Maropeng wins silver at landscaping awards

Jul 12, 2011 | Mildred Thabane

Maropeng recently took home a silver certificate in the Landscape and Turf Maintenance and Water Wise categories at the South African Landscapers Institute (Sali) Awards for the maintenance of its grasslands and wetlands.

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The grasslands surrounding the Tumulus building are kept as close to their natural state as possible. Photo courtesy Flowcomm

In the Landscape and Turf Maintenance category, judges agreed that plantation at Maropeng was very well established and there had been an effort to accommodate nature and wildlife in the project. In the Water Wise category, judges agreed that Maropeng’s black and grey water recycling initiative was excellent and there was good synergy with nature and natural transition.

Sali aims to improve the image and standing of the landscaping industry by encouraging landscape contractors to unite and produce excellent work and project a professional image. This year, a total of 112 projects were judged at the national judging round, compared with 110 last year, and national judging took place over 35 days.

Maropeng has long been committed to reducing its carbon footprint and has a number of internal policies, also known as “green” strategies, in place to make sure its business practices are as eco-friendly as possible. These include the use of a number of extensive waste management systems such as recycling waste and water, and simple tasks like switching off all lights at the end of every working day.

Managing Director of Maropeng Tony Rubin says it is proud to have been recognised for this award. “This really means a great deal to us because it shows that all the effort we’ve put into the environment has had a positive effect. We’ll be making a few small changes from now on to make sure we go from a silver to a gold certificate – the first being to use all run-off water from the recycling plant for irrigation. Secondly, we will remove all alien vegetation from our wetlands and grasslands.”

Maropeng also plays a big part in actively educating and inspiring its visitors by highlighting its eco-friendly work and then encouraging visitors to follow its example in considering their ecological footprint and thinking of ways to conserve the environment.