22 Ellis Park Drive Durban 4051 info@canopytour.co.za fax 0866 351 653 www.canopytour.co.za cell 0824533970 Michael Slayen Table Mountain National Park SANParks 20 February 2012 Dear Mr. Slayen PROPOSED ECOTOURISM ADVENTURE ACTIVITY IN THE TOKAI FOREST This document was first submitted in August 2003 to the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, resubmitted in February 2006 to SANParks and is herewith updated and presented again in February 2012 as an unsolicited bid to establish a treetop Canopy Tour in the Tokai forest. This follows the public open day for the Tokai Precinct Planning Proposal held at Tokai on 7th February 2012 whereby a treetop zipline activity was formally included among the proposals for the Tokai Manor Precinct. The document begins with a brief introduction on the Canopy Tour concept, describes our development to date and ends with the proposal for the Tokai Canopy Tour. INTRODUCTION Canopy Tours South Africa was formed in 2001 with the intention of expanding South Africa s growing adventure travel industry by constructing Africa s first canopy tour. Mark Brown and Ashley Wentworth were the founding partners of the company. Mark (a University of Cape Town civil engineer) had previously spent nearly a year managing, designing and building canopy tours in Costa Rica. Ashley Wentworth is owner of South Africa s leading adventure tourism company, Stormsriver Adventures. An application to construct a canopy tour in the Tsistsikamma forest was submitted to and then approved by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (Directorate: Indigenous Forest Management) in May 2001. After six months of rigorous environmental construction the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour was officially opened on the 6 th October 2001. South Africa s first Canopy Tour immediately proved popular with visitors to the Garden Route and this led to the search for other environments around South Africa that had the right conditions for providing the canopy tour experience. To date Canopy Tours TCT February 2012
South Africa has designed and established six Canopy Tours around Southern Africa, these are Karkloof (KZN Midlands), Magaliesberg (North West / Gauteng), Magoebaskloof (Limpopo), Drakensberg (KZN), Malolotja (Swaziland) and Tsitsikamma (Eastern Cape). Canopy Tours is now a popular brand and registered trademark owned by. The response the Canopy Tours have received, coupled with the growing potential of South Africa s adventure tourism industry lead us to believe that a Canopy Tour in the Tokai Forest will become a popular attraction that will encourage the growth and development of tourism in the surrounding area. WHAT IS A CANOPY TOUR? Canopy tours are a new and growing form of eco-tourism in the South African tourism industry. They involve taking people up to the forest canopy and traversing between treehouse-type platforms along steel cables. The platforms are constructed around the trunks of large trees, on steel towers or against cliff faces within the high level of the forest canopy or elevated environment typically at heights up to 30m. Cables are then anchored between platforms at a slight downward angle. The distances between platforms vary from 20m to 180m. Clients, by wearing climbing harnesses with pulleys attached, then slide along the cables through the forest canopy and land safely at the next platform. Canopy tours combine natural tranquility (while on the platforms) with the excitement of sliding above and through a pristine natural environment. Trained canopy tour field guides escort small groups of people through a series of platforms and cables, culminating in an adventurous abseil or slide back down to safe ground. WHAT ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT? Canopy tours promote a deeper understanding and appreciation of the environment by taking people to a region of nature seldom encountered by humans. Construction methods are 100% enviro-friendly and the forest or surrounding environment is not harmed in any way. There is no drilling, screwing or structural penetration of the trees. Instead rubber pads are placed at all points where the platform, substructure or cable supports contact the tree surface, thus protecting the tree. DWAF Indigenous Forest Management Scientists carried out intensive investigations into the construction of the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour before any work was allowed to proceed. The results of these studies showed that the canopy tour was indeed to be built using environmentally friendly techniques, and construction was allowed to proceed under the watchful eyes of the forest scientists. Continuing this awareness environmental impact studies are undertaken at all proposed new Canopy Tour sites and approved by the relevant Government Department before the design and construction process begin. Canopy Tours South Africa have therefore established a proud track record and received recognition for implementing environmentally sound design and construction methods. The design and construction of the Tokai Canopy Tour would be undertaken using the same principles and methods developed by Canopy Tours South Africa these may either be verified by an independent environmental impact study or by the qualified staff and scientists of SANParks. TCT 2 February 2012
WHAT DOES THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CANOPY TOUR REQUIRE? Ideally the tour should consist of at least 8 to 10 platforms, positioned high within or above a forest or nature area of about 3ha. This is to enhance the experience of being deep within a natural environment. A steep slope or river valley is an important addition. The change in level not only facilitates an easy entry to the canopy tour (i.e. along a suspension bridge) but also provides great slides, breathtaking views and the feeling of additional height above ground. A qualified civil engineer undertakes the design and construction of canopy tours. Techniques are a highly specialised combination of structural design, environmental engineering and tree climbing methods. Canopy Tours South Africa are at present the only company in South Africa with the expertise and substantial experience in these methods of non invasive treetop construction. The platforms are individually designed around each tree or cliff face and are constructed with low impact preferences. The steel cables are designed with a 5:1 safety factor and are tensioned sufficiently to ensure a smooth downhill slide. Construction time is typically 