Mission Statement: Restoring the biodiversity of the Great Karoo and its human and animal populations through judicious land management, sound environmental policies and enlightened employment ethics with a view to sustainability for every generation to come.

Creation - Founded by Mark and Sarah Tompkins to develop a platform whereby like-minded conservationists can contribute to the preservation of global biodiversity in this threatened region.

Where we operate - In the historically disadvantaged area of South Africa known as the Great Karoo in the Eastern Cape.
Our Goals - 

• To protect environmentally strategic areas in the Great Karoo through land acquisition and conservation partnerships facilitating restoration and stewardship of the soil, water, flora and fauna.
• The reintroduction and conservation of endangered indigenous species in the Greater Karoo area.
• To inspire, support and conduct research and projects that pertain to the culture and the environment of the Great Karoo.
• To inspire, support and conduct research and projects that pertain to the culture and environment of the Great Karoo.
• To promote the economic, social, physical and spiritual welfare of the disadvantaged people in the Great Karoo communities.
• To promote conservation and sustainable land use for recreational and educational purposes by local and visiting people in the Great Karoo.
• To work in partnership with institutions and the scientific community for research about the plants, environmental history, soil conservation, archaeology, palaeontology, veld management and the agricultural potential of the Great Karoo and to share this information with members of the local community.

What we have accomplished -

• We support projects that train and employ men and women in rural Karoo towns, particularly in the eco-tourism industry.
• We create nature workshops, which allow young children from the local community to have direct experience with the natural environment and learn leadership skills.
• We are actively involved in the research, conservation, rehabilitation and protection of the natural resources and biodiversity of the Great Karoo.
• We work in partnership with local and international institutions and the scientific community in various research projects.
• We educate previously disadvantaged people in a Tracker Academy set up on the property.
• We have committed 70,000 acres of land to this project and allowed the natural fauna and flora to recover and rehabilitate over 15 years.
• We have successfully reintroduced highly endangered species to the area, such as cheetah, black wildebeest and cape mountain zebra, and have created an environment where species such as the threatened blue crane and cape vulture are returning to restored habitat.

LAND RESTORATION - Samara has been the catalyst for change in the area with the removal of goats and sheep and the promotion of local tourism, which is being followed by neighbours.

Samara's contribution to land restoration is an ongoing exercise with the restoration of degraded areas, removal of alien vegetation and planting of indigenous plants. See our Spekboom Project

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME - This programme has been developed at Samara with a strong focus on learning and hands-on involvement in the field, particularly with regard to land rehabilitation. In addition, volunteers are involved in research projects which require data collection and analysis. Samara is currently involved in several projects in collaboration with the Centre for African Conservation Ecology (ACE) at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth (www.nmmu.ac.za), the Endangered Wildlife Trust (www.ewt.org.za) and Lethbridge University in Canada (www.uleth.ca). See our Volunteer Programme

TRACKER ACADEMY - "The Art of Tracking may well be the origin of science. After hundreds of thousands of years, traditional tracking skills may soon be lost. Yet tracking can be developed into a new science with far-reaching implications for nature conservation." Louis Liebenberg, creator of Cybertracker and author of "The Art of Tracking".

The Tracker Academy is a partnership between the SA College of Tourism, Samara and Alex van den Heever. Our one year full-time intensive tracking course, lead by three experienced trainers, is the first of its kind in Southern Africa. The course focuses on developing tracking competency, conservation and life-skills, including literacy and positive health.

The Tracker Academy endeavours to contribute significantly to the preservation of indigenous knowledge in South Africa by creating passionate African naturalists. Our aim is to empower the custodians of Africa's wilderness to preserve the continent’s last remaining wild areas. Our accredited African naturalists will bring authenticity and accuracy to environmental education, anti-poaching, eco-tourism, research and conservation.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION - "We did not inherit the Land from our Fathers, we have simply borrowed it from our children".
Environmental awareness is growing almost as quickly as the human race's production of damaging emissions. Whilst we are all becoming conscious of emissions, not everyone is aware of what can be done to reduce the amount of damaging carbon in the atmosphere.

Research indicates that pristine thicket areas within the Eastern Cape region of South Africa hold more carbon compared to transformed or over-grazed land. Further to this, there are specific plant species that have particularly effective levels of absorption under semi-arid conditions (or sequestration). One of the most effective plants is the Spekboom, Portulacaria Afra. Samara is rich in Spekboom habitat and has launched a project to facilitate the re-generation of previously overgrazed land on the reserve through the planting of Spekboom.

For the past few years Samara has been running a community/environmental awareness project whereby classes of secondary school pupils from Graaff-Reinet come to Samara, plant Spekboom and learn about the environment.

By helping us to regenerate the land they are ensuring that a section of pristine wilderness will still exist for their children.
Sequestration rates in restored Spekboom habitats can reach between 1 and 4 tonnes per hectare per year, making it highly absorbent of CO2 in arid areas.

TOURISM AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT - Samara works closely with our local communities and as such is one of the largest employers in the area. In addition we run a number of community-based programmes with international organisations such as Pack a Parcel.

Our aspirations and objectives are supported by community leaders and the creation of the mega-park will extend the community base to the areas of Cradock and Pearston, in addition to Graaff-Reinet.

Samara's work over the past 15 years in restoring the delicate balance of the eco-systems has contributed significantly to the preservation of this fragile area. Five years ago when Samara opened its three eco-tourist facilities we commenced encouraging investment in our local communities via tourism.
We have also brought to the media's attention not only the outstanding natural beauty of this area, but have highlighted the conservation ethic and undertaking of this fragile region.