Guest Blog by Climate Wise: From rhinos to the arctic circle: how protecting nature connects us all

Climate Wise works with businesses, communities and conservation partners to support meaningful environmental action. In this guest blog, they share a powerful perspective on how protecting nature connects us all, from wildlife conservation in Africa to unexpected moments in the Arctic Circle.

 

Yet that is exactly where the journey of protecting nature has taken us.

At Climate Wise we work with companies, communities and conservation partners around the world to restore ecosystems and protect wildlife. Sometimes that work happens in remote conservation areas in Africa. Sometimes it happens beneath the ocean in Bermuda. And occasionally it involves swimming across the Arctic Circle while being chased by clouds of mosquitoes.

At the heart of all of it is one simple idea: when we restore nature, extraordinary things begin to happen.

Including the birth of a rhino calf.

A new arrival in Zimbabwe!

Earlier this year something remarkable happened at one of our conservation projects in Zimbabwe.

At the Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservancy, a tiny rhino calf named Rindi was born.

To understand why this matters, you need to understand the journey that led to that moment.

The Imire landscape is part wildlife sanctuary and part conservation success story. Over the past few years Climate Wise and our partners have supported a programme designed to restore indigenous woodland, protect wildlife habitats and introduce renewable energy into conservation operations.

The goal is simple: rebuild ecosystems so wildlife can thrive again.

The project combines several strands of environmental restoration.

First, there is reforestation. Areas of land that were once cleared for agriculture are gradually being restored into indigenous woodland using native tree species and community-led restoration initiatives.

Secondly, there is wildlife conservation.

Imire is internationally recognised for its rhino breeding programme. The conservancy plays an important role in protecting endangered species including rhinos, elephants and cheetahs while restoring the habitats they depend on.

Thirdly, there is renewable energy.

Solar power systems are being installed to reduce reliance on diesel generators used in conservation operations. Over time this reduces noise pollution, prevents thousands of litres of diesel from being burned and avoids hundreds of tonnes of carbon emissions.

Together these efforts create something much bigger than a conservation project.

They create the conditions for life to return and thrive.

Which is exactly what happened when a rhino calf arrived.

Seeing that calf walking beside its mother across restored grassland is one of those moments that reminds you why environmental work matters.

When habitats recover, wildlife follows.

Restoring forests, restoring balance

One of the fascinating things about ecosystem restoration is how interconnected everything is.

Plant trees and you improve soil health.

Improve soil health and water retention increases.

More water supports vegetation and wildlife.

And once those pieces start falling into place, nature begins to repair itself.

At Imire, the reforestation programme has evolved as we learned more about how the landscape responds to restoration.

During the first stage of the project, trees were planted by hand across protected plots. While this helped establish the first generation of forest, we discovered that disturbing the soil during planting sometimes created an unintended consequence. The disturbed soil attracted termites, which could attack young saplings before they had fully established.

So, we adapted.

During the second stage, we worked closely with local communities to develop a more natural reforestation process.

Seed banks were created using indigenous tree species, and those seeds were incorporated into cattle feed provided to local farmers. As cattle grazed across the land, they naturally dispersed the seeds through their movement and digestion, spreading them across large areas.

In effect, the cattle became part of the reforestation strategy.

This approach had several important benefits. It supported local farmers with free seed-enriched cattle feed while also allowing the land to regenerate naturally without disturbing the soil.

The results were remarkable.

Tree survival rates increased and the reduced soil disturbance meant fewer termite problems and healthier early-stage forest growth.

Just as importantly, it strengthened the partnership between conservation and local livelihoods. Farmers became part of the restoration process, their cattle helping distribute the seeds that will grow into the forests of the future.

And once those forests establish themselves, the wider ecosystem begins to benefit.

Trees stabilise soil, improve water retention, create wildlife habitat and absorb carbon from the atmosphere.

Which brings us back to that tiny rhino calf.

In many ways that calf represents something bigger than one new life.

It represents proof that restoration works.

From African savannahs to Bermuda’s oceans

Our conservation work does not stop on land.

