"I'm delighted to announce that we have formed the Ford Wildlife Foundation," said Jeff Nemeth, CEO and president of FMCSA and sub-Saharan Africa. "Since FMCSA started its environmental work in 1990, our efforts have helped support over 150 high-priority environmental education and conservation projects around South Africa and we wanted to ensure that legacy continues in the future."
The Endangered Wildlife Trust, The Wildlife & Environment Society of SA, Birdlife SA, the Association of Marketers, WWF, and the American Chamber of Commerce have in the past all recognised the programme for its contributions.
To date, FMCSA has invested more than R30m into its environmental work, for projects spanning education, conservation, and research. A future commitment has been earmarked to support both current and future non-government and non-profit organisations.
Some of the existing conservation projects include the Black Rhino Project, which promotes conservation and growth of the black rhino population in KwaZulu-Natal and the Enkangala Grasslands Project which promotes the concept of biosphere reserves and the establishment and maintenance of a biosphere reserve for the high altitude moist grasslands of Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State Provinces.
Other undertakings include environmental education projects that bring information about the country's biodiversity to the population, as well as research projects that investigate the impact of human activities on the environment like the Zululand Nile Crocodile research project run by the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Ford will continue to support organisations with vehicles, giving them access to modern machines such as the Built Ford Tough Ranger. In partnership with Ford's dealers, countrywide, the vehicles in the Ford Wildlife Foundation will be monitored and serviced to ensure they operate at peak efficiency.
"Renewing our commitment to the programme, now under the Ford Wildlife Foundation banner, falls in line with FMCSA's commitment to the environment and ensuring a sustainable future in South Africa," said Nemeth. "Ford already has efficient vehicles that have low carbon emissions, dealerships that use less power and a water treatment facility that can treat water used by the Silverton Assembly Plant - this is yet another way in which Ford is going further to conserve the environment."