6 to 8 months. Thereafter a detailed maintenance plan is drawn up to ensure the ongoing safety of the platforms, cables and climbing equipment. HOW SAFE IS A CANOPY TOUR AND WHO MAY PARTICIPATE? The thrills and adrenalin enjoyed on a canopy tour are clearly the result of being within a completely new and high-level domain. If one is not standing on a platform 20m above the ground then you are sliding through the upper levels of the forest canopy along a cable! The associated dangers imply that it is imperative to maintain stringent safety standards at all times. Those participating in the tour are always anchored to at least two places - the tree, platform or steel cable. This ensures a safety backup is always in place. Only the guides, who are trained canopy climbers with first aid certification, handle the safety attachments. Canopy tours may be undertaken by almost anyone. Providing one is aware of the importance of safety and following the guides instructions, age is not a limiting factor anyone between 7 and 70 will enjoy the experience. This makes canopy tours ideal for group, family or corporate outings as well as appealing to the thrill seekers and nature lovers alike. HOW WILL THE LOCAL COMMUNITY BENEFIT? With the exception of a select number of skilled Canopy Tours South Africa climbers, the entire workforce will be contracted from the local community. Furthermore those who show the necessary skills will remain and receive training to work as qualified guides on the Canopy Tour. Based on past discussions with Reuben Coetzee, Head of Placement Affairs for the Chrysalis Academy that neighbours the Tokai Forest, Canopy Tours South Africa will likely interview and recruit graduates from the Chrysalis Academy as the future guides for the Tokai Canopy Tour. The Chrysalis Academy provides training and assistance for disadvantaged members of the local community in order for them to acquire gainful employment. Any additional guides or staff will be sourced from unemployed members of the surrounding underprivileged communities. The six Canopy Tours in South Africa have created nearly 200 permanent new jobs already, the majority of these from unemployed members of the surrounding TCT 3 February 2012
community who in addition have received important skills and tourism training. The Tokai Canopy Tour is expected to create approximately 25-30 new full time jobs. As far as is economically possible most materials and sub-contractual work will be supplied by local industries. The canopy tour will stimulate increased tourism and the flow of people to the region and will benefit the sub-industries and entire community if carefully managed. THE PROPOSED NEW CANOPY TOUR SITE There are several prerequisites that need to be met for a site to be suitable for a canopy tour - amongst others these include natural beauty, suitable tree and plant species, sloping gradient, suitable access roads and paths, good bird life, sustainable tourism traffic, investment capital, managing body and administrative infrastructure. In July 2003 Tree Top Tours identified two possible sites within the Tokai Forest. Both sites were potentially possible for a Canopy Tour and a proposal for a Canopy Tour in either site was submitted on 22 August 2003. Both site A and site B offer viable opportunities for a treetop Canopy Tour at Tokai and selecting the final site can be done in consultation with SANParks and any ecological or other considerations that need to be taken into account. The old unused and neglected stables building on the southern boundary of the Tokai Manor House could be refurbished and turned into the administration centre for the Canopy Tour. Furthermore with such reservations, guiding, information, etc facilities in place this space could also be utilised as a central adventure centre for other activities in Tokai The two sites A and B are shown on the Tokai map below: TCT 4 February 2012
A B Location of Two Proposed Site Options A & B within Tokai SANPARKS REVENUE Based on current market conditions, the popularity of adventure activities and the location of the proposed site, The Tokai Canopy Tour is expected to attract at least 25,000 clients per year. The current rate for a Canopy Tour is R450 per person, which includes all equipment, transport, guides, refreshments and a light lunch. Assuming SANParks receives concession fees of 8% of the business turnover this equals and annual income for SANParks of R900,000.00 per year from the proposed Tokai Canopy Tour. TCT 5 February 2012
CONCLUSION CTSA has introduced and successfully developed treetop Canopy Tours in South Africa over the past ten years years, and have unrivaled expertise and experience in designing, constructing, managing and operating successful Canopy Tours in different environments. Canopy Tours have won several awards for our responsible tourism and community upliftment policies and the direct benefits of establishing a Canopy Tour in Tokai in terms of job creation, upliftment and skills development for members of the surrounding community are clearly evident. The Tokai forest will not be damaged in any way by the new activity, and the option to choose between two viable sites will ensure than any perceived impacts on current users of the Tokai forests will me minimised. Furthermore an old, unused and negelcted building will be refurbished and put to new use as a thriving adventure centre which will benefit the entire area. Lastly the additional concession fee income of approximately R900,000.00 for SANParks received from the proposed Tokai Canopy Tour may be effectively used for conservation purposes in both the Tokai Forest and Table Mountain National Park. This document therefore serves for the third time as an unsolicited bid for the establishment of a Canopy Tour in the Tokai Forest. Should SANPArks be in agreement and the project be advertised and put out to public tender we request that this is done for an ecotourism adventure activity and not a Canopy Tour to avoid infringement of the registered Canopy Tour trademark and associated intellectual property rights developed by CTSA. Should you require any more information please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned. The Canopy Tours website (www.canopytour.co.za) also contains a lot of information, pictures and videos should anyone wish to get a better idea of the concept. We look forward to hearing from you. Regards Mark Brown CANOPY TOURS SOUTH AFRICA mark@canopytour.co.za 0824533970 CC: Derek Chittenden, bluegreen planning and design TCT 6 February 2012