315 | Voigtland Guest House awarded

CONSERVATION AND TOURISM

Voigtland Guest House, located on farm Voigtland and owned by Mr. Stephan & Mrs. Gaby Voigts, received a prestigious two penguin-rated Conservation and Tourism Support 2015 Award presented by Birds Conservation and Tourism (BirdsConTour) for the positive impact Voigtland Guest House makes on the farm's fauna and flora and on the country's tourism sector.

323 | Honoring sustainable input

WELFARE, CONSERVATION AND TOURISM

BirdsConTour is impressed of how many people of all ages are generously supporting nature, people in need of help and sustainable tourism.

BirdsConTour aims to nurture such helpful people, encouraging the public to become advocates of responsible and sustainable welfare, conservation and/or tourism matters.

By being engaged yourself or knowing someone who is involved in any sustainable welfare, conservation and/or tourism project, please inform BirdsConTour so that such endeavors can be acknowledged.

BirdsConTour believes to urgently turn its thoughts and deeds to the preservation of the earths soil, fauna (including mankind) and flora, bearing in mind that man is part of this whole. Man cannot set himself apart as special products of nature immune to the fate of all living creatures. 

Mankind as animals of the higher order has a duty to prevent destruction of this heritage which is the basis of existence for humankind.

The fate of nature is of greater importance to BirdsConTour than the fear of appearing ridiculous; it is indissolubly connected with the fate of men.

313 | Input gets awarded

WELFARE, CONSERVATION AND TOURISM

One of the greatest pleasures of having a garden in your surrounding, no matter what its size, is the birds that visit it.

But to attract the birds to such a garden, it needs to fulfill the birds' needs: food, water, nest sites and shelter.

Family Rust and Sauber as well as Bührmann & Partners Consulting Engineers, especially to mention Mr. Sigi Teetz, agree that enjoying the birds that visit their garden means hearing their dawn chorus or spotting them picking food, bathing in a birdbath or busily carrying nesting materials.

Mrs. Lara & Mr. Kurt Rust

Mrs. Birgit & Mr. Kurt Sauber

Mr. Sigi Teetz from Bührmann & Partners

By way of thanks for their endeavors in regard of maintaining bird-friendly gardens, BirdsConTour presented a one penguin-rated Conservation Support 2015 Award to each of the bird friends.

324 | Third Wild Bird Support Station at Kempinski Estate

WELFARE, CONSERVATION & TOURISM

A few kilometers south of Windhoek in the Auas Mountains lies the Kempinski Estate. Three residents who built their houses there, established each a Wild Bird Support Station in cooperation with BirdsConTour. 

The third addition of a small station was set up by BirdsConTour on the property of Mrs. Birgit Leicher.

In appreciation for her support of the local bird life around her property and for her tireless input with administrative support in welfare and tourism matters BirdsConTour thanked her with a qualification for a three penguin-rated Welfare, Conservation & Tourism Support 2015 Award.

314 | The restored Onjala Lodge Wild Bird Support Station

CONSERVATION AND TOURISM

Wild birds keep flying in and out at the Wild Bird Support Station on Onjala Lodge that was recently restored by BirdsConTour.

The new station has so much to offer for the different wild bird species - seed, corn, porridge, fruits, nectar, water, nesting material and nest boxes. What more can a bird ask for?

For the first time since many years two near-endemic Rosy-faced Lovebirds returned into this part of their natural distribution area. What a nice reward!

Photo by Livia Pack.

Guests have a stunning view over this station and can indulge in bird watching without leaving the restaurant with its magnificent view.

The restoration of the Onjala bird station was followed by a BirdsConTour training of the staff on how to sustain this exemplary Wild Bird Support Station.

Mr. Peter Pack, Timmy Coetzee, Heiner Soltau

In appreciation BirdsConTour complimented the Onjala Lodge with a two penguin-rated Conservation & Tourism Support 2015 Award.

311 | Schlagerstars singen und spielen für den guten Zweck

WELFARE & TOURISM

Wenn es um Live-Events der Extraklasse in Namibia geht, steht sie an erster Stelle: Die große Nacht des Deutschen Schlagers gilt seit letztem Jahr als die beliebteste und erfolgreichste Veranstaltung in Namibia. Und so hieß es natürlich auch 2015 wieder: Bühne frei für die Elite der deitschsprachigen Musik, nicht der Bär sondern der Elefant ist los!

Stefan Rust (BirdsConTour) und "Supertalent 2008" Michael Hirte

Eine tolle Stimmung herrschte am Samstag und Sonntag (31.01. und 01.02.) in Windhoek, der Hauptstadt Namibias. Anders als bei den Heino Konzerten 2014, hatten diese beiden Schlagernacht Konzerte eher einen Partycharakter. Das begeisterte Publikum schunkelte und rockte in der Festhalle des Sportklubs Windhoek (SKW). 

Nicht zuviel versprochen hatte Reiner Meutsch, Initiator und Moderator dieses Doppelkonzerts und Gründer der FLY & HELP Stiftung. Ziel dieser ist die Förderung von Bildung durch den Bau von Schulen in Entwicklungsländern.

Die aus Deutschland angereisten Interpreten Bata Ilic (75, u.a. Lied Michaela), Michael Hirte (50, Mundharmonicaspieler. u.a. Lied Ave Maria), Michael Holm (71, u.a. Lied Barfuß im Regen), Mary Roos (66, u.a. Lied Arizona Man), Bernie Paul (64, u.a. Lied Lucky), Nicole (50, u.a. Lied Ein bischen Frieden), Graham Bonney (71, u.a. Lied Du bist viel zu schön), Claudia Jung (50, u.a. Lied Je T'Aime Mon Amour), Roberto Blanco (77, u.a. Lied Ein bischen Spaß muß sein) und die namibische Nachwuchssängerin Nadine Baas (14, u.a. Lied Atemlos) verzichteten auf Gage und mittels weiterer Sponsoren und Eintrittsgeldern kann Dank diesen Engagements ein Großteil der Einnahmen in gewisse Schulprojekte fließen.

Dank und ein großes Lob gebührt dem Geschäftsführer, Moderator und Pilot Reiner Meutsch für diese gelungene und hilfreiche Initiative. Motiviert durch seinen Wunsch hinsichtlich schulischer Bildung etwas zu bewegen und zu verändern, gründete er die Reiner Meutsch Stiftung FLY & HELP und ermöglicht hiermit vielen Menschen, unter anderem hier in Namibia, Zugang zu schulischer Bildung.

312 | Pack Safari turns bird-friendly

WELFARE, CONSERVATION & TOURISM

After many months of planning and construction, Pack Safari finally moved to its new company location. The premises is situated in the Lafrenz industrial area within Windhoek, 184 Industria Street.

Pack Safari is a proud supporter of bird life and by having taken a part of nature for the construction of the infrastructure, the company proprietors, Livia & Peter Pack, strongly believe in giving back in return. 

In cooperation with BirdsConTour the very first wild bird support station in the Lafrenz industrial area was set up on the new Pack Safari premises. 

In return for having taken natural bird habitat to construct infrastructure, wild birds are now being served year round with all different types of food, with water, nesting material and nest structures.

These bird-friendly practices are really good news for the conservation-minded Pack Safari guests who are definitely increasing in numbers annually.

Pointing out these bird-friendly practices as well as sustainable welfare and tourism practices the company is engaged with, Mrs. Livia and Mr. Peter Pack received a three penguin-rated Welfare, Conservation & Tourism Support 2015 Award from BirdsConTour.