Protect one of the world’s most biodiverse areas in South Africa called the Albany Biodiversity Corridor and share the knowledge globally.
The Albany Biodiversity Corridor spans nearly 1 m hectares and sits within the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany Biodiversity Hotspot – one of 3 such hotspots in South Africa. This hotspot contains 7 of 9 Biomes in Africa and harbours an enormous diversity of fauna and flora.
Many people, communities and charitable projects have been working together in partnership to safeguard and rewild the Albany Biodiversity Corridor.
The primary objective of Expand is to empower a global community connected and enriched by the thread of raw nature to bring financial assistance to these projects.
Thandi’s Story is Our Story.
Thandi is a an incredibly courageous female Rhino living within the Albany Biodiversity Corridor, in the Kariega Game Reserve who not only survived an horrific poaching event against all odds in 2012, but has gone on to give birth to 5 calves and is a grandmother twice over.
Inspiring a Movement
Such was Thandi’s incredible spirit, her story spread around the world and has inspired many, including this initiative.
Thandi is able to roam freely on the 12,000 hectare Kariega wilderness because many incredible people work tirelessly to ensure the protection of her and the land which is her home.
Rhino need room to roam. The impacts from their roaming are extremely positive and essential to the health of the earth they tread. Kick-starting ecosystems and setting off chains of events which help return previously farmed land to wild land. Wild land that can successfully survive drought, provide lush habitat for thousands of species and land that ultimately helps to safeguard our planet.
Thus, all we need to do is make more land available and metaphorically step back and let nature take it’s course. This means connecting, securing and legally protecting the myriad of currently fenced off properties which boarder Thandi’s current home in Kariega and which extend to make up the 1 million or so hectares of landscape within this initiative. Doing so will allow Thandi and her kind to thrive, the landscape to rewild and the fauna and flora within to regenerate and flourish.
The positive benefits for the immediate landscape are obvious, but the domino effect on neighbouring landscapes and as a model for cooperation worldwide, the impact on our planet and humanity will be enormous.
“Thus, Thandi’s story is our story.”
– Help Expand Team
A track record of rewilding and safeguarding
Years of success in landscape rejuvenation and safeguarding.
The people and organisations behind the underlying projects discussed here have demonstrated incredible successes during the past 12 years to create an tangible and inspirational foundation for the vision to connect and rewild the Albany Biodiversity Corridor… Many key projects have been completed and many smaller projects are always underway. Some of these key projects are…
Amakhala landscape restoration and rejuvenation
Pristine wilderness at Karigea GAme Reserve
Tanglewood living conservation laboritory
a global community
Help Expand
Help Expand is a project conceived by Marc Gadsdon inspired by the overwhelming beauty of the nature and people from this region.
In 2023 Marc was fortunate to join an event organised by Phil and Trish Liggett with 16 wonderful people from all over the world who came together for what proved to be a truly incredible and nourishing experience – cycling for six days through the pristine wilderness of the Kariega Game Reserve in harmony with raw African nature.
During the event, William Fowlds presented the Conservation Landscape Initiative to rewild the nearly 1million hectares of the Albany Biodiversity Corridor. Will gave an emotive talk covering both the uplifting aspects of what it means to safeguard such a landscape and explaining the urgent need to protect endangered wildlife such as Rhino and how critical they are for the success of the rewilding initiative. This was the moment Marc realised more must be done to support the incredible work of Will, Lindy, Peter and all the people involved in the various projects making up the Initiative.
Help Expand the message by joining our virtual team of volunteers – we are looking for help with social media support, fundraising, website management and project co-ordination.
Conservation Landscapes Institute
Conservation Landscapes Institute is a South African registered charity and one of the primary beneficiaries of funds raised by Expand. More information about CLI can be found on their website conservationlandscapes.org.za
Peter Chadwick
Chief Executive Officer of Conservation Landscape Initiative.
Peter is a terrestrial and marine protected area specialist with over 30 years of conservation experience gained across Africa and the Western and Southern Indian Oceans. Peter is also responsible for many of the fabulous photos on this website.
Board Member of Conservation Landscape Initiative.
William is an internationally acclaimed wildlife vet based in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. William’s family are founding members of the Amakhala Game Reserve.
William is the vet who saved Thandi’s life after the poaching incident and has gone on to pioneer many innovative techniques. Will works tirelessly and selflessly to protect Thandi and her kind from the relentless threat of poaching which is a key motivation for the Expand project.
Board Member of Conservation Landscape Initiative.
Lindy is the founder of the Kariega Foundation and director of the family run Kariega Game Reserve which is an intrinsic part of the million hectare planning domain.
