ABOUT US

HilLand Environmental began in the beginning of 1992, with humble beginnings, assisting private landowners with environmental amelioration and rehabilitation. Being a plant ecologist Cathy soon began with specialist botanical surveys and re-vegetation of degraded lands using indigenous plants. It did not take long before Cathy was asked to assist, and then lead, environmental impact assessments. HilLand Environmental soon thereafter became a well established consultancy in the Garden Route of South Africa,and the leaders in environmental impact assessments.

Gavin joined Cathy in 1998 after 6 years as a Nature Conservation Scientist, with the Provincial Department of the then Cape Nature Conservation. With his background in Coastal Planning and Management he took time off his busy consulting schedule to lecture for 5 years part time courses in Ecology and Marine and Coastal Management with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Saasveld Campus.

After a few years HilLand Environmental consisted of 6 consultants plus support staff and Gavin spent many months of each year consulting in Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Uganda and the Seychelles.

The consultancy has recently undergone a “refurbishment and upgrade” with improvements to it’s work place and physical environment, diversification of services and acquisition of new and young environmental skills. We are the proud owners of 4.5 hectares of highly degraded land, where rehabilitation and re-vegetation with indigenous forest is taking place.

Recycling systems for the handling of waste are being put in place, extensive water recycling and collection systems are also being established, and research into self-sustainability are being tested. We have also expanded our computer aided mapping capabilities, GIS, 3D modelling and visual assessment abilities.

Our aim for the future is to promote and improve the sustainability and conservation worthiness of all environments. We believe in the concept of “New Nature”, where we have the capability and responsibility to plan and improve our environment for future generations. We can now proactively decide what and how future environments should be and look like. As pragmatists we understand, and are critically aware of, the economies associated with land ownership, and our experience makes us aware of the relationship between land ownership, additional land rights and successful environmental development.