“An epic conservation project that entails a 10,000km motorcycle adventure around Southern Africa”
The Rock ’n Ride 4 Rhino Project, planned for April to September 2013, epitomises the freedom, adventure and fun of the human spirit via motorcycling and the raw energy of rock ‘n roll, whilst stimulating a national culture of conservation.
The purpose is to raise R20-million to help fund the extensive equipment, manpower, resources and communication channels required to effectively combat the poaching scourge that it threatening our wildlife and our planet.
It has been conceived by Jason Hartman (2009 SA Idol and founding director of Men of the Trees SA) and Dave Estment (ex-professional superbike racer, professional wildlife photographer and videographer, and founding trustee of the Wild Imaging Trust) - both passionate dirt bikers and conservationists - in partnership with Damien Mander (former Australian Army Special Operations sniper and founding director of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation). This ground-breaking collaboration between the three organisations aims to unite people to enable them to tackle tough environmental and social problems and to empower them to feel proud of what they are doing.
“Our goal is to create a culture of conservation for the entire population by raising awareness of the fact that everything is inter-connected and that the collapse of one species can lead to the collapse of an entire ecosystem,” said Jason Hartman.
Damien Mander added, “The extent of the brutal slaughter of our rhino makes this an indicator species to highlight the plight of many lesser-known but equally threatened species. Together, our three organisations form a holistic approach towards conservation and humanitarian projects; the two of which must go hand in hand if they are to be successful.”
Leading up to the start of the tour on April 10, the Rock ’n Ride 4 Rhino (RNR4R) team will be taking part in the Clarens Bike Festival in the Free State on April 5 alongside Yamaha Southern Africa, their headline sponsor who are providing state-of-the-art motorcycles and music equipment for the tour.
Interactive school presentations by Jason, Dave and Damien will form the backbone of the RNR4R tour, reaching over 70,000 students and engaging them in the Philanthropy Challenge and blogging and song writing competitions. A percentage of the funds raised by the students will be given back to support the local outreach project selected by the school. Jason will perform songs at schools and appropriate venues to generate additional interest and enthusiasm. Events will take place en route to support and highlight existing conservation efforts and mass rides and gigs will be organised through Yamaha’s dealer network across Southern Africa. Adventure bikers and wildlife enthusiasts will be invited to join paid, off-the-beaten track weeks in Botswana and Namibia as well as at the Hoedspruit base of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation.
The entire adventure will be captured via photographs and film by the Wild Imaging Trust team, TV networks, live-stream broadcasts by online radio, newspapers and magazines, and shared widely through social media platforms.
“We aim to ignite the hearts and minds of our current and future thought leaders and unite them in effectively tackling the environmental problems that we all face”, said Dave Estment.
The various elements of the project make it an exceptional platform for raising local and international awareness for rhino and other endangered species, supporting Southern African tourism and promoting our heritage and culture, whilst also highlighting a broad spectrum of conservation and associated humanitarian projects.
The Rock ’n Ride 4 Rhino Project is sponsored by Yamaha Southern Africa, Primedia Outdoor, Legacy Lifestyle, Octagon Chartered Accountants, Vox Telecom, Action Cameras SA, Sniper Africa, Bandit Signs, Enduro World, Ballz Online Radio, Twenty Six Degrees South and The Copy Shop.
For more information about Rock ’n Ride 4 Rhino, please visit www.rnr4r.org, follow on Facebook: RocknRide4Rhino and Twitter: @rocknride4rhino, email 
