Colleagues remember ‘true conservationist’

RIVERSDALE NEWS - Dedicated conservationist Rhett Hiseman (66) is with us no more.

He underwent heart surgery in July and had since twice been back in the intensive care unit at Life Bay View Hospital in Mossel Bay. He died shortly after 20:00 on Friday 22 November.

A remembrance service will be held at 11:00 on Saturday 30 November.

He joined CapeNature as conservation services manager in 1989, where he worked in different areas until retiring in 2016. He was appointed on a short term contract as nature conservator at De Hoop Nature Reserve during 2017. He was also appointed manager of the GCBR’s Goukou River Resilience Project in 2018/19. During 2019 he retired ‘again’ to continue with his own business Hessequa Conservation Services.

He is fondly remembered