business plan for game reserve

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Game reserve business plan (1)

2000, Limpopo Project

The Limpopo Project is a business plan for a modern-day game reserve within and adjacent to the Limpopo park region of South Africa. Creating an ownership cooperative of local indigenous residents as partners and providing land management training. a cyclical coexistence of sustainable viability from animal to earth to person.

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Learnings from and for Africa’s Game-Lodge Industry

July 19, 2017
By Rishabh Thapar

Looking Back - Game Reserves & Sustainable Tourism

Parks Entry Traffic and Fees

Accessibility is key , managing peaks and troughs, human resources, do you stand out, looking at the opportunity ahead, bird’s eye view.

Conservation & Tourism

As per the WWF’s Living Planet Report, the global populations of vertebrates have declined by 58% between 1970 and 2012 and without immediate intervention global wildlife populations could drop two-thirds by 2020. There are less than 98,000 giraffes left in the world (a 40% decline from the estimated 163,000 in 1985); the global rhino population is down to just 30,000 and the lion population is estimated to be less than 30,000 in Africa today. As per a recent study, the Cheetah population in the wild is down to just 7,100 from an estimated 14,000 in 1975 and a 100,000 a century ago. Most of these declines in populations have come about largely due to human activities and unless we invest into conservation we may well be the last generation to see some of this stunning wild life as it exists in the wild today.

Lessons from Past Experiences

About rishabh thapar, submit a question or comment, summary print pdf, filed under categories.

Welgevonden Game Reserve Wilderness in the Waterberg

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Conservation Management Vision

For welgevonden game reserve.

Private game reserves have an opportunity and a responsibility to make an important contribution to protecting the nation’s biodiversity. However, the high operational costs of setting up and running a game reserve require these reserves to secure financial returns in the immediate to short-term to allow them to work towards these conservation goals.

The most common approach to do this is by developing a high-margin, low-volume ecotourism product, where the success generally depends on the quality of safari game viewing on offer. Consequently, biodiversity objectives are often compromised to satisfy short-term game viewing demands, and these inappropriate management practices have led to major habitat deterioration in private reserves across the country. The clear conflict between economy and ecology of ecotourism has been exaggerated further by the increasingly competitive nature of the upper-end game lodge industry. This conflict threatens the viability of sustainable land-use practice for private conservation areas and is the single biggest challenge facing private conservation in South Africa today.

Welgevonden does not rely directly on tourism income for its financial security, although many of its members are stakeholders in the ecotourism industry. This means that the reserve’s strategic planning is not vulnerable to the volatile market conditions that characterize this industry. This allows Welgevonden the freedom to take a longer-term approach to maintaining the ecological integrity of the reserve going forward and to ensure that our tourism product retains its vitality and competitiveness well into the future. Delivery of these goals requires a clear management vision for the reserve.

The key determinants of African savannas are widely considered to be:

Soil moisture (closely related to geology, soil type and rainfall)

Soil nutrients (closely related to age of landscape, rainfall, soil type and geology)

Fire (resulting from lightning strikes and pastoralist activities)

Impact of herbivores

The influences of geology, soil type & climate act over extensive scales in both space and time morphing and directing the broad formation of typical savanna types. Simultaneously, the influences of fire and herbivory act over far smaller space and time scales which creates the patch-like mosaic pattern of trees and grasses that define savanna ecosystems. These and other processes such as floods and droughts that occur at the scale of months to years at irregular intervals and at irregular intensities are regarded as disturbance processes.

Recent ecological thinking has shifted from trying to understand and describe savanna ecosystems in terms of equilibrium dynamics, or a so-called balance of nature, to trying to understand and describe them in terms of disequilibrium, or disturbance. Savanna ecosystems are defined by the co-existence of trees and grasses, and in essence, the new ecological paradigm is built on the hypothesis that disturbances prevent either trees or grasses from dominating by continuously “resetting the clock”. The goal, therefore, is no longer to manage for stability but rather to ensure that the system continues to function as it always has by allowing disturbance processes to operate. However, in order to be effective, disturbance processes must occur at irregular intervals and intensities otherwise they simply become cycles to which certain species are better adapted than others.

The ensuing challenge for management is to move away from conventional management practices steeped in the equilibrium paradigm to a new and bolder approach that embraces disturbance and change. Although this challenge is inevitably compounded in private reserves by the requirement to simultaneously target short-term game viewing requirements, it is important to recognize that such reserves would not exist in the first place without the investment of stakeholders who have an interest in wildlife and game viewing. Hence, although the primary management objective for any private reserve that takes an interest in biodiversity conservation must be the maintenance of ecosystem function, more specific and finite short-term objectives targeting the more immediate expectations of investors cannot be ignored.

Of all the determinants of African savannas, management is, in reality, only able to influence the following:

Stocking rates

Distribution of game through water point management & other interventions such as salt licks

Management of key species

The management goal for Welgevonden is to use this limited inventory of management tools to achieve an ever-changing tapestry of vegetation composition and structure over the underlying template defined by geology, soil-type and climate and at the same time to deliver a satisfactory and sustainable game viewing experience.

The first three habitat types represent a background matrix of pristine mountain sour-veld comprising broadleaf deciduous trees and unpalatable, perennial grasses with a limited ability to sustain year-round populations of herbivores. However, the presence of old lands used previously for agricultural purposes embedded in a background environment of mountain sour-veld represents an opportunity for management to proactively manipulate an already transformed component of the landscape without compromising the ecological integrity of the reserve.

Hence, Welgevonden has adopted a new and innovative approach whereby proactive management interventions such as slashing, fertilization and the removal of woody encroachers such as Stoebe vulgaris and Lippia javanica are employed to enhance the productivity and palatability of the grass layer on the old land habitat so as to establish key nutrient areas capable of supporting populations of high-density herbivore species throughout the year. The resulting difference in palatability between the old lands and remaining habitats is expected to result in a concentration of herbivores on the old land habitat, ultimately leading to the establishment of self-perpetuating grazing lawns through the disproportionate deposition of nutrients on these comparatively small areas.

Not only will this mitigate the unnatural impact of year-round grazing pressure on the pristine habitat types but it will also render the game populations on the reserve considerably more visible and their distributions more predictable, thus enabling a highly satisfactory game viewing experience at ecologically sustainable stocking levels. There is, however, an associated risk that game numbers could become completely uncoupled from resource supply during the critical bottleneck period at the end of winter and management is therefore closely monitoring herbivore stocking rates and distribution patterns.

In summary,the management vision is to apply appropriate ecological management to ensure the long-term viability of Welgevonden as both a conservation and recreational tourism entity, but recognizing that the reserve would not exist if it were not for the investment of the members, enhancing the Welgevonden game viewing experience in the short-term has also been prioritised.

Welgevonden comprises four main habitat types, namely

Mixed Burkea africa woodland (found on rocky hill slopes)

Burkea africana open woodland (found in the valleys & non-rocky plateaus)

Rocky plateau open woodland

Old lands (transformed through prior farming activities)

Come to the woods for here is rest.

Conservation.

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MEGAN ANTROBUS

Biomonitoring Manager

Megan was born in 1996 and was raised and educated in Johannesburg. Her interest in wildlife and conservation developed, with many trips to various game reserves during school holidays. After matriculating, she completed her FGASA 1 training with EcoTraining. This was then followed by a BSc in Conservation and Ecology at Stellenbosch University. After her BSc, she spent a year gaining practical experience in conservation aspects and Lodge Management. This was followed by another stint with EcoTraining, where she completed a Trails Guiding course, which included Advanced Rifle Handling. These courses re-affirmed her interest in the bush and the ecological importance of land and animal management, resulting in registering for and completing an MSc in Wildlife Health, Ecology and Management at the University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort Campus in 2024. During vacation breaks, she spent time doing volunteer work at different lodges and assisting with a study abroad semester progromme with the Organisation for Tropical Studies, Skukuza. She joined the Welgevonden Biomonitoring team in July 2024.

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Workshop Manager

Connie Nel, originally from Modimolle, South Africa, embarked on a career journey marked by dedication and expertise. His professional odyssey commenced in 1991 when he joined the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as a Diesel Mechanic. In this role, he honed his mechanical skills and demonstrated a commitment to service.

In 2003, Connie transitioned to the mining sector, where he contributed significantly for almost two decades until 2022. His tenure in mining was characterized by his passion for innovation and problem-solving, ensuring the smooth operation of heavy machinery vital to the industry.

Expanding his horizons globally, Connie ventured to the United States, specifically Mississippi, where he furthered his career working on earthmoving equipment until 2023. His international stint provided him with invaluable experience.

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BAREND CHRISTOFFEL JANSE VAN RENSBURG

Biomonitoring Officer

Barend was born in 2001 in Trichardt, Mpumalanga. He attended Boerefort Primary School in Pretoria but in 2011 moved to Switzerland with his family where he completed his primary education at La Côte International School Aubonne, Switzerland. Barend completed his high school education at the International School of Geneva, Switzerland, matriculating with the International Baccalaureate Careers Programme (IBCP) qualification.

Having a deep love for nature and interest in conservation Barend decided to pursue a career in Nature Conservation. In 2020 he successfully completed a 23-week Bushwise Field Guides Course in Limpopo, South Africa, as well as a Research course with Bushwise in conjunction with Rhino revolution and Global Vision International (GVI) in the latter part of 2020.

In 2021, driven by his fervent love for nature, Barend pursued enrollment in the Diploma in Nature Conservation at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT). Barend is currently the Biomonitoring Officer at Welgevonden. Barend has a deep passion for Entomological studies and ecology.

LUHAN NDIVHUWO

WIL Student

Luhan, hailing from Pretoria with roots in Thohoyandou, Limpopo, is passionately dedicated to conservation due to his upbringing’s strong ties to nature.

His lifelong fascination with the natural world has inspired him to pursue a diploma in Nature Conservation at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) and actively engages in the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program at Welgevonden.

His fervent commitment drives him to make meaningful contributions to environmental protection.

BIANCA JOUBERT

Bianca Joubert was born and raised in Paarl , attended primary and high school in her hometown. In 2022, she embarked on her Nature Conservation Diploma journey at Nelson Mandela University in George.

Her enduring love for nature and wildlife fuels her enthusiasm for the next chapter of her life at Welgevonden.

NOSIPHO KUBHEKA

Nosipho was born in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, completed her primary and high school education in her hometown before relocating to the Eastern Cape.

