From the Bush to the Classroom: Inspiring Africa’s Next Generation of Conservationists

Teaching Nature’s Language

Dean Carlisle, founder of Lessons In Conservation (LiC), took a few moments out of his two-day workshop at The Royal Portfolio Head Office in Cape Town to talk about his dream of creating a conservation-minded critical mass among the youth in Southern and East Africa.

It’s not surprising that Dean Carlisle is passionate about protecting wildlife and nature and getting others to do the same, having spent his formative years growing up at &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal before the family moved to White River.

His father, Les Carlisle, is a conservation legend, and one can only imagine the conversations around the dinner table over the years with family and friends, some of them the most highly revered conservationists in Africa.

After school, Dean studied zoology at university before deciding he wanted to dedicate his time and energy to sharing his love for the bush with children in Africa.

He started LiC with a few university buddies in 2018 as a non-profit youth-led organisation. Since then, it has built 11 teams on the ground comprising over 140 members. The organisation now operates across 11 countries in Africa, with established university teams in South Africa, Botswana, eSwatini, Malawi, Tanzania and Rwanda, reaching more than 12,000 children.

He says, “Our first goal is to educate local children who currently have limited access to information about basic ecological principles and the importance of conservation. The second is to create a connection between people and wildlife through observing animals in their natural habitat.”

Dean points out that the ripple effect of knowledge-sharing is essential because sustainable change requires community-wide participation.

“These children take the knowledge home, sparking conversations with their families and communities. What starts as classroom education grows into real-world change. This ripple effect is creating a new generation of conservationists and creating a much deeper connection to the environment,” he says.

Creating a platform for conservation to become part of everyday community life is a key element of the dream for a more eco-conscious continent and many of LiC’s team members are local university students who bring fresh energy, perspectives, and unique insights.

Spreading the Word

The “LiC Effect” is very evident among conservation heroes who have taken the initiative to share the knowledge they have learnt. Mandisa Skosana is a great example – she is a Grade 8 pupil at Mahube Secondary School, who organised a litter clean-up day at her school after participating in the programme.

Phiwokuhle Masimula, now LiC’s Regional Manager in Eswatini, is a notable success story.

Dean says, “He was one of the students we taught at the end of 2018, and we immediately saw something special within him. He then went off to study automotive engineering, during which time he also taught lessons for LiC. We gave him a laptop and some basic training, and he has never stopped teaching. He is now fully employed by LiC in Eswatini and is a director of our non-profit registered in the country.”

In 2019, he attended a week-long interview at Royal Malewane for an apprentice guide position. Though he wasn’t selected, the week was a defining moment in his life – it was his first encounter with large mammals in the wild.

As Phiwo later wrote of the experience: “I am ready to devote my entire life working in conservation, not because I need money but because I want to see wildlife surviving in their habitats without any disturbances.”

To date he has taught over 2,500 children and continues to spread the conservation word in communities in Eswatini and beyond.

Taking Care of the Planet is a Team Effort

In addition to spreading the word among the youth, Dean and his team run workshops connecting hospitality staff to issues of the environment, community and conservation, emphasising that everyone needs to play a role.

While working as a guide, Dean noticed that lodge and hotel staff typically remain disconnected from community development work. Though they can tell guests about various community programmes when asked, they rarely participate in these initiatives themselves.

“We approached lodges and organisations offering to train their staff to teach environmental education, enabling them to lead these programmes themselves. This approach brings lodge staff closer to the community work being done.”

Recently, Dean and his team have trained many staff members from all different departments at Royal Malewane, from housekeeping and gardening through to guides, trackers and managers.

He says, “It’s always amazing to see the cross-pollination of knowledge. Everyone has different skills, and it is wonderful to witness that. Now, the plan is for staff members to deliver lessons to children from several nearby primary schools themselves. We provide the content and explain how to teach it and they will roll out the programme. It’s very exciting.”

Baby Steps Towards a Better World

As part of their nine-month road trip across Africa, Dean and the LiC team stayed in Cape Town, working with the staff from Birkenhead House, and The Silo Hotel to extend the message that conservation and preservation of the planet is everyone’s business.

“Impact is all about long-term behavioural change,” says Dean. “You can start small and make a huge difference. And hopefully individuals will take out of that that they take personal responsibility for conservation.”

And it was evident among The Royal Portfolio team in the LiC Cape Town sessions that creative ideas were plentiful – with some surprising solutions that could definitely work to address the environmental needs at each of the properties. And after three days of workshopping, there was full buy-in not only into the environmental message of taking care of Mother Earth, but of spreading the message far and wide within homes, communities and with guests.

For Dean, it’s about everyone getting on board. It’s not about outsourcing our responsibility, but in playing a part, being present and being part of the solution.

“I’ve always said conservation can’t be what we do. It has to become who we are. I’m trying to make sure that as many people as possible, who I interact with, become conservationists in some small way, whether it’s just not using plastic bags or telling kids about nature – one action has that multiplier effect and that’s what energises me.”

For Dean and his team, the work is never done – but working in collaboration with industry players dedicated to making a difference eases the load.

He says, “The partnership with The Royal Portfolio is an incredibly exciting one, and we look forward to running lessons later this year with teams from Birkenhead House and The Silo Hotel, along with the ongoing work at Royal Malewane.”