The internationally acclaimed Beverly Joubert is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, wildlife conservationist and National Geographic Explorer-at-Large with over 40 films co-produced with husband Dereck Joubert and with 12 published books as co-author with Dereck. She is one of the passionate co-founders of Great Plains, a unique conservation tourism company built around bespoke, caring, meaningful and considerate values.
Entirely self-taught, Beverly Joubert has been recognised with her husband internationally for the raw authenticity of their work with accolades including: The World Ecology Award, a Peabody Award, 22 Emmy nominations and 8 Emmy Awards as well as the Presidential Order of Merit in Botswana. With more than 40 produced films, 12 published books and many scientific papers, Beverly and her husband Dereck are also the founders of the Big Cats Initiative, Project Ranger and their charity Great Plains Foundation.
Whilst the Jouberts have won international recognition for their films and conservation work their greatest rewards have come not in the form of trophies but rather in their conservation successes, helping local communities, saving the wildlife they are so passionate about and the wilderness which has become their home.
Beverly has also been heavily involved with Great Plains Foundation’s Solar Mamas initiative. Great Plains Foundation recently took nine ladies from selected Botswanan rural communities to India for six months to undertake solar engineering training. Upon returning to Botswana, these Solar Mamas shared their knowledge and set up solar plants and businesses in their communities as a source of power, income generation and empowerment. These Solar Mamas have also had small business enterprise training to boost their knowledge and skills to share with their communities and develop their small businesses. https://greatplainsfoundation.com/solar-mama/
March 2021…// The internationally acclaimed Beverly Joubert is an award-winning filmmaker, photographer, wildlife conservationist and National Geographic Explorer-at-Large with over 40 films co-produced with husband Dereck Joubert and with 12 published books as co-author with Dereck. She is one of the passionate co-founders of Great Plains, a unique conservation tourism company built around bespoke, caring, meaningful and considerate values.
Entirely self-taught, Beverly Joubert has been recognised with her husband internationally for the raw authenticity of their work with accolades including: The World Ecology Award, a Peabody Award, 22 Emmy nominations and 8 Emmy Awards as well as the Presidential Order of Merit in Botswana.
“Even as a young girl I was always inspired to create and photography was one of the early expressions of that creativity. But there is a huge difference between taking family snaps and achieving a National Geographic cover. So I try to look at everything through that lens of a magazine cover, the ultimate measure of success for my work – this is an ongoing process,” comments Beverly Joubert.
In November 2020, Beverly and Dereck Joubert released their latest book ‘Blood Moon: Rescuing the Rhino’, about the remarkable efforts to move rhinos from high-poaching zones in South Africa, to less ‘hot zones’ in Botswana. It is an ongoing project which the Jouberts’ charity, The Great Plains Foundation, supports and facilitates. Beverly creates and contributes her photography to the Jouberts’ books and films whilst Dereck writes the text and script, and does the filming; the two complement one another perfectly. Of Beverly, Dereck says: “A lot of what we do looks easy but it is not. The long hot days, in dust with flies, getting stuck in the swamp, or crashing planes and being attacked by wildlife is incredibly risky, and uncomfortable and would be for even the toughest men I know. But Beverly takes it all in her stride.”
Always working on the next project, Beverly is now finalising their ‘The Ultimate Book of African Animals,’ due to be released by National Geographic in Q2 2021. The Jouberts are currently working on a film for National Geographic Nat Geo Wild about the cheetah out of the Mara, which will be released in Q4 2021. The dynamic duo are also in preparations and post production on a film that follows rhino relocation after 5 years.
“Working together on all the projects is a huge positive for our work, we can add the ying and yang in everything we do,” said Beverly Joubert.
The Jouberts create, design, and operate sixteen stunning safari camps under the Great Plains brand in Botswana, Kenya and Zimbabwe. With conservation at the forefront of their business, the camps are solar-powered and are created with the utmost respect to nature, so guests can feel comfortable about their environmental footprint in their sustainable camps. After falling in love with a particular site for a new camp, Dereck and Beverly familiarise themselves with the area, often sleeping out on the ground to get that feel of energy before building a camp. Dereck is in charge of ‘the narrative’ behind every camp having its own story, the architectural design of the camps and the Jouberts work together to extend that narrative into the iconic interiors and classic décor, opting for pieces which look better and better with time and wear.
When it comes to selecting her favourite camp from the Great Plains portfolio, Beverly is unable to choose just one. “I see the camps representing the areas of Africa we love and the camps are built to convey that tented transient nature of camping with a luxury feel, so as a result this is our signature style at Great Plains,” commented Joubert. Utilising the challenging COVID period as a time to refresh their portfolio, the Jouberts are currently working on opening five new camps in 2021.
The Great Plains Foundation, which strives to preserve and protect landscapes, wildlife, and the communities which rely on them in Africa include a project close to Beverly’s heart, The Solar Mamas, a programme that looks for options to help local communities establish solar plants and businesses as a source of power, income generation and empowerment. The Great Plains Foundation took nine women from selected Botswana rural communities to India for six months to undertake solar engineering training and has since electrified 450 households and changed countless lives. Beverly is currently working on expanding The Solar Mamas further.
In between making films and doing photography, getting involved in the camps, and the Great Plains Foundation, Beverly and Dereck started a clothing range, from their designs and creations, D&B Explorer Collection. Focusing on practical, comfortable and presentable clothes that can be worn on safari or to a formal occasion, Beverly describes the signature looks of D&B Explorer Collection as “soft but rugged, linen tropic designed by two people who know what it is like to live and work in clothing that also needs to look presentable and fresh. We want our fine linens and timeless pieces to make you feel special.” The D&B Explorer Collection continues to expand with new pieces designed by Dereck and Beverly for their future guests to enjoy.
Whilst the Jouberts have won international recognition for their films and conservation work their greatest rewards have come not in the form of trophies but rather in their conservation successes, saving the wildlife they are so passionate about and the wilderness which has become their home.
A short video on Dereck and Beverly Joubert can be accessed here
Imagery included in this press release can be downloaded here
For further media enquiries, please contact:
Charlotte Rous Communications at charlotte@charlotterous.co.uk or call (+44) 07969682112.
NOTES TO EDITOR
About Great Plains
Great Plains is an authentic, unique and iconic leading tourism conservation organisation founded by and positioned around Dereck and Beverly Joubert since 2006. The company consists of sixteen prestigious owned and partner safari properties in Botswana, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Great Plains offers exceptional safari experiences built around bespoke, caring, meaningful and considerate values.
www.greatplainsconservation.com
About Great Plains Foundation
Great Plains Foundation is conserving and expanding natural habitats in Africa through innovative conservation initiatives with a long-term commitment to the environment, wildlife and local communities. The charity builds on the success of its conservation-tourism parent company Great Plains to identify and implement programs that address the nexus between people, land, and wildlife. Through these three critical elements, Great Plains Foundation’s initiatives and partnerships have a lasting impact on Africa’s iconic wildlife and wildernesses.
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