In pursuit of her passion for wildlife, she was accepted in Nelson Mandela University to pursue a diploma in Game Ranch Management.

She is gaining practical experience at Welgevonden. Her lifelong affinity for nature and animals has guided her path, leading her to where she is today.

Research Ecologist

Dave was born and raised in Durban, where he went onto complete his BSc at the University of Natal, Durban and then his BSc (Hons) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. During his undergraduate years, he was privileged to assist various departmental staff with research projects in game reserves across South Africa where he developed his love for wildlife, the outdoors and game reserve living.

He went on to complete his MSc which focused on millipede, centipede and scorpion diversity in the Greater Makalali Conservancy where he remained on, for a year, as the Head of Research before moving across the road to Karongwe Private Game Reserve where he worked for Global Vision International undertaking priority species monitoring. Thereafter, he undertook his PhD on the habitat suitability of klipspringer and rock hyrax at Augrabies Falls National Park followed by a short period as a postdoctoral researcher in Kruger National Park determining the effect of elephants on large trees.

Following this, Dave again worked for Global Vision International as their Expedition Manager at Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve followed by a stint as a post-doctoral researcher at Addo Elephant National Park, where his work focused on the effect of lions and spotted hyaena on the buffalo population.

Dave then moved to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP), where he held the position of Park Ecologist for a period of 15 years before moving to Welgevonden as the Research Ecologist. While working for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife in HiP he also Chaired the KZN Wild Dog Management Group and the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Elephant Management Plan Review Committee and assisted on various national forums.

ALEX NIEMAN

Priority Species Monitor

Alex deep connection to nature, cultivated during childhood moments at Kloofendal Nature Reserve near his grandparents’ house, it has fueled his profound love for the natural world. Alex is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science Honours in Environmental Management at Unisa, his academic journey includes a Bachelor of Technology in Nature Conservation from Tshwane University of Technology and a National Diploma in Nature Management from Centurion Academy.

Holding a Level 1 Field Guide of South Africa qualification, he showcased his passion for the conservation of southern African ecosystems through collaborative research with SAMBI, WWF, Panthera, and EWT.

As the priority Species Monitor at Welgevonden, he brings hands-on experience to the table, and he is eager to contribute and learn from fellow enthusiasts in the ongoing journey of environmental stewardship.

MONGEZI NENE

Deputy Security Manager

Mongezi Nene was born and raised in the small town of Nongoma, KwaZulu Natal. After matriculating from Mlokothwa High School, he went on to study Nature Conservation at Tshwane University of Technology.

In 2017, Mongezi was appointed as a WIL student at Welgevonden in 2017, later moving into the security department in 2018 where now manages the Joint Operations Centre (JOC). The JOC serves to ensure that every occurrence, incident, or event of any kind is handled fitly.

PHILIP JONKER

Security Manager

Philip was born in 1977 in East London and attended Grens High school in the Eastern Cape province. After matriculated in 1996 he joined a cash-in-transit company as a protection officer where he completed various courses in security and protection and left the company in 2010 as a Chief Protection Officer.

Philip joined QUEMIC in February 2010 as the Security Manager for Sabi Sand Wildtuin where he managed the anti-poaching operations and relocated in 2013 to Hoedspruit as the QUEMIC Area Manager of the Limpopo and Mpumalanga projects. Philip joined Meletse Private Game Reserve situated in the Rooiberg, Limpopo Province in April 2017 as the Security Manager who managed the anti-poaching operation, access, and egress control on the Reserve. Philip joined Welgevonden Reaction team in May 2021 as the Security Manager.

Kaylon Minnaar

Born and raised in the city with a heart longing for the bush, Kaylon’s journey began at Welgevonden. After matriculating, he came as a volunteer to see if he had what it takes to live in and work in the bush.

This life changing experience was complete confirmation that he belongs in conservation, so he left his permanent job to study Nature Conservation. During his student years he volunteered as a research assistant and landed up on Somkhanda Community Game Reserve. Here he was exposed to number of conservation activities including reserve maintenance, snare sweeps, wildlife monitoring, wildlife interventions, community work.

He undertook a business course, before finding himself back in the bush working for Wildlife ACT as a Priority Species Monitor at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park and Conservation Course facilitator. Here, he gained valuable experience in a broad variety of monitoring and conservation activities including building a vulture recovery center, leopard surveys, camp maintenance, boma maintenance, boma care and feedings of wild dogs, endangered species monitoring, wildlife collarings, lion branding, relocation, introductions and bonding of wild dogs. He also contributed to vulture surveys which included fitting GPS trackers on Lappet-faced Vultures. 2024, he assumed the role of Biomonitoring Officer at Welgevonden.

KASSIE KNOETZE

Reaction Managing Director

Kassie was born in 1981 in Pretoria and attended Pretoria Technical High School in Pretoria Gardens. After finishing school in 1999 he joined the Fire Brigade as a reservist. In 2001 he joined a Cash-in-Transit company as a protection officer where he completed various courses in security and protection. In 2006 Kassie qualified in Firearms training and special tactics and became part of an elite training team in 2006.

Kassie joined QUEMIC’s training division in 2008 and moved to Welgevonden in June 2011 later becoming the QUEMIC Security Manager responsible for Welgevonden and all the associated anti-poaching and security. Kassie now manages the company Welgevonden Reaction NPC, responsible for anti-poaching, access/ egress and fence maintenance on the reserve as well as co-managing the Greater Marakele Security Cluster initiative between Welgevonden, Marakele National Park and the surrounding areas.

Kassie manages the company Welgevonden Reaction NPC since 2016 responsible for all security related matters on the reserve, as well as co-managing the Greater Marakele Security Cluster initiative between Welgevonden, Marakele National Park and the surrounding areas. Kassie is a contributing member of various National and Provincial Committees that focus on wildlife crime.

THUTO NGONGWANE

Assistant Conservation Manager & Compliance

Thuto-Boago Ngongwane was born in Kimberley in the Northern Cape province and raised in Taung Village (home) in the North West province. He grew up under the guidance and care of his grandparents, who taught and moulded him to be the person he is today. The love he has developed for nature started at home, driven the responsibilities of by farm life. This love grew further visiting his mother in various National Parks.

Thuto decided to pursue Nature Conservation chasing the passion and playing his part in conserving wildlife for present and future generations. After completing his WIL year on Welgevonden Game Reserve he stayed on assisting at the biomonitoring camp and thereafter went on to be the assistant conservation manager of the reserve.

ANDRÉ BURGER

Chief Executive Officer

Born in Johannesburg and having matriculated from Blairgowrie High School in 1986 André completed a B.Sc degree in Zoology and Botany, as well as a B.Sc. Honours in Wildlife Management at the University of Pretoria. Thereafter he spent 3 years in the Kruger National Park studying the nutritional ecology of bushbuck and nyala at Pafuri while at the same time being involved in and being exposed to all aspects of wildlife management in the Kruger. A move to the Klaserie Private Game Reserve managing a private property and camp, taking out childrens’ educational groups, guiding and hosting the owner’s guests kept him busy for approximately three years.

In June 1997 André joined Welgevonden as the Conservation Officer later becoming the Conservation Manager for the Reserve. He also stood in as Acting General Manager for 6 months in 2012 and in March 2014 was appointed Chief Operating Officer where he became responsible and/or involved directly or indirectly in the majority of aspects relating to the Reserve’s management. After a full 24 years on Welgevonden André took up the role of Chief Executive Officer.

Welgevonden Environmental Awareness Programme (WEAP) Coordinator

Moji grew up near Brits in the North West province of South Africa where he matriculated in 2001. He has always wanted to be involved with environmental education for community youth. After he matriculated, he worked at a factory and in his spare time he was heavily involved in anti-poaching activism, organising rallies and protests to take a stand against the rhino poaching crisis.

This led to the pursuit of a career in anti-poaching, with Moji taking up a position as an anti-poaching ranger in 2009 based in Naboomspruit, after which he received his qualification. His love and passion for the environment drove him to take up the position as the WEAP coordinator in 2017, where he has since thrived, living out his dream of bringing environmental education to the youth and impacting lives in the surrounding community.

JOHANNA SHONGWANE

Reception & Administration Assistant

Johanna was born and educated in Vaalwater for both primary and high school. She furthered her schooling at Tshwane University of Technology where she obtained a National Diploma in Human Resources and Management with payroll certificates.

Her internship was completed in Kruger National Park based at Skukuza camp after which she was employed at Absa Bank, where she worked from 2015 – 2021. She joined Welgevonden Game Reserve as the Reception and Administration Assistant in April 2021.

BOITUMELO MALULEKE

Communications & Marketing Coordinator

Boitumelo grew up in Pretoria and she recently completed her Nature Conservation diploma. She is thoughtful, attentive, intuitive person with a passion for nature, the protection and management of the environment and her family.

She wants to pursue an advanced diploma to further her career in nature conservation. Boitumelo is an avid adventurer and nature enthusiast who has recently discovered a passion for capturing the beauty of wildlife through photography.

Once her Work Integrated Learning year at Welgevonden was complete she was appointed as the Media & Communication Coordinator.

MARIAAN TALJAARD

Senior Accounts Assistant

Mariaan was born and educated in Natal where she matriculated from at Greytown High School in 1985.

After a stint in the army, she moved into administration working for Nissan and Parmalat for a number of years. In 2007, when her husband moved to Vaalwater, she came to Welgevonden as senior admin and accounts assistant.

MDUDUZI VILAKAZI

Operations Manager

Born in 1990 in Nelspruit Mdu completed his schooling years at Khutsalani School where he matriculated in 2009. Mdu developed an interest in conservation through his school years and became passionate about nature conservation with a dream of working in the field. This passion led to Mdu being appointed as the first student by the Southern African Wildlife College in Hoedspruit to do conservation guardianship. He graduated as the top student and was given a bursary to further his studies in Tshwane University of Technology. He chose a Diploma in Nature Conservation and completed his experiential training at Welgevonden Game Reserve.

His goal is to make a difference in the conservation industry with the ultimate goal of potentially specializing in water conservation in South Africa. Due to Mdu’s passion and dedication he was appointed Operations Officer after his practical year taking over the running of operations from the retiring Hennie Roets. Mdu is responsible for all road maintenance and water infrastructure and assists with conservation aspects of the reserve management.

