.
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A
Absolutely.
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C
And they have to have jobs as a result of it.
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A
Economic incentives.
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C
Economic incentives. It's always there because people have to have a living and they have to exist. Just like we're allowing these animals to exist on their native land. We also have to take care of the people, and the people have to be part of it. Without the people being part of it, without the communities being part of it. It just doesn't work.
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A
John, I want to pivot because we are in this beautiful game reserve. We've had a lot of opportunity to interact with these magnificent creatures, all sizes. What's your favorite animal that you've met this week?
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C
I love the elephants.
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A
Yes, yes.
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C
I love the elephants. They're magnificent. They're so. Just in awe. They're so incredible.
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A
Yes. And I know we're so excited, John and I are, because we're working to actually trans relocate or relocate 40 elephants into a very safe space. And we'll have much more to announce than that in coming months. But I know we both love the elephants.
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C
We do. And of course, the lions. And the lions. There's more in captivity than there is in the wilderness. And so we have to do something about that. We have to help the lions as well.
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A
Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, John, congratulations. It's your day. The sun is shining, we're in a beautiful game reserve, and I'm so proud to know you.
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C
Thank you. It's been incredible the last 14 years together.
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A
Yes.
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To see what the organization has accomplished, mostly from the work that you have done. You're very kind and the leadership you've provided. So we're looking forward to the next 14.
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A
Yes, sir, we are. We've got a lot more work to do. We do well, friends, this has been such a pleasure to be with you today in Robin's Nest, celebrating our global Humanitarian medal recipient, John Payne. This episode was so much fun. Being live from the Eastern Cape in South Africa. Today, we've experienced being in such a beautiful natural environment where together we're celebrating incredible, magnificent creatures and we're talking about the hard issues in the space of conservation and making a meaningful difference for the animals which we share this beautiful planet with. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Robin's Nest. I hope you'll tune in next time and we look forward to welcoming you back. Thanks for all you do to build a more humane world.