The Ian Player Foundation - Water
How Ian Player made a difference for water.
Ian Player was one of the eight adventurers that set off on the first ever Dusi Canoe Marathon in 1951 and was the only finisher, becoming the first champion of the paddling and portaging ultra-marathon from Pietermaritzburg to Durban.
The 2015 edition of the Dusi was held in special tribute to Player, who maintained close ties with the race that he helped establish 64 years ago.
“We are devastated by the news that Dr Player has passed away,” says Dusi general manager, Brett Austen Smith. “He was truly great South African, a man who’s vision and perspective was quite inspiring.”
“His passion for adventure and conservation will always be cherished by the 12 374 men and women who have followed in his footsteps and completed a Dusi, and by every single one of the athletes that started the 2015 edition of the race in his memory,” Austen Smith added.
Ian Player continually applied pressure on local authorities and municipalities to pay more attention to the state of the rivers in
KwaZulu-Natal, and to the uMsundusi and uMngeni rivers that play host to the Dusi Canoe Marathon.
“We can judge peoples attitude to conservation of our natural environment by the state of our rivers,” Player said in one emotional appeal.
How the Ian Player Foundation plans to make a difference for water.
The Turtle Programme is close to our hearts, it’s survival is threatened by a variety of elements like polluted rivers, poaching and abused beaches. A donation of 15 Dollars will help bring an end to the devastation of this species and allow us to support programs that help to this end.
Donate Towards Protecting Water!
You will be donating to help us make a difference to the destruction of the ocean and the life in it.