Mdu is responsible for all general operations which includes road maintenance, water infrastructure, fuel provision, management of garden and refuse teams as well as assisting with conservation aspects of the reserve management.

NICOLE DAVEY

Administration & Financial Assistant

Born and raised in Modimolle, Nicole completed her Matric in 2021 at Hoerskool Hans Strijdom in Mookgopong.

With a deep-rooted passion for nature and a love for numbers, Welgevonden provides her with the perfect platform to merge these two interests.

Brittany Maclear

Brittany was born in Cape Town and moved to the Eastern Cape at a young age, where she spent half of her childhood. For the other half, she lived with her family in rural West Africa, growing up amongst wild fauna and flora. Brittany attended international schools in Mali and Senegal and then matriculated in South Africa.

Upon finishing school, she moved to England where she spent a year studying Complementary Therapies. After becoming a qualified Masseuse, Reflexologist, and Aromatherapist, Brittany decided to move back to South Africa, where her heart belongs. Growing up in remote bushlands instilled in her a love for nature and wildlife, and so she decided to put her passions into action by obtaining an Advanced Diploma in Nature Conservation at Nelson Mandela University, George.

She completed her practical year at Kariega Game Reserve, and thereafter spent a year in the hospitality industry working in Lodge Management. Following her love of being in the field, Brittany then decided to move North to experience ‘real wilderness’ at Welgevonden, where she could hone her bush knowledge and skills, as well as actively contribute to conservation through data collection and environmental education. Brittany has a special interest in large mammal ethology and research, and enjoys travelling, baking, reading and general adventuring in her spare time.

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MARGERIE AUCAMP

Margerie Aucamp was born on the 19th of March 1990 in Pretoria. Driven by her passion for wildlife, she went on to obtain a Diploma in Nature Management and later kick started her career at the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre. Hereafter, she went on to guide at Pilanesberg Game Reserve for three years where she realised her passion for scenic and wildlife photography.

Margerie joined the Welgevonden team in 2019 where she is employed as a volunteer research programme coordinator. She has a great passion for both nature and people, making this the perfect fit.

ARMSTRONG MALULEKE

Conservation Manager

Armstrong was born in 1997 in Elim in Limpopo. He attended Mbokota Primary School in Limpopo and later Maruatona Primary School and Tlhapi Moruwe Middle School in Mooinooi, Northwest matriculating at Rakgatla High School. Armstrong has had a passion for nature and its functions since he was young and decided to study Nature Conservation when he was 16 years old.

In 2016, he enrolled for a National Diploma in Nature Conservation at Tshwane University of Technology. In 2018, Armstrong was selected as one of two students to do his Work Integrated Learning (WIL) at Welgevonden Game Reserve as the final step to completing his diploma. In 2019, He was appointed as a Conservation intern at Welgevonden for two years and he also enrolled for a Baccalaureus Technologiae (BTech) in Nature Conservation at Tshwane University of Technology.

In January 2021 Armstrong was appointed as the Conservation Officer at Welgevonden. He stood in as an Acting Conservation Manager from 1 ST May 2021 to 16 August 2021 and from December 2021 to May 2022. In June 2022, Armstrong was appointed the Conservation Manager. Armstrong has a big interest in conservation management as well as the role of animals and birds within the environment.

FREDWIN CLOETE

Conservation Officer

Fredwin was born in Nuwerus and raised in Strandfontein, Western Cape. He Was intrigued by the Knysna forest and fell in love with nature. Fredwin first pursued IT as a career path and realized that IT was not meant for him. He decided after his IT career path that he wanted to gain as much experience as possible in the outside world. With his search, nature found him again.

He started his Nature Conservation studies at Nelson Mandela University George campus. Fredwin completed his Work Integrated Learning Year at Welgevonden Game Reserve. He is currently working as the Conservation Officer at Welgevonden Game Reserve. Fredwin want to leave behind a more sustainable environment that future generations can benefit from.

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www.nungubane.co.za

Nedile Lodge

+27 (0)82 854 8841

[email protected]

www.nedile.co.za

Mhondoro Safari Lodge & Villa

+27 (0)87 150 2314

[email protected]

www.mhondoro.com | www.villa.mhondoro.com

Makweti Safari Lodge

+27 (0)11 837 6776

[email protected]

www.makweti.com

Laluka Safari Lodge

+27 (0)63 499 4018

[email protected]

www.lalukasafarilodge.com

Inzalo Safari Lodge

+27 (0)82 886 8114

[email protected]

www.inzalolodge.co.za

IBhubesi Lodge

Fifty Seven Waterberg

+27 (0)12 346 5425

[email protected]

www.57waterberg.com

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Reserve Development

Mountainlands Nature Reserve is a cooperative reserve which became a reality through the vision of the founding members and the completion of a game-fence around its perimeter during 2000.

This consolidated approximately 18 000 ha of State, community-owned and privately held land into a single reserve. The model holds all the elements of a true Community, Public, Private Sector Partnership and on this large scale is a pioneering concept for conservation in South Africa.

One of the principal strengths of the reserve is the increased ecological and economic viability achieved through the consolidation of the different properties into a single entity. At the same time, one of the principal challenges was the requirement to integrate different aims, priorities and philosophies held by the respective owners into a single management and financial model.

QUICK LINKS

Integrated Management Plan
Interpretative Tours
Core Tourism Developments
Subsistence Farmers
Supporting Projects
Commercial Investment Opportunities

Thus, once agreement was reached about the land to be included and institutional arrangements were in place, an integrated development plan was compiled for the development of the reserve. The integrated development plan, reserve management plans and individual facility development plans are aligned to guide all aspects of development, reserve establishment and management functions through an adaptive management approach. All of these mechanisms are designed to fulfill the vision and objectives of the reserve through a set of Guiding Principles.

The vision is to ensure financially sustainable conservation of the Mountainlands Nature Reserve through cooperation for the benefit of Members, stakeholders and the public at large.

The objectives for the Mountainlands Nature Reserve are :

To create a single, viable nature reserve with associated wildlife;
To conserve its rich biodiversity and geological heritage and maintain (or where required restore) ecological functions and processes;
To strive towards financial independence of the reserve through income generation that is based on certain common assets;
To benefit Founding Members and stakeholders through responsible and sustainable resource utilization and development.

The following guiding principles underlie the association of Members :

Managing the reserve according to acceptable conservation and business principles, based on sustainable resource utilization and development;
Following a cooperative management approach;
Ensuring that the development of the reserve capitalizes from and contributes to the regional economic development through synergistic approaches;
Entrenching individual land owner’s rights to tourism development subject to agreed principles;
Supporting beneficiation, socio-economic upliftment and training of involved communities;
Making suitable designated portions of the reserve accessible to the public on a controlled and paid for basis.

INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PLAN

The core of the Integrated Management Plan revolves around the zonation of the reserve and identifying environmentally sustainable developments based on their scale, location and possible impacts. These development opportunities are currently being explored and interested parties are invited to make contact. Only the Mountainlands Estate development with its 18 private stands has been completed.

Above map indicates the zonation of Mountainlands and refers to the following categories of developments that were identified in 2005:

Specialist interpretive day trips and overnight tours based on geology, archaeology, history, birding, game, small mammals, plants and butterflies.
Core tourism developments inside the reserve.

The zonation and sheer size of the reserve minimizes the impact of the different facilities on each other. For example, the likelihood of game viewers from the different facilities encroaching on each other during game drives is very remote. Privacy is further ensured by classifying access roads to development sites as private roads for the exclusive use of the owners or guests of a particular site.

Integrated Management Plan – 2014 Review

Nature reserve management plans are dynamic and are typically reviewed every few years. The review of the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) was completed in 2014.

In order to effectively allocate management actions to each individual phase, the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) has been separated into five volumes as follows, in PDF format:

Volume 1: Overarching IMP Document (2.9 Mb): Including overall management objectives and action projects which are common to all three phases of the Barberton Nature Reserve. The IMP includes an Integrated Zoning and Tourism Master Plan which forms a separate volume;

Volume 2: Integrated Zoning and Tourism Master Plan (6.7 Mb): Includes zoning and tourism development opportunities

Volume 3: Phase Specific Document, Phase 1 (1.7 Mb): Including management objectives and action projects which are specific to Phase 1

Volume 4: Phase Specific Document, Phase 2 (1.6 Mb): Including management objectives and action projects which are specific to Phase 2 (3 Areas)

Volume 5: Phase Specific Document, Mountainlands Nature Reserve, Phase 3 (2.5 Mb): Including management objectives and action projects which are specific to Phase 3 (Mountainlands Nature Reserve)

Download the high resolution Maps (55 Mb) and Plans (36 Mb) which appear in the above volumes (ZIP files). Included in these packs are the following:

Map 1: Topography / Shade Relief Map 2: Satellite Image Map 3: Conservation Planning Map 4: Geology Map 5: Land Cover / Land use patterns Map 6: Soil Patterns Map 7: Terrain Description Map 8: Vegetation Map 9: Slope Analyses Map 10: Zones of Visual Influence Map 11: Viewshed Protection Zone Map 12: Environmental Sensitivity Index Map 13: Environmental Sensitivity Classes Map 14: Land Use Zoning Map 15: Land Use Zoning and Special Management Overlays Plan 1: Study Area Plan 2: Regional Attractions and Amenities Plan 3: Local Attractions Plan 4: Access Plan 5: Local Amenities Plan 6: Concept Development Plan Plan 7: Tourism Master Plan Plan 8: Expansion and Linkages

INTERPRETIVE TOURS

Specialist interpretive day trips are based on Geology, Archaeology, History, Birding, Game and small mammals, Plants and Butterflies as well as other areas of specialization. These tours are contracted only on carefully determined fixed routes to ensure that they do not impact on other facilities and owners in the reserve.

The following components form part of the products being developed for specified zones of the reserve:

Guided 4×4 traversing of low density zone based on operation by specialist operator on concession basis. Control and income could be enhanced by placing this out on concession.
Guided overnight wilderness hikes or horse safaris with strong educational/interpretive slant utilising two small fly-camps based on operation by specialist operators on concession basis.
Eureka city & Edwin Bray area. Visits to the Edwin Bray shaft (Golden Quarry) of Sheba Mine. Although Edwin Bray is partially outside of the reserve, this together with Eureka and Joe’s Luck can be one of the prime catalysts to ensure a spill over of tourists into the reserve. This node could be linked to the above interpretive tours. Overnight facilities may also be situated in this area.

