Download Michael's CV here.

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Michael is a passionate naturalist, conservationist and adventurer who loves birding, rare mammals, flyfishing, hiking, walking trails and photography. He is a registered professional in natural science, nature tour guiding and ecotourism consulting with 23 years’ of industry experience.

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Michael has worked in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Eswatini (Swaziland), Mozambique, Lesotho, and the United States of America, and has visited Mauritius and Mexico several times on holiday. During his Southern and East African adventures he has explored 119 National Parks, Game Reserves and Nature Reserves, and to date has stayed in 157 safari lodges, bush camps, resorts, hotels and campsites, while having visited many more.

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Michael currently holds a Southern African bird lifelist of 722 species, a Southern African mammal lifelist of 124 species, a South African butterfly lifelist of 104 species, and a South African frog lifelist of 35 species.

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​Although Michael has developed valuable knowledge and experience in the field over many years, he loves taking every opportunity to immerse himself in nature, to continue to learn from it, to teach others about its extraordinary beauty and value, to learn from those who conserve it, and to share nature-based and adventure experiences with people from all over the world.

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His work life has largely been entrepreneurial in nature: relating to the nature guiding, environmental consulting, ecotourism consulting, safari lodge development, operating and marketing fields. When combined with his tertiary education, he has developed significant experience in these disciplines.

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​In addition to owning and managing Sustain Ecotourism and Environmental, Michael also owns and manages a nature tour operating business called Sustain Wildlife and Birding Safaris, for which he is also the Principal Tour Leader.

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Purpose in Work

• To ensure sustainable and responsible tourism developments and operations;

• To establish viable wildlife economies and tourism destinations;

• To expand and enhance protected areas and biodiversity through regenerative tourism, conservation and wildlife enterprise;

• To promote the environmental education of our clients and communities;

• To positively transform ecosystems and the communities around them;

• To bring about both environmental and social good.

 

Key Characteristics and Experience

• Key skills include leadership, administration, analysis, research, project co-ordination, creativity.

• Values love, integrity, honour, faithfulness, excellence, professionalism, business ethic, respect, teamwork, relationships, service, socio-economic upliftment, and justice;

• Man of faith, family and friends;

• Reverence for the Lord, all His people and His creation;

• Passionate about ecotourism, environmental planning and management, ecotourism property development and guest experiences, and shared vacation ownership;

• Passionate about nature, wildlife, adventure, sport, the outdoors, travel and exploring;

• Acquired broad and significant skills and experience in business at shareholder, director, executive management and employee level in several companies over 23 years;

• Analytical, diligent, methodical, like results and to grow and develop things to fruition;

• Hobbies: fishing, birding, golf, touch rugby, gym, photography, nature getaways, ministry, snowboarding, other ball sports; 

• Countries worked in: South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, United States of America, Dubai, Mozambique, Eswatini, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Kenya, Morocco, Egypt, and Senegal.

 

Professional Qualifications

• Professional Natural Scientist: Environmental Science (2018) – South African Council for Natural Science Professions (SACNASP) – Reg. No. 009205;

• B.Sc. Agriculture (Agribusiness & Wildlife Science) (2001) – University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg (1998 - 2001);

• Estate Agency Affairs Board – Qualified Estate Agent (2007);

• Regional Nature Guide – NQF Level 4 – THETA (2003);

• Local Bird Guide – NQF Level 4 – Birdlife South Africa (2003).

 

Professional Memberships

• Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA) – Since 2019;

• South African Council for Natural Science Professions (SACNASP) – Reg. No. 009205 – Since 2014;

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist (TAPAS) Group – Since 2016;

• The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) – Since 2012;

• International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIAsa) – Reg. No. 3287 – Since 2012;

• Birdlife South Africa – Reg. No. 1039173 – Since 2015;

• Field Guide Association of Southern Africa (FGASA) – Reg. No. W0924 – Since 2002.

 

Academic Honours

• Awarded the Agricultural Economics of South Africa National Prize for the best Under-Graduate Thesis of 2001;

• Awarded the H.I. Berhmann Book Prize for the final year BScAgric, BAgricMgt (Hons) or BCom (Hons) candidate with the best performance in Agricultural Economics or Agribusiness.

 

Publications

• Author of a chapter entitled, “Funding Proposals for New Tourism Ventures”, in the book entitled, “Handbook of Applied Research for Sustainable Tourism: A Guide for Practitioners”, edited by Dr Anna Spenceley. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2021.

• Tariff Determination of Safari Lodges in South African Game Reserves using the Hedonic Pricing Method. Michael Wright.: Lambert Academic Publishing, 2017. ISDN: 978-3-330-31738-3.

 

Additional Qualifications, Certificates and Training

• Certified South African Specialist – South African Tourism – May 2020;

• EIA Law Event – Business Success Solutions (BSS) – February 2020;

• Public-Private Partnerships Foundation Training Course – May 2019;

• Toastmasters South Africa – Oct 2018;

• Tourist Guide – National Department of Tourism (NDT) – Reg. No. KZN0688 – 2003-2005, 2019-2022;

• National Federation of Tourist Guides & Affiliates (South Africa) – Reg. No. 1900464 – Since 2020;

• Introduction to Project Management Course – ECSA accredited – Nov 2014;

• Firearms Competency – Firearms Control Act, Rifle, Shotgun, Handgun, Self-loading Carbine – Apr 2009;

• Field Guide Association of South Africa (FGASA) – Level 1 – Oct 2002;

• Professional Driving Permit (PDP) – Code 08 and Code 10 – 2002, 2015, 2019;

• South African Red Cross Society – Level 1 First Aid Course – May 2002, renewed Apr 2019;

• Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association – Spirit of Hospitality Programme – Aug 2002;

• Beaver Run Resort and Conference Centre (Premier Resorts) – Spirit in Service Training Class – Dec 2001;

• Temba Game Viewers (Pty) Ltd – 2 Week Safari Vehicle Mechanics Training – 2002.

 

Conferences Attended

• Eco Hotel Summit – 2021;

• Virtual African Bird Fair – 2020, 2023;

• World Travel Market Africa – 2023;

• Indaba Tourism Show – 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 to 2017, 2019;

• Environmental Assessment Practitioners Association of South Africa (EAPASA) Launch – 2018;

• Hotelier Summit Africa – 2016;

• Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Investor Summit – 2016;

• International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIAsa) Conference – 2016;

• Animal Demography Unit Conference, by the University of Cape Town – 2015;

• SADC Transfrontier Conservation Areas Workshop – 2014;

• Hospitality Investment Conference for Africa (HICA) – 2007, 2013;

• Vacation Ownership Association of South Africa (VOASA) – 2010.