Meet the
Team
A Shared Commitment to Conservation.
Drie Valleyen is guided by a dedicated team of trustees, conservationists, land stewards, and specialist advisors who share a commitment to protecting and regenerating the Garden Route's unique coastal ecosystems.
Trustees & Specialist Advisors
Together the team brings a diverse range of expertise spanning pollinator conservation and beekeeping, Nguni cattle management, medicinal and indigenous plants expertise, botanical knowledge, birdlife monitoring, field guiding, biodiversity stewardship, and ecological restoration. This multidisciplinary approach ensures that regeneration efforts are informed by both scientific understanding and practical, place-based knowledge.
By combining these complementary skills and perspectives, the team supports the long-term vision of healthy ecological function, enhanced biodiversity, and building a resilient landscape for future generations.
Gray Rutherford.
Founder, Trustee & Planner
Gray Rutherford is the founder and steward of Drie Valleyen and Rondebosch Reserves. As a nature lover he has dedicated more than two decades to their ecological recovery using regenerative land stewardship. Inspired by Aldo Leopold's Land Ethic Gray has developed and implemented a practical, systems-based approach to restoring ecological function across the landscape.
Karen Keller.
Finance, Administration & Trustee
Karen Keller has overseen the Reserves’’ financial management and administration from its inception. As Gray Rutherford's partner and collaborator, she plays an integral role in the strategic management and day-to-day stewardship of the Reserves, supporting their long-term conservation and regeneration goals.
Ken Rutherford.
Trustee & Advisor
Ken has been involved with Drie Valleyen and Rondebosch since their inception in a supporting advisory role. He is responsible for the start of the growing and planting program of the Drie Valleyen aloes for winter pollinator support.
Steve Hurt.
Lead Specialist Advisor
Steve Hurt is a trustee and advisor to Drie Valleyen. A businessman with more than two decades of experience working at the intersection of ecology, conservation, and sustainable wild harvesting, he brings valuable insight into conservation strategy, communications, and partnership development. Steve also serves as an advisor to the Rondevlei Conservancy and contributes to a range of regional conservation initiatives.
Tim Carr.
Specialist Advisor
Tim Carr is the owner of Reflection Nature Reserve, a neighbouring conservation property, and serves as an advisor to Drie Valleyen. Having guided extensively throughout Africa for more than twenty years and managed his own reserve and ecotourism operations, Tim brings deep practical knowledge of ecology, conservation management, wildlife interpretation, and sustainable nature-based tourism.
Mark Dixon.
Specialist Marine, Coastal & Ecology Advisor
Mark Dixon is a holistic enviromentalist, marine biologist, environmental researcher, conservationist, and ecotourism guide based on the Garden Route. He is the founder of The Strandloper Project, an initiative focused on researching and mitigating the impacts of discarded fishing tackle on marine ecosystems. Through his work as founder of Garden Route Trail and his extensive involvement in citizen science projects, Mark contributes valuable expertise in coastal ecology, birdlife monitoring, environmental education, and biodiversity conservation.
Owen Williams.
Specialist Pollinator & Bee Advisor
Owen Williams, founder of Honeychild Conservation Beekeeping (est. 2005), is one of the region's most respected conservation beekeepers. Practicing a holistic approach known as Darwinian Beekeeping, he specializes in honeybees and indigenous pollinators and advocates for beekeeping methods that align with natural ecological processes. Owen's contribution to the raising of pollinator awareness since 2006 has been an important element in Drie Valleyen’s ecological regeneration.
Finn Rautenbach.
Specialist Botanical & Medicinal Plant Advisor
Former Garden Route Botanical Garden Curator , Finn Rautenbach is a botanist and horticulturalist. He specialises in medicinal plants, indigenous flora, and ecological restoration. His expertise lies in restoring landscapes to their natural plant communities and indigenous plant propagation. Finn plays a key role in the development of the Drie Valleyen nursery, ensuring that locally appropriate plant species are available to support ongoing regenerating efforts across the Reserves.
Ed Schroeder.
Specialist Nguni Cattle Advisor
Ed Schroeder is a long-time resident of KwaZulu-Natal. He grew up in Zululand with Nguni cattle, South Africa’s original indigenous breed, originally brought down from central Africa by Nguni pastoralists. Ed believes that, when stocked at the correct carrying capacity, these small, hardy cattle can help rehabilitate conservation land. Their grazing, browsing, trampling and dung improve soil health by stimulating plant growth, mulching vegetation, cycling nutrients and supporting beneficial soil organisms.