CORE TOURISM DEVELOPMENTS

The following core tourism developments are envisaged inside the reserve:

Ownership based leisure development consisting of 18 small lodges or private holiday homes on Dycedale. Traversing and game viewing on whole reserve but with primary focus on Dycedale and Wonderscheur sections due to topography and isolated location of this main valley. Ownership based development could act as catalyst for development of the rest of the reserve due to the fact that the reserve is still relatively new and unknown.
Lomshiyo commercial lodge – medium to large scale (60 bed) based on operation by specialist operator on concession basis. Traversing and game viewing will primarily focus on Crystal Streams, Lancaster and portion due to location of main valleys to be utilised. Traversing to rest of the reserve will enhance the marketability but would be limited in practice mainly due to location and turnaround time of typical game drives. This lodge may be linked to the specialist interpretive tours or marketed with a strong emphasis on these attractions additional to game viewing. Viability will be enhanced by addition of the area indicated, which is currently outside the reserve.
Columbo ranch valley Bush Camp (24 bed) based on operation by specialist operator on concession basis. Traversing in central part of reserve limited due to topography. This camp may be linked to Lomshiyo commercial lodge, the other bush camp and the specialist interpretive tours.
Northern Bush Camp (24 bed) based on operation by specialist operator on concession basis. Traversing in north-western part of reserve. This camp may be linked to Lomshiyo commercial lodge, the other bush camp and the specialist interpretive tours.

The following entities were the founding members and major landowners in the reserve:

Lomshiyo Trust: a community trust with 700 beneficiary families who reside to the east, outside the reserve on several farms owned by the trust. The Lomshiyo trust was established to own a series of farms bought for them with donor funding. Two of these farms were contributed to the reserve. A medium to large commercial lodge is to be built on the Lomshiyo trust land in line with the integrated development approach for the reserve and to provide a long term income stream to the trust.

Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) is a parastatal agency which is the provincial conservation authority for Mpumalanga province. Under their conservation mandate they fund the conservation and biological management of the reserve from their internal budget. This is made possible by the high priority conservation status of the land which now forms the reserve. Large tracts of state land were transferred to the custodianship of the MTPA for the purposes of conservation and form a major part of the reserve.

Ernet Trust is a family trust of the Oosthuizen family who, through two subsidiary companies, Way Prop (Pty) Ltd and Simply See (Pty) Ltd, contributed three farms to the reserve. Simply See (Pty) Ltd is the developer of the current 18 private stands on one of these farms, in line with the integrated development approach for the reserve. The development is called the Mountainlands Estate and in its implementation the common property of the Estate has already been transferred to the Mountainlands Estate Owners Association, all infrastructure completed and several stands sold and some private game lodges constructed. The owners association thus succeeds Simply See (Pty) Ltd as member of the reserve. Individual sites sold are transferred to the relevant buyers who become members of the Association and enjoy their rights in the reserve through an endorsement that is added to all title deeds. This endorsement will protect the integrity of the reserve for future generations and offers security to purchasers of sites.

Public awareness of the reserve and its important conservation status is an ongoing task. This is done through field trips, workshops, media releases and coverage of major events and other public relations activities. Initiatives such as the five year bird survey and geological, fauna and flora research contribute greatly to the awareness.

The overall reserve management is done by the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA). Private and community land owners have in effect ceded the conservation management of their land to the MTPA. The MTPA in turn satisfy their conservation mandates through conservation of a larger area which is a very important priority conservation area according to nationally and internationally identified criteria. This also offers significant economies of scale in terms of management costs. Broadly speaking, these management functions include everything from conservation and biological management through to maintaining the game fence, firebreaks and general road upkeep – all the tasks normally associated with management of a reserve.

These management functions are performed through a compliment of dedicated staff appointed for the reserve by the MTPA. The reserve staff is also backed up by a range of other services available within the MTPA from scientific services, game capture and management, anti-poaching units and a regional management structure. Additional labours are contracted from surrounding communities and the reserve’s community partners to address specific needs.

A key task is relations with adjoining communities. Through an ongoing process of engagement the reserve aims to also enhance the benefits received by surrounding communities. This not only includes controlled harvesting of sustainable resources in the reserve and a programme of preferential employment but also training and skills transfer to enable these communities to play an increasingly meaningful role in the future of the reserve.

Each tourism development within the reserve will also have its own staff component which will be dedicated to their respective areas of development. In the case of the Mountainlands Estate, comprising the 18 private lodges in the reserve, this currently consist of an Estate Manager and six staff members. The Estate staff operates in close cooperation with the reserve staff, each within the ambit of their respective responsibilities. The four founding members of the reserve contribute to the management of the reserve through Mountainlands Executive Committee meetings to direct activities, discuss developmental and other matters of common interest.

INFRASTRUCTURE

Access to the various development nodes of the reserve and creating a comprehensive network of game viewing roads was a large undertaking in the mountainous terrain. Currently, this road network comprises around 117 km of roads varying from all-weather access roads to the Private and Commercial development sites to game viewing routes. Additionally, there are a further 86 km of 4×4 tracks and old roads on which conditions may vary according to season.

Careful planning and emphasis on creation of circular routes was important to enhance the experience in the reserve. To this will be added additional link roads where required in some areas.

The road construction was done within the framework of the approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) with additional measures undertaken to protect the very unique and unspoiled habitat. The now completed road network consists mainly of old 19th century pioneer roads which first had to be located and surveyed. The network was then designed based on these existing and well rehabilitated roads with the addition of only select access roads and links through a process of upgrading the old roads.

The reserve is directly accessible from tarred national roads on two sides. The R40 and R38 tarred roads offer easy access via the N4 from Johannesburg (three and a half hours) and Pretoria (three hours).

Water and electricity

Electricity and water to Mountainlands Estate has been completed and is distributed through an 11km underground network in order to keep the views unspoiled. Water is drawn from two perennial springs. Three phase electricity and potable water is supplied to each stand.

Services as may be required for the commercial developments elsewhere in the reserve will be installed as needed.

SUBSISTENCE FARMERS

At inception of the reserve there were twenty local families resident on the reserve. These households were subsistence farmers who did dry cropping and livestock farming, which was incompatible with the objectives of the reserve. Through an extensive process of negotiation with them and the Department of Land Affairs a series of solutions were developed to suit their individual needs. All the families were classified by the Department of Land Affairs as “labour tenants” as there were no valid land claims submitted on the reserve. One of the primary objectives was to improve the occupier’s tenure and food security by providing, wherever possible, ownership of land to them which could then be passed on to their children, and to ensure that they move to agriculturally productive areas to sustain their livelihoods.

SUPPORTING PROJECTS

Apart from the ongoing reserve management and game stocking activities, several projects have been undertaken in support of the Mountainlands Nature Reserve and its long-term conservation and development objectives. The following gives a brief overview of some of these projects:

Opening up of historical roads

Many of the roads and hand hewn, stone packed mountain passes were constructed by the explorers of old, some more that more than a 100 years ago. These are mostly well preserved, fully stabilised and naturally rehabilitated through time. They form the basis on which a new road network was built to provide access to different areas of the reserve. More than 117 km of roads have been opened and upgraded. Some old roads and passes are however still discovered from time to time and everything possible is being done to preserve and reuse them. This project is in line with the objectives to minimize impact through the utilization of existing roads and areas previously disturbed.

Research into natural, historical and scientific treasures

Many of the natural and historical wonders were documented in the last century. With the help of researchers in various fields, some of this information has been collated. However, abundance of knowledge and available data and the task of making this accessible to interpret the significance of the reserve make this a formidable project. This process will also identify additional research projects to be undertaken. Much of the information will be collected from researchers and academics who find the Reserve a continuous source of interest. Research projects: Micro-paleontology; Geology; Archaeology; Botany; Aquatic and Herpetology. Although significant research has been done in these fields, these are ongoing fields of study in need of our support. Much of this work is done through volunteer groups. Two examples are the Barberton Bird Club who is doing a long term survey of the birdlife in the reserve throughout the year, or the Lepidoptera Society who often visit during the butterfly season. The results of this research will be incorporated in future reviews of the management plan of the reserve.

Ecological studies

As part of the conservation management of the reserve a Biological Management Plan and an Environmental Management Plan compiled by experts from the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency provides direction to management activities. The studies together with those conducted by academics and hobbyists, as described above, contribute significantly to the management plans of the reserve.

Alien vegetation clearing

The reserve has enlisted the assistance of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry’s “Working for Water” programme and private teams to clear the reserve (mostly the lower lying northern areas) of alien invader species. These were mainly introduced during the previous century’s prospecting activities. As in all protected areas in Southern Africa, the combating of alien vegetation is an ongoing management task.

Removal of man-made structures

Some remnants of old homesteads and turn of the century mining structures are still found in isolated areas of the reserve. These, together with all old fences, cattle pens, groves, orchards and other structures are being eliminated systematically, when encountered.

Preservation of Eureka city

This gold rush town is on a mountaintop in the northern portion of the reserve and is a great historical attraction that is under the protection of SAHRA (South African Heritage Resources Agency). This project aims at preserving and developing the historical value of the old town and its diggings (including the Edwin Bray or Golden Quarry diggings). It is also the location of one of the identified commercial lodge developments, possibly with a historical, mining or colonial theme.

Development of a commercial lodge at Lomshiyo

The local Lomshiyo tribe has contributed a large tract of land to the reserve on the far eastern side. They are also a founding member of the Mountainlands Nature Reserve. Their land is suitable for the development of a concession based small to medium sized commercial game lodge. The reserve owners are rallying behind the trust in assisting them with planning and business skills to bring their development to fruition.

COMMERCIAL INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Read more about the commercial investment opportunities in Mountainlands Reserve …

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Resources for Entrepreneurs > How to Open a Business > Business Startup Instructions

Opening a Game Farms Business

Business Startup Instructions

This advice is ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to open a game farms business. Read these tips before you start!

Wondering how to start a game farms business? We take you step-by-step from start to success.

Game Farm Basics

Total hunting industry expenditures currently exceed $23 billion per year in the U.S. Although this sounds like a large chunk of change (and it is), the hunting industry continues to experience long-term decline, particularly in the number of younger hunters entering the sport.

One of the few industry bright spots is the increasing popularity of all-in-one hunting preserves and retreat package providers. For a fee, these businesses give hunters a convenient and comfortable hunting experience.

