🇬🇧 From Cattle Farm to Wildlife Reserve

When I returned to Namibia in 1982 after twelve years of professional work in Germany, it became increasingly clear to me that traditional cattle farming in Namibia’s arid regions faced significant long-term challenges.

Recurring droughts, fluctuating incomes and increasing pressure on grazing land highlighted the need for new and more sustainable approaches.

In 1986, I took over the management of Düsternbrook. While cattle farming continued initially, I began exploring ways to make better use of the region’s natural advantages.

The idea was simple: wildlife has evolved under the climatic conditions of southern Africa for thousands of years. Indigenous species are naturally adapted to drought, utilise a wider range of food resources and support far greater biodiversity than a system based solely on cattle production.

In 1996, the transformation began with the first 300 hectares of game-proof fencing. The initial wildlife species introduced included giraffe, eland, springbok and ostrich.

This marked the beginning of Düsternbrook’s gradual transition from a traditional cattle farm into a wildlife farm and, ultimately, into the private wildlife and nature reserve it is today.