Marco Schiess, owner of Umlani Bushcamp, says "Ian Player has been an inspiration to me all my life, my association with the Wilderness Leadership School has formed the principles by which we run Umlani. It is a great honour for me to be certified by the Wilderness Foundation as the Green Leaf standard is everything that Umlani stands for".

"With global warming and climate change a reality, the tourism industry has the responsibility of protecting the integrity of our environment and has the opportunity to educate its guests. The Wilderness Foundation's Awards encourages tourism role players to reduce the effects of consumption on our environment and improve upon environmental management and awareness in an eco-friendly manner," adds Schiess.

The Wilderness Foundation, founded in 1972 by Dr. Ian Player and Magqubu Ntombela, is a conservation organisation that encourages, plans and manages wild lands and wilderness areas, uplifts the knowledge and lives of historically disadvantaged citizens, and stimulates an environmental ethos among current and future leaders.

Umlani is also a member of Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa. "Everything we do is influenced by our commitment to responsible tourism. This means that we take great care to treat people and the environment with respect by actively minimising the negative impact on our surroundings and make a positive contribution whenever possible," states Schiess.

Umlani Bushcamp based in the heart of world-famous Timbavati, which is now part of an open system with the Kruger National Park, is becoming well-known as a specialist in providing visitors with a close-to-nature wilderness adventure in a responsible way.