The game farm business concept is critical to the future of the hunting industry because game farmers supply the animals that populate the nation's preserves. In some cases, game farm entrepreneurs also engage in the process and sale of game meat or the delivery of bred game stock to individuals and commercial growers.

Core Competencies for Game Farm Entrepreneurs

Successful game farm entrepreneurs excel in the field of animal husbandry. Every lost animal is a lost opportunity, so it's essential to know how to successfully breed and raise each species you sell to your clients.

But in addition to husbandry, you will also need to become an expert in shipping. Cost-effectively transporting live animals across the country is easier said than done. Yet unless you develop consistent routines for shipping adult game birds, chicks, deer, boar and other species, your ability to build a reputation as a leading game animal provider will be severely limited.

Game Farm Risk Management

Game farms are, by nature, agricultural enterprises. Like any agricultural enterprise, disaster is constantly looming in the form of a herd epidemic or unexpected weather event. To protect your business and personal assets (as a sole proprietor), you'll need to implement a risk management strategy.

For game farm startups, lack of cash flow is a critical risk. In a worse case scenario, your business could be left without cash resources while you rebuild your flocks and herds. That makes a healthy cash reserve one of the best inoculations against catastrophic events. Rather than tempting fate, build a healthy cash reserve into your startup funding requirements and initial business plan.

How to Create a Game Farms Company Business Plan

A good business plan is the foundation of your entrepreneurial journey. Despite the diversity that exists in business plan writing, there are several essential elements that good business plans simply must include.

Business plan software eliminates the guesswork, insulating your game farms business from the possibility of critical omissions. The best business plan solutions can be tailored by industry, incorporating highly relevant metrics into your game farms company's business plan.

A quick review of Gaebler's business plan software packages article is great place to begin your search for the solution that's right for your game farms business.

Don't Ignore the Competition

Well in advance of opening a game farms business within your community, it's a smart move to see how you will fit in the competitive landscape. Use the link below to get a list of local competitors near you. Simply enter your city, state and zip code to get a list of game farms businesses in your town.

Find Competing Game Farms Businesses

How tough is the competition in the market you are considering? If the competition is too tough, you may need to think about starting the business in a different area or even start a completely different business instead.

Studying the Market

After you've evaluated your local competitors, it's essential that you have a conversation with someone who is in the business. If you think owners of nearby game farms businesses will give you advice, think again. What's in it for them?

But, a person who owns a game farms business outside of your community may be more than happy to give you a few tips, once they realize that you are not going to directly compete with them in their community. In fact, they are often very willing to share startup advice with you. If you are persistent, you can find a business mentor who is willing to help you out.

What's the process for finding a game farms business manager in a different locale who can assist you?

Simply, try our helpful link below, type in a random city/state or zipcode, and start calling.

Search for Game Farms Business Owners

Reasons to Pursue a Game Farms Business Acquisition

More than a few experts advise prospective game farms business startup entrepreneurs to pursue an acquisition strategy. But what's so great about a game farms business acquisition?

The availability of acquisition capital should be a major factor in your decision. Commercial lenders are usually more inclined to fund acquisitions than startups.

Although there are a lot of factors to consider, the decision to buy a business to get acquisition capital almost always pays off.

Consider Buying a Franchise

If you are risk averse, consider the errors that can be avoided by buying a franchise.

Before opening a game farms business, you would be wise to assess whether there are good franchise opportunities available that might make sense for you.

The link below gives you access to our franchise directory so you can see if there's a franchise opportunity for you. You might even find something that points you in a completely different direction.

Purchasing a Franchise

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Game Farming Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Agriculture Sector » Livestock Farming

Do you want to start a game breeding company and need to write a plan? If YES, here is a sample game farming business plan template & FREE feasibility report.

It can be truly challenging starting any business, but one business that you can start with little challenges and a wide market coverage is game farming business. Game farming is common all across wildlife Conservation and beef-producing countries.

Game farming is a form of husbandry similar to cattle ranching as the animals are managed on natural conditions. It is important to state that starting a game farming business comes with its own fair share of challenges, but that does not rule out the fact that it is indeed a profitable business venture.

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So, if you have decided to start your own game farming business, then you should ensure that you carry out thorough feasibility studies and market survey, secure the needed public health and hygiene certificates and permits. Below is a sample game farming business plan template that can help you write your own with little or no difficulty.

A Sample Game Farming Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

A game farm is a place where game animals are raised to stock wildlife areas for hunting. The term also includes places where such animals are raised to be sold as food or for photography. Game farming are one of the key aspects of the beef industry in the united states. A rancher who works within such a model is often called a “game farming operator” in the United States.

Game are wild animals and birds. Large native game animals living in America include antelope, buffalo, bear, deer, elk, moose, reindeer, and wild boar. Small game includes alligator, rabbit, squirrel, beaver, muskrat, opossum, raccoon, armadillo, and porcupine.

Game is usually classified according to three categories: Small Birds, such as the thrush and quail; game proper, a category that can be subdivided into Winged game, such as the goose, duck, woodcock, grouse or partridge, and pheasant; and ground game, such as the squirrel, hare, and rabbit;

Big Game, predominantly venison, including roebuck, deer, elk, moose, and caribou but also including other large animals such as bear and wild boar.

Game farming business is a subset of the beef cattle farming industry and businesses in this industry includes farms and ranches that primarily engage in raising cattle (including cattle for dairy herd replacements) or feeding cattle to fatten and prepare them for consumption.

The industry also includes cattle feedlot operations, which produce high-quality beef. The Beef Cattle Farming industry is indeed a large industry and pretty much active in countries such as United States of America, Israel, Argentine, Holland, Egypt, China, Germany, Turkey et al.

There is no single game farming company that has dominate market share in the industry hence smaller businesses can successfully make profits.

Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 746,333 registered and licensed beef cattle farming businesses responsible for employing about 794,221 people and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $69 billion annually.

The industry is projected to enjoy -4.9 percent annual growth between 2014 and 2019. It is important to state that the beef cattle farming in the US industry has no companies with major market shares. A 1997 census found that this sector of the U.S. beef market produced over $40.5 billion.

As of 2007 there were more than 765,000 cow–calf operators in the country, mostly concentrated in the Western and Southeastern U.S. states.

A recent report published by IBISWorld shows that over the five years to 2019, revenue for the Beef Cattle Production industry is expected to decline at an annualized rate of 4.9 percent to total $69.2 billion, largely due to declining red meat prices.

During the period, fluctuating feed prices have caused extreme volatility in the price of red meat. Prices have declined overall at an annualized rate of 6.2 percent, dragging on industry revenue.

A collapse in red meat prices in 2015 and 2016 greatly diminished returns per head, resulting in lower profitability despite a concurrently falling price of animal feed. The price of red meat is anticipated to rise 1.3 percent in 2019 alone, resulting in an expected 1.7 percent increase in industry revenue in 2019.

One thing is certain about game farming business, if you are able to conduct your market research and feasibility studies, you are more likely not going to struggle to sell your game because there are loads of people out there eat beef, drink milk and industries that make use of byproducts from cattle in manufacturing their products.

There are a few barriers to entry into the beef cattle production industry. Usually, all inputs are readily available. In the nearest future, players in this industry may face the highest costs associated with accessing technology, especially in relation to genetic modification engineering in livestock breeding.

So also, intellectual property rights protecting new inventions and technology may mean that new entrepreneurs coming into the industry will need to pay license fees and this of course will cause increase in the startup fee of a game farming business.

2. Executive Summary

Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC is a registered and licensed game farming company that will be based in the outskirt of Dallas, Texas – United States. We have done our detailed market research and feasibility studies and we were able to secure twenty acres of land to build our private game reserves (cattle ranch) and start our game farming business.

Our game farming business is a going to be standard one hence will be involved in commercial breeding of wild animals and birds such as antelope, buffalo, bear, deer, elk, moose, reindeer, and wild boar.

Small game such as alligator, rabbit, squirrel, beaver, muskrat, opossum, raccoon, armadillo, and porcupine et al. We will also be involved in breeding services, dairy support services, livestock health services, farrier services, and shearing services as well.

In the nearest future, hopefully within the first five years of officially running Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC, we will start our beef jerking and milk processing plant and also start exporting our game to other parts of the world.

This is why aside from the fact that we’ve secured the required farm land for our game farming business, we have also hired some key employees who are currently undergoing training so as to be able to fit into the ideal picture of the 21 st century game farming business workforce that we want to build.

We are in the business because we want to leverage on the vast opportunities available in the industry to contribute our quota in growing the U.S. economy, in national food (meat) production, raw material production, to export agriculture produce from the United States to other countries and over and above to make profit.

Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC is well positioned to become one of the leading game farming businesses in the United States of America, which is why we have been able to source for the best hands and equipment to run the business. We have put processes and strategies in place that will help us employ best practices when it comes to game farming.

Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC is a private registered game farming company that is owned by Isaac Nevada and his immediate family members. The company will be single handedly financed by Isaac Nevada and his immediate family members at least for a period of time.

Before starting Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC, Isaac Nevada has worked with some of the leading livestock farms and wildlife conservatives in the United States of America. He has worked in the industry for over 20 years before resigning to start his own game farming business.

3. Our Products and Services

Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC is a licensed game farming business that is committed to producing games for both the United States’ market and the global market. We are in this business to make profits and we will ensure that we do all that is permitted by the law in to achieve our business aim and objectives.

These are the areas we will concentrate on in our game farming business. If need arises, we will definitely add more related services to our list;

Commercial breeding and sale of wild animals and birds
Sale of processed meat of small birds, such as the thrush and quail; game proper, a category that can be subdivided into winged game, such as the goose, duck, woodcock, grouse or partridge, and pheasant; and ground game, such as the squirrel, hare, and rabbit; big game, predominantly venison, including roebuck, deer, elk, moose, and caribou but also including other large animals such as bear and wild boar
Breeding services
Dairy support services
Livestock health services
Farrier services
Shearing services
Livestock farming related consultancy and advisory services

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

Our Vision is to become one of the leading game farming brands not just in Dallas – Texas, but also in the United States of America.
Our mission is to sell our game, byproducts and processed meat in commercial quantities both locally, nationally and internationally.
We want to build a game farming business that can favorably compete with other leading game farms in the United States of America.

