COMMUNITY PARTNERS
MTO FORESTRY
MTO Forestry is committed to sustainable forestry for the health of the environment and the economy.
MTO Forestry owns 14 pine plantations between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. This represents a total area of
118 476 hectares and yields a harvest of some 480 000 cubic metres of timber per annum. MTO also owns three
sawmills in Tsitsikamma, Wemmershoek and George.
The trees are harvested at an age of 30-40 years and are used to produce high quality saw logs and veneer logs
for construction furniture, panelling, doors and laminates. Other products from our plantations and processing
plants include poles for agriculture, electricity and telephone lines, and biomass for electricity generation.
Investing in people
MTO Forestry supports a range of programmes that benefit local communities. For example, the Grabouw Food Garden
is sponsored by MTO in partnership with the Grabouw Municipality. The vegetables produced by this training and job
creation project are then used by the Grabouw Food Kitchen to feed unemployed people in Grabouw. MTO also supports
environmental and conservation programmes that protect the natural environment and create opportunities for people
to learn about the importance of trees and forests. For example, MTO partnered with the Wilderness Foundation to
establish the Khula Nam environmental education programme and the programme has proved so successful that the
Department of Water Affairs is planning to launch it nationally.
OUDTSHOORN MUNICIPALITY
The Cape Pioneer Trek is very proud to have the
Oudtshoorn Municipality as our community partner – they provide vital
support to the race especially with regards to the logistics, and financial assistance. The race registration, race
briefing and the start finish will take place on the municipal grounds, and the utilization of these facilities is
also provided by them. They pride themselves on their involvement with the local community and this association
fulfils also their social responsibility. Oudtshoorn municipality welcome all riders of the Cape Pioneer Trek to the
beautiful town of Oudtshoorn.
H.O.P.E Foundation
Being passionate about our people and environment we, the members and sponsors of the
H.O.P.E Foundation,
aspire to bring hope in dealing with South Africa’s social and environmental
challenges.
Our Mission
To bring hope to impoverished rural communities in our country through sustainable social upliftment
programs and to increase environmental awareness through sustainable conservation initiatives.
Our Vision
To initiate social upliftment programs and conservation initiatives through the involvement of local
communities and collaboration with public and private enterprises.
Social Programs
The H.O.P.E Foundation currently supports diverse social and cultural initiatives. Our partnership
with “Karos and Kambro”, a performing arts initiative, focus on our vulnerable youth whilst our
school programs in the Cango Valley and Katatara attends to the needs of these impoverished rural
communities.
Environmental Initiatives
Through a joint venture with Cape Nature Conservation the H.O.P.E Foundation will focus most of its
conservation initiatives on projects within Cape Nature Reserves. Having being awarded a 10 year
concession to manage the iconic “Ou Tol” buildings (located on the Swartberg Pass) we are eager to
commence our conservation programmes to ensure that this UNESCO declared Natural World Heritage Site
is enjoyed and appreciated by our current generation and preserved for future generations.
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