Good ideas need people who drive the ideas forward with strength and motivation. People who fight for a vision with commitment and passion.
Chris Martens
Managing Director
Chris’ childhood in the protected areas and natural places of KwaZulu-Natal shaped his passion and attitude towards conservation. He believes that conservation and the environment are everyone’s business, regardless of what they do or where they live. Knowledge and skills are powerful mechanisms that influence people’s behaviour – the only factor that can destroy or save our environment. His love of horses, who have been partners, companions and teachers to him, is an integral part of who he is.
Chris’ conservation career spans almost four decades and has included managing protected areas in the KZN Drakensberg, Cedarberg and Langeberg water catchments as well as overseeing the management of nature reserves such as De Hoop and Dyer Island and leading conservation teams in the Western Cape. He was a key figure in the establishment of Grootvadersbosch and many other nature conservancies. Chris continued to set up and manage the stewardship programme for Cape Nature and continued to provide invaluable insight to landowners in the area and throughout the Western Cape. At Stanford he is now the CEO of the Fynbos Trust, which facilitates and supports the conservation of the landscape in the Overberg district.
The Fynbos Trust’s conservation efforts are made possible through the cooperation, support and grants to a number of non-government conservation organisations, including the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust, the Grootbos Foundation, the Nuwejaars Wetland Nature Reserve, Overberg Crane Group, Flower Valley Trust and Kleinswartberg Conservancy. Chris is also Deputy Chairman of the Greater Overberg Fire Protection Association, a non-governmental organisation that works closely with government and landowners to manage fire and associated problems and risks.
The development of management plans and management guidelines, mentoring and coaching towards technical competence, provision of grants, technical advice and conservation leadership are his key contributions and influencing factors that guide and enable meaningful conservation interventions in the landscape. Impacts on fire and alien invasive plant management, wetland protection, conservation of rare and endangered plants and animals, and practical skills development and mentoring of young conservation professionals are outcomes for Chris and the Fynbos Trust from their interventions , all having had a significant impact on conservation in the Overberg district and