Thousands of miles away in Bermuda another restoration project is helping to revive a very different ecosystem: seagrass meadows.

While they might not sound as dramatic as rhinos, seagrass habitats are some of the most important ecosystems on Earth.

They provide shelter for marine life, improve water clarity, protect coastlines from erosion and capture significant amounts of carbon beneath the ocean floor.

Unfortunately, many of Bermuda’s seagrass beds declined due to ecosystem imbalances, particularly overgrazing by green turtles.

To restore these habitats scientists developed innovative protection systems, specially designed cages placed over sections of seagrass meadow to allow plants to recover and regrow.

More than 300 restoration cages have now been deployed across multiple sites, creating protected areas where seagrass can regenerate and marine biodiversity can return.

As the meadows recover, fish populations increase, water clarity improves and marine ecosystems regain their balance.

It is a reminder that restoration does not always mean planting trees.

Sometimes it means protecting the plants beneath the ocean surface.

A swim across the arctic circle!

Occasionally environmental adventures take a slightly more unusual turn.

On July 12th my family and I decided to take part in the Arctic Circle Midnight Sun Swim.

The challenge is simple in theory: swim three kilometres across a river that forms the border between Finland and Sweden.

The twist?

Because of the time zone difference, if you swim downstream fast enough you technically arrive before you started.

Time travel by swimming.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

My wife Sarah, our son Noah (14), and I arrived at the riverbank under the midnight sun with hundreds of other swimmers.

We had spent weeks worrying about the cold.

Would the water be freezing?

Would wetsuits be essential?

In the end the weather had other ideas.

The water temperature was surprisingly warm, warm enough that wetsuits were technically optional.

Which would have been perfect.

If it were not for the mosquitoes.

Northern Sweden is famous for its beautiful forests and lakes. It is also famous for mosquitoes with an enthusiasm that borders on heroic.

Thankfully we had come prepared.

Incognito insect repellent spray, soap and their anti-mosquito bracelet quickly became essential equipment. One of the reasons we like using Incognito products is that they rely on natural plant-based ingredients rather than harsh synthetic chemicals. For people spending time outdoors in sensitive environments, whether that is northern forests or conservation areas in Africa, using repellents that are both effective and environmentally considerate makes a real difference.

Without them the Arctic Circle swim might easily have turned into an Arctic Circle swat.

The wetsuits stayed on.

Not for the cold.

But for mosquito defence.

Once the race started everything else faded away.

The midnight sun reflected across the water; the Finnish landscape stretched behind us and the Swedish riverbank slowly came closer with every stroke.

After about forty minutes — slightly faster for Noah — we climbed out of the water in Sweden.

We had travelled three kilometres, crossed an international border and travelled back in time.

Not bad for a Thursday evening swim.

Why partnerships matter!

One important part of these projects is something people often do not see.

None of this work happens in isolation.

Restoring forests, protecting wildlife habitats and developing renewable energy systems requires long-term collaboration and investment. Projects like the work at Imire in Zimbabwe or the seagrass restoration in Bermuda depend on partnerships between conservation organisations, scientists, local communities and businesses.

Corporate support plays a crucial role in making this possible.

Many companies today want to move beyond just measuring or reducing their environmental footprint. Increasingly they are choosing to support projects that actively restore ecosystems and protect biodiversity.

Through Climate Wise a growing number of organisations, including Incognito Mosquito contribute to nature-based initiatives that plant trees, restore habitats and support wildlife conservation around the world.

Without that support many of these projects simply could not exist.

And when businesses support nature projects, and people choose to support those businesses, the impact multiplies.

The next chapter!

Back in Zimbabwe that rhino calf continues to grow.

Each step it takes across the restored landscape is a reminder that conservation is not just about protecting what we have left.

It is about rebuilding what has been lost.

And perhaps the best part of this story is that everyone can be part of that journey.

Whether it is supporting restoration projects, choosing sustainable products or simply exploring the natural world with a little help from mosquito repellent, every action helps.

Because when people care about nature, nature has an extraordinary ability to recover.

And sometimes it even gives us stories worth telling.