Our Business Structure

Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC is a game farming company that intends starting small in Dallas – Texas, but hopes to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading game farming businesses in the industry both in the United States and on a global stage.

We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the kind of world class business we want to own. This is why we are committed to only hiring the best hands in and around Dallas. At Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC, we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, dedicated, customer centric and are ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our senior management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as agreed by the management of the farm. In view of the above, we have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

Below is the business structure of Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC;

Chief Operating Officer

General Farm Manager

Administrator/Accountant

Cattle Ranch Manager/Supervisor
Field Employees

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Operating Officer:

Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results
Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
Responsible for providing direction for the business
Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
Evaluates the success of the organization
Responsible for the planning, management and coordinating all farm activities across the various sections on behalf of the organization
Providing advice on the management of farming activities across all section
Responsible for carrying out risk assessment
Using IT systems and software to keep track of people and progress of the growth of games
Responsible for overseeing the accounting, costing and sale of games (farm produce) after harvest
Represent the organization’s interest at various stakeholders’ meetings
Ensures that farming goals desired result are achieved, the most efficient resources (manpower, equipment, tools and feeds et al) are utilized and different interests involved are satisfied.
Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
Carrying out induction for new team members
Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
Oversee the smooth running of the game farming activities across the various farming sections.
Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
Responsible for administering payrolls
Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
Handles all financial transactions for the company
Serves as internal auditor for the company

Cow and Calf Operations Manager/Supervisor

Responsible for managing the commercial breeding of cattle (cows, oxen, bulls, bullocks, steers, heifers and calf et al)
Responsible for managing boarding services, breeding services, dairy support services, livestock health services, farrier services, and shearing services et al.
Work closely with the General Manager to achieve the organizations’ goals and objectives

Field Workers/Contract Staff

Responsible for feeding the games as instructed by the supervisor
Handles farm implements and machines
Assist in handling the breeding of animals
Carries out task in line with the stated job description
Assist in transport working tools and equipment from the farm and back to the designated store room
Serves as security in the games reserves and ensure that poachers are prevent from entering into the games reserve.
Handles any other duties as assigned by the farm manager

6. SWOT Analysis

Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC do not intend to launch out with trial and error hence the need to conduct a proper SWOT analysis. We know that if we get it right from the onset, we would have succeeded in creating the foundation that will help us build a standard game farming business that will favorably compete in the industry.

As a game farming business, we look forward to maximizing our strength and opportunities and also to work around our weaknesses and threats. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC;

Our strength as a game farming business is the fact that we have healthy relationships with loads of major players in the industry and wildlife merchants; both suppliers and buyers within and outside of the United States. We have some of the latest operational tools and equipment that will help us breed our wild animals in commercial quantities with less stress.

Aside from our relationship (network) and equipment, we can confidently boast that we have some the most experienced hands in the business in our payroll.

Our weakness could be that we are a new game farming business in the United States and we may not have the required cash to import high yielding games outside of the United States of America for now. We are aware of this and from our projection will overcome this weakness with time and turn it to a major advantage for the business.

Opportunities:

Red meat prices dictate the return for American cattle ranches and feedlots. Increased prices generate an increase in returns per head for farmers. Consequently, higher returns generally encourage farmers to devote more resources to game farming. The price of red meat is expected to rise in the coming year, presenting the industry with a potential opportunity.

Per capita beef consumption represents the total carcass weight of beef available for consumption per person in the United States. Industry sales are bolstered when more customers consume more beef. Per capita beef consumption is expected to fall in the coming year, posing a potential threat to the industry.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

Market Trends

Despite the fact that commercial game rearing has been in existence since time immemorial, that does not in any way make the industry to be over saturated; commercial gamer farmers are exploring new technology to continue to improve game rearing processes. The fact that there is always a ready market for wild game makes the business ever green.

One of the new trends in beef cattle farming industry is that with the recent advancement in technology game farmers can now improve the various breeds of the animals they are breeding. As a matter of fact, it is now easier for game farming businesses to comfortably import the breed of animals and birds they want to breed from any country of their choice and also advancement in technology has made it easier to cross – breed different game.

8. Our Target Market

The end consumers of wild game and also those who benefits from the business value chain are all encompassing; it is far – reaching. Almost every household consumes produce from livestock farms be it meat, milk, and the skin (leather) used for bags, belts and shoes production et al.

So also, a large chunk of manufacturing companies depends on game farming businesses for some of their raw materials. In essence a game farming business owner should be able to sell his or her farm produce to as many people as possible.

We will ensure that we position our business to attract consumers of beef not just in the United States of America alone but also other parts of the world which is why we will be exporting some of our games to other countries of the world.

Our Competitive Advantage

Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC is fully aware that there are competitions when it comes to selling games, which is why we decided to carry out thorough research so as to know how to take advantage of the available market in the United States.

We have done our homework and we have been able to highlight some factors that will give us competitive advantage in the marketplace; some of the factors are effective and reliable game farming operations processes that can help us sell our games at competitive prices, good network and excellent relationship management.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be amongst the best in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and objectives as a standard game farming business.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

Sources of Income

Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC is in the beef cattle farming industry for the purpose of maximizing profits hence we have decided to explore all the available opportunities within the industry to achieve our corporate goals and objectives.

Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC;

Sale of processed meat (beef) of small birds and wild game

10. Sales Forecast

From the survey conducted, we were able to discover that the sales generated by a commercial livestock farm/game farming business depends on the size of the ranch, and the network of the business.

We have perfected or sales and marketing strategies and we are set to hit the ground running. We are quite optimistic that we will meet or even surpass our set sales target of generating enough income/profits from the year of operation and build the business from survival to sustainability.

We have been able to examine the game farming business and we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. The sales projections are based on information gathered on the field and some workable assumptions as well with respect to the nature of game farming business that we run.

Below are the projections that we were able to come up with for the first three years of running Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC;

First Fiscal Year (FY1): $280,000
Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $450,000
Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $800,000

N.B: This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown that can impact negatively on household spending, bad weather cum natural disasters and unfavorable government policies .

Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are quite aware that the reason why some game farming businesses hardly make good profits is their inability to sell off their games to a larger market. In view of that, we decided to partner with some of the leading beef jerky businesses and abattoirs operators and wildlife conservative operators to help us maximize profits.

In summary, Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC will adopt the following strategies in marketing our game;

Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to beef jerky businesses, abattoirs operators, wildlife conservative operators and key stake holders in the agriculture industry in and around Dallas – Texas.
Advertise our game farms in agro – allied and food related magazines and websites
List our game farming business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
Attend related agriculture and food expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
Leverage on the internet to promote our business
Engage in direct marketing
Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Any business that wants to grow beyond the corner of the street or the city they are operating from must be ready and willing to utilize every available means to advertise and promote the business. We intend growing our business which is why we have perfected plans to build our brand via every available means.

Below are the platforms we want to leverage on to boost our cow and calf operations brand and to promote and advertise our business;

Place adverts on both print (newspapers and related agriculture magazines) and electronic media platforms
Sponsor relevant community based events / programs
Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our business
Install our Billboards in strategic locations all around Dallas – Texas
Engage in roadshow from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
List our commercial game farms in local directories / yellow pages
Advertise our game farm (commercial cattle ranch) in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles and trucks are well branded with our company logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Generally speaking, a game will cost between $2,000 and $5,000. The actual cost depends on the weight of the game, the gender, and the breed. Yearlings usually sell for between $800 and $1,500. For example, games will also differ in price based on whether or not they are dairy game or strictly beef game.

We are quite aware that one of the easiest means of penetrating the market and acquiring loads of customers for all our game to sell at competitive prices.

One thing is certain, the nature of game farming business we are involved in makes it possible for farmers to place prices for their game based on their discretion without following the benchmark in the industry. The truth is that it is one of the means of avoiding running into loss. The easier you sell off your game when they are mature, the better for your business.

Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC will make available to her clients;

Payment via bank transfer
Payment via credit cards/Point of Sale Machines (POS Machines)
Payment via POS machines
Payment via online bank transfer
Payment via check
Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients make payment for our games without any stress on their part.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

Below are some of the basic areas we will spend our startup capital in setting up our game farming business/cattle ranch;

The total fee for incorporating the business in United States of America – $750.
The budget for key insurance policies, permits and business license – $2,500
The amount needed to acquire/lease a farm land (wildlife/games reserves) – $150,000
The amount required for preparing the farm land (for construction of cages/fencing et al) – $100,000
The cost for acquiring the required working tools and equipment/machines/fencing et al – $50,000
The amount required for the purchase of the first set of wild animals and birds – $200,000
The cost of launching an official website – $600
The amount required for payment of workers for a period of 3 months – $100,000
Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,000

Going by the report from detailed research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need an average of seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($750,000) to start a standard game farming business in the United States of America.

Generating Funds/Startup Capital for Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC

No matter how fantastic your business idea might be, if you don’t have the required money to finance the business, the business might not become a reality. Finance is a very important factor when it comes to starting a game farm.

Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC is a family owned business and it will be financed by Isaac Nevada and his immediate family members. These are the areas where we intend sourcing for fund for Jonah Livingston and Family Farms Ltd;

Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
Generate part of the startup capital from friends and other extended family members
Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $250,000 (Personal savings $150,000 and soft loan from family members $100,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $500,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

Part of the plans we have in place to sustain Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC is to ensure that we continue to make available a wide range of games, improvise on how to do things faster and cheaper. We are not going to relent in providing conducive environment for our workers and also the required trainings that will help them deliver excellent services at all times.

From our findings, another factor that kills new businesses is financial leakages. In order to plug financial leakages, the management of Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC adopted the use of payment machines and accounting software to run the business.

We are quite aware that our customers are key components to the growth and survival of our business hence we are going to continuously engage them to give us ideas on how to serve them better and the services they want to see in our private music teachers. We will not waste time in adopting new technology, best practices and diversifying our services.

Green Acre® Game Farming, LLC will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at the top burner.

We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

Business Name Availability Check : Completed
Business Incorporation: Completed
Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts : Completed
Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID : In Progress
Application for business license and permit: Completed
Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
Leasing of farm land in Dallas – Texas: Completed
Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
Startup Capital Generation: Completed
Writing of Business Plan: Completed
Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
Printing of Packaging and Promotional Materials: Completed
Recruitment of employees: In Progress
Building/construction of cages and fence et al: In Progress
Purchase of the first set of games: Completed
Purchase of the needed working tools, machines and equipment: Completed
Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
Farm land Treatment, Health and Safety Arrangement: In Progress
Establishing business relationship with key players in the industry (agriculture farm produce merchants, beef jerky businesses, abattoir operators, wildlife conservative operators and wild animal transporter/haulage): Completed

A young game reserve

In late 2017 Hellmuth and Barbara Weisser, philanthropic German investors, who share a deep passion for wildlife and conservation, started to purchase land and together with three local community trusts as landowner create a project which later became the Babanango Game Reserve. Their vision and financial support of the project represents a balanced approach to conservation that prioritizes the involvement of local communities and the integration of socio-economic development with environmental protection. Over the last five years, the reserve has embarked on one of the largest game translocation projects in the country, selectively sourcing over 3,000 large mammal species and sensitively reintroducing them back to wilderness areas where once such species roamed freely. The reserve has successfully reintroduced a wide variety of endemic species, including endangered black rhino, and rare antelope such as oribi and klipspringer. In June 2023, the reserve reintroduced elephants thus completing the so-called ‘Big Five’ – lion, leopard, rhino, buffalo, and elephant.

Community Partnerships

Babanango Game Reserve is a unique project in rural Zululand where sustainable conservation, eco-tourism and community development intersect. The majority of the land incorporated into the reserve (74%) is owned by three community trusts (Emcakwini, Esibongweni, and KwaNgono). The commitment from these three trusts is integral to the long-term conservation success. In turn, the allocation of land-lease income, conservation levies and other benefits from Babanango Game Reserve are vital to the economic well-being of the surrounding communities – who have traditionally relied on unsustainable cattle grazing. The partnership between the game reserve and the community trusts is further reinforced by commitments from the reserve to employ and upskill local community members. In addition, there is an animal ownership agreement in place which ensures that the progeny of all animals purchased by the project will be jointly owned by the community trusts and the reserve according to the size of the properties.

Local Employment

Babanango Game Reserve is committed to supporting socio-economic upliftment within the rural communities that reside within close proximity to the reserve. Enterprise development projects linked to the wildlife economy, and which align with ecosystem restoration, have been prioritized, along with reserve infrastructure projects. In this way, Babanango Game Reserve has provided work for more than 150 people who were previously excluded from the formal job sector with both permanent and contractual employment opportunities. Babanango provides vocational training, for example in hospitality, thereby enabling individuals to establish careers with high-end ecotourism lodge experience. The Foundation, which exists in support of the reserve, is supporting employment opportunities for 26 community members who form part of a dedicated team that is systematically removing non-indigenous invasive plant species that choke the natural grasslands and water courses.

Foundation work

The African Habitat Conservancy Foundation is a registered Public Benefit Organization that has been instrumental in supporting sustainable development initiatives in the surrounding communities. The foundation works together with Babanango Game Reserve, the land-owning trusts, and other stakeholders to identify and implement projects that promote enterprise development, that support marginalized communities. Some of the projects undertaken by the foundation include vocational training, drilling boreholes for fresh water by solar-powered pumps and reading glasses for those in need, assistance in sustainable grazing practices, and supporting and promoting sports such as soccer among the youth. Through these projects, the foundation is linking the establishment of the reserve to broader socio-economic benefits, particularly those that are aligned with sustainable resource management and activities which align with conserving the natural environment for future generations.

Rewilding Success

The vision of Babanango Game Reserve is to continue developing and promoting science-based research to enable an improved understanding of the regional ecology, wildlife population dynamics, rare and endangered species, the biodiversity risks arising from the climate crisis, local human-wildlife conflict, regional pre-history and local archaeology, among others. An intensive remote camera-trap survey is currently underway which is revealing extraordinary insights with regards to the more obscure and seldom seen (nocturnal) species that occur on the reserve. Babanango Game Reserve’s commitment to ecological restoration and wildlife conservation has garnered widespread support from leading organizations, including Conservation Outcomes, Wildlife ACT, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, The WWF Black Rhino Range Expansion Project (BRREP), WESSA (the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa), Ashia Cheetah Conservation and The Aspinall Foundation. These organizations have played a crucial role in helping the reserve achieve its conservation goals through their expertise, resources, and funding.

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Babanango Game Reserve Highway R34 Vryheid, 3100

GPS Location of Nhlopeni Main Gate: 28° 10′ 30″ S 31° 5′ 20″ E

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Sunday, 25 August

Babanango Reserve: Pioneering community-led conservation in KwaZulu-Natal

Babanango Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal spans 20 000 hectares. (Angus Burns/WWF SA).

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The Game Reserves

There are a huge number of national parks and private game reserves, nature conservancies and wilderness areas throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, some of the most famous ones being the Kruger National Park in South Africa, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Okavango Delta in Botswana, the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, and the Masai Mara in Kenya, to name but a few. Which reserve you choose to visit will depend on a number of different factors, which are covered in the Where to Go section.

The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, is the oldest game reserve in Sub-Saharan Africa, established initially as two separate zones in 1895. It is approximately 950 sq. km and it was the site of the successful conservation effort to save the white rhino from extinction. The park covers much of the old Zulu kingdom and contains some interesting archaeological sites, as well as once being the hunting grounds of King Shaka Zulu. It is famed for its population of both White and Black Rhino, and has an abundance of other animal species large and small.

The Kruger National Park is South Africa’s second oldest game reserve, and possibly the best known game reserve to foreign tourists around the world, with one million people visiting the park each year! President Paul Kruger put funds aside to create the reserve in 1898, but due to the Boer War the creation of the reserve was postponed until 1902, when it was called the Sabie Game Reserve. The reserve steadily grew in size with new tracts of land being added over the years, and in 1926 it was renamed as the Kruger National Park. Today it reaches proportions of over 18,900 sq. km, roughly the size of Wales in the United Kingdom.

Over the years the African bush and its wildlife has attracted huge numbers of tourists, generating revenue for the local economies and encouraging the governments to establish conservation acts in order to protect their wilderness areas.

The tourism industry is thriving and the future for our game reserves and conservation areas looks good, provided we bear in mind the need for sustainable tourism in order to balance the effects of economic growth with the needs of the environment.

Although global warming may have a detrimental effect on the health of the bush, we can feel confident that the people entrusted to managing these wild areas are working hard to conserve what they can for the generations that follow. Poaching also continues to be a threat to the wildlife of many reserves and the game rangers work hard to stop this. You can also help to protect our wild areas for the generations that follow, and you don’t even have to get your hands dirty! Have a look at our Wildlife Blogs, which are diaries of various conservation projects throughout Africa. You can donate directly to these funds via their online blogs. Any amount is greatly appreciated!

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Here is a free business plan sample for an arcade game room.

Have you ever imagined owning a vibrant arcade game room that's the talk of the town? Wondering where to start?

Look no further, as we're about to guide you through a comprehensive business plan tailored for an arcade game room.

Creating a solid business plan is a crucial step for any aspiring entrepreneur. It serves as a roadmap, outlining your vision, objectives, and the strategies you'll employ to turn your gaming haven into a reality.

To get your plan up and running with ease and precision, feel free to utilize our arcade game room business plan template. Our specialists are also on standby to provide a free review and fine-tuning of your plan.

How to draft a great business plan for your arcade game room?

A good business plan for an arcade game room must cater to the unique aspects of the gaming and entertainment industry.

To start, it's important to provide a comprehensive overview of the gaming market. This should include current statistics and an examination of emerging trends, similar to what we've outlined in our arcade game room business plan template .

Your business plan should articulate your vision clearly. Define your target audience (such as families, teenagers, young adults, or gaming enthusiasts) and establish the distinctive appeal of your arcade game room (retro games, cutting-edge technology, virtual reality experiences, etc.).

Market analysis is the next critical component. This requires a thorough understanding of local competitors, industry trends, and the preferences of your potential customers.

For an arcade game room, it's vital to detail the selection of games and attractions you plan to offer. Describe the variety - classic arcade games, modern interactive games, redemption games, and other entertainment options - and explain how they cater to the interests of your target market.

The operational plan is equally important. It should outline the location of your arcade, the layout of the gaming and social areas, equipment suppliers, and the maintenance and updating of games.

For an arcade game room, it is crucial to emphasize the entertainment value, the maintenance of gaming equipment, and adherence to safety standards.

Then, delve into your marketing and sales strategy. How will you draw in and keep customers coming back? Consider promotional tactics, loyalty programs, and ancillary revenue streams (like food and beverage sales, party hosting, etc.).

Implementing digital strategies, such as a website or social media engagement, is also vital in the modern marketplace.

The financial plan is another fundamental section. It should cover the initial investment, revenue projections, operating expenses, and the point at which the business will become profitable.

In an arcade game room, certain games may have different profit margins, so precise planning and a solid grasp of your financials are essential. For assistance, refer to our financial forecast for an arcade game room .

Compared to other business plans, an arcade game room's plan must pay special attention to technology trends, equipment leasing or purchasing, and the potential for rapid changes in consumer entertainment preferences.

A well-crafted business plan will not only help you define your strategy and vision but also attract investors or secure loans.

Investors and lenders are looking for a robust market analysis, realistic financial projections, and a clear plan for day-to-day operations.

By presenting a thorough and substantiated business plan, you showcase your dedication and readiness for the successful launch and growth of your arcade game room.

To achieve these goals while saving time, you can fill out our arcade game room business plan template .

A free example of business plan for an arcade game room

Here, we will provide a concise and illustrative example of a business plan for a specific project.

This example aims to provide an overview of the essential components of a business plan. It is important to note that this version is only a summary. As it stands, this business plan is not sufficiently developed to support a profitability strategy or convince a bank to provide financing.

To be effective, the business plan should be significantly more detailed, including up-to-date market data, more persuasive arguments, a thorough market study, a three-year action plan, as well as detailed financial tables such as a projected income statement, projected balance sheet, cash flow budget, and break-even analysis.

All these elements have been thoroughly included by our experts in the business plan template they have designed for an arcade game room .

Here, we will follow the same structure as in our business plan template.

Market Opportunity

Market data and figures.

The arcade game room industry is a vibrant and evolving sector with a strong nostalgic appeal.

Recent estimates place the global arcade gaming market at over 5 billion dollars, with expectations for continued growth as both young and older generations seek out retro gaming experiences and new interactive entertainment options.

In the United States, there are thousands of arcade game rooms, contributing to a significant portion of the entertainment sector's revenue. This highlights the enduring popularity of arcade games and their cultural significance in American entertainment.

These figures underscore the potential for arcade game rooms to thrive as a business, tapping into the love for classic and modern gaming experiences.

The entertainment and gaming industry is witnessing several key trends that are shaping the future of arcade game rooms.

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies are becoming increasingly prevalent, offering immersive gaming experiences that draw in a tech-savvy crowd.

Esports and competitive gaming events are also on the rise, with potential for arcade game rooms to host tournaments and become hubs for local gaming communities.

Additionally, the integration of social elements, such as lounge areas and food and beverage services, is transforming arcades into social destinations, not just gaming centers.

There is also a trend towards the gamification of fitness, with active games that encourage physical movement and health-consciousness among players.

Finally, nostalgia-driven demand is leading to a resurgence of classic arcade cabinets and retro games, appealing to a wide demographic of enthusiasts.

Success Factors

Several factors contribute to the success of an arcade game room.

First and foremost, a diverse and well-maintained selection of games is crucial. This includes both classic arcade machines and modern gaming experiences that cater to a wide audience.

Innovative features, such as VR setups and interactive attractions, can set an arcade apart from competitors and attract a tech-savvy clientele.

Location is also key, as a game room situated in a high-traffic area or near other entertainment venues can benefit from increased footfall.

Exceptional customer service and an inviting atmosphere are essential for ensuring that guests have a memorable experience and become repeat visitors.

Lastly, effective business management, including cost control, marketing strategies, and adaptability to industry trends, are vital for the sustained success and growth of an arcade game room.

The Project

Project presentation.

Our arcade game room project is designed to create a vibrant entertainment hub for gamers and families seeking a fun and engaging atmosphere. Situated in a high-traffic area with easy access for both locals and tourists, this arcade will feature a diverse selection of classic and modern arcade games, from pinball machines and racing simulators to the latest in virtual reality experiences.

We will focus on providing a nostalgic yet innovative gaming environment, with an emphasis on maintaining a diverse and well-maintained game selection that caters to all age groups and gaming preferences.

Our arcade game room aims to become a go-to destination for social gatherings, birthday parties, and casual gaming, fostering a sense of community and shared enjoyment among gamers and non-gamers alike.

Value Proposition

The value proposition of our arcade game room project lies in delivering an immersive and exciting gaming experience that cannot be replicated at home. We offer a unique blend of social interaction, competitive play, and nostalgic charm.

Our commitment to providing a safe, clean, and friendly environment ensures that guests of all ages can enjoy their time with peace of mind. We also plan to host regular events and tournaments to build a loyal customer base and keep the excitement alive.

By creating a space where memories are made and high scores are celebrated, we aim to reignite the passion for arcade gaming and become a staple in the community for entertainment and fun.

Project Owner

The project owner is an avid gamer with a rich history in the gaming industry and a keen sense of what makes an arcade special.

With a background in game room management and event coordination, they are dedicated to bringing a top-tier arcade game room to life that stands out for its variety of games, welcoming atmosphere, and commitment to customer satisfaction.

Driven by a vision to create a space where gaming culture and community can thrive, the project owner is determined to offer an unforgettable gaming experience while contributing to the local economy and providing a safe, enjoyable venue for all.

Their passion for gaming and understanding of the industry are the driving forces behind this project, aiming to deliver excitement and joy to everyone who walks through the doors of the arcade game room.

The Market Study

Market segments.

The market segments for this arcade game room are divided into several categories.

First, there are avid gamers and enthusiasts who seek the latest and classic arcade experiences for entertainment and nostalgia.

Next, we have families looking for a fun and engaging environment for children and adults alike to enjoy together.

The market also includes teenagers and young adults seeking social interaction and competitive gaming in a dynamic atmosphere.

Finally, corporate groups and event planners represent a segment interested in private bookings for team-building exercises or social events.

SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis of the arcade game room project reveals several aspects.

Strengths include a diverse selection of popular and classic games, a strategic location with high foot traffic, and the potential for unique customer experiences.

Weaknesses could include the high initial investment for game machines and technology, as well as the need for continuous updates to keep the game selection fresh and engaging.

Opportunities lie in the growing interest in retro gaming and e-sports, as well as the potential to host tournaments and special events to attract a dedicated clientele.

Finally, threats could include the rise of home gaming systems and online gaming platforms, as well as the potential for economic downturns affecting discretionary spending.

Competitor Analysis

Competitor analysis in the arcade game room sector reveals a mix of competition.

Among direct competitors are other local arcade venues, gaming lounges, and entertainment centers that offer a variety of interactive experiences.

These competitors strive to create a compelling environment to attract a diverse audience.

Potential competitive advantages include a robust loyalty program, exclusive access to rare or in-demand arcade machines, and a strong community presence through events and social media engagement.

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of competitors is crucial for carving out a unique niche and ensuring customer loyalty.

Competitive Advantages

Our arcade game room's competitive advantages are rooted in our dedication to providing an immersive gaming experience.

We offer a wide array of games, from the latest high-tech simulators to beloved retro classics, ensuring there's something for every type of gamer.

Additionally, our venue is designed to foster a community atmosphere, with regular tournaments, leaderboards, and events that encourage social interaction and friendly competition.

We are committed to maintaining state-of-the-art equipment and a clean, safe, and inviting environment for all our guests.

You can also read our articles about: - how to open an arcade game room: a complete guide - the customer segments of an arcade game room - the competition study for an arcade game room

The Strategy

Development plan.

Our three-year development plan for the arcade game room is designed to create a premier entertainment destination.

In the first year, we will concentrate on building a solid local customer base by offering a diverse mix of classic and modern arcade games, as well as exceptional service.

The second year will focus on enhancing the customer experience with the introduction of virtual reality stations and hosting gaming tournaments to increase engagement.

By the third year, we aim to expand our brand by exploring franchising opportunities and integrating more interactive and immersive gaming experiences.

Throughout this period, we will remain dedicated to providing a fun, safe, and dynamic environment for gamers of all ages, while staying ahead of industry trends.

Business Model Canvas

The Business Model Canvas for our arcade game room targets a broad demographic of gaming enthusiasts, including families, teenagers, and young adults.

Our value proposition is centered around delivering a unique and nostalgic gaming experience with a modern twist, complemented by a comfortable and social atmosphere.

We generate revenue through game tokens, time-based passes, party bookings, and on-site concessions. Our key resources include a well-maintained gaming floor, a diverse game selection, and a skilled staff.

Key activities involve game maintenance, customer service, and event organization.

Access a complete and editable real Business Model Canvas in our business plan template .

Marketing Strategy

Our marketing strategy is focused on creating a buzz around the arcade experience.

We plan to engage our target audience through social media campaigns, partnerships with local schools and community organizations, and hosting themed gaming nights.

Additionally, we will offer loyalty programs and promotions to encourage repeat visits and word-of-mouth referrals.

Our presence at community events and sponsorship of local esports teams will further solidify our standing as a key player in the gaming community.

Risk Policy

The risk policy for our arcade game room is designed to mitigate risks associated with technology, customer safety, and market trends.

We will invest in high-quality gaming equipment and implement regular maintenance schedules to prevent downtime and ensure customer satisfaction.

Our venue will adhere to strict safety protocols to provide a secure environment for our patrons. We will also keep a close eye on gaming trends to adapt our offerings and stay relevant.

Financial risks will be managed through careful budgeting and revenue forecasting. We will also secure comprehensive insurance to protect against unforeseen events.

Why Our Project is Viable

We believe in the potential of an arcade game room to tap into the nostalgia of classic arcade gaming while embracing the future of interactive entertainment.

With our commitment to an ever-evolving gaming lineup, community engagement, and a top-notch customer experience, we are poised to capture the hearts of gamers in our community and beyond.

We are adaptable and ready to evolve with the industry to ensure the long-term success of our arcade game room.

We are excited to reignite the passion for arcade gaming and create a space where fun memories are made and cherished.

You can also read our articles about: - the Business Model Canvas of an arcade game room - the marketing strategy for an arcade game room

The Financial Plan

Of course, the text presented below is far from sufficient to serve as a solid and credible financial analysis for a bank or potential investor. They expect specific numbers, financial statements, and charts demonstrating the profitability of your project.

All these elements are available in our business plan template for an arcade game room and our financial plan for an arcade game room .

Initial expenses for our arcade game room include acquiring a variety of arcade machines and gaming consoles, renovating the space to create an engaging and comfortable gaming environment, obtaining necessary licenses and permits, investing in high-quality audio-visual systems, and implementing robust security measures. Additionally, costs will be allocated for brand creation and launching targeted marketing campaigns to attract gaming enthusiasts.

Our revenue assumptions are based on a thorough analysis of the local market's interest in gaming and entertainment, taking into account the popularity of arcade games among various age groups and the potential for hosting events and parties.

We anticipate a steady increase in patronage, starting with a strong grand opening and growing as the reputation of our arcade game room spreads through word of mouth and marketing efforts.

The projected income statement outlines expected revenues from game usage fees, party and event hosting, merchandise sales, and any ancillary services offered, such as food and beverage sales. It also details production costs (machine maintenance, game updates), and operating expenses (rent, marketing, salaries, etc.).

This results in a forecasted net profit that is essential for assessing the long-term viability of our arcade game room.

The projected balance sheet reflects assets specific to our business, such as gaming equipment, furniture, and fixtures, and liabilities including loans and anticipated operational expenses.

It provides a snapshot of the financial standing of our arcade game room at the end of each fiscal period.

Our projected cash flow budget meticulously tracks incoming and outgoing cash flows, enabling us to foresee our financial requirements. This is crucial for maintaining a healthy cash reserve to support business operations and growth.

The projected financing plan details the mix of personal investment, loans, and potential investor funds we plan to utilize to cover our startup costs.

The working capital requirement for our arcade game room will be diligently managed to ensure we have sufficient funds to support day-to-day operations, including machine repairs, inventory management for concessions, and staff wages.

The break-even point for our venture is the level of sales necessary to cover all costs, including initial investments, and to begin generating a profit.

This will signal when our arcade game room becomes a profitable enterprise.

Performance indicators we will monitor include the average revenue per gaming machine, the customer retention rate, and the return on investment to gauge the efficiency of the capital we have invested in the arcade game room.

These metrics will assist us in evaluating the financial performance and overall success of our entertainment business.

If you want to know more about the financial analysis of this type of activity, please read our article about the financial plan for an arcade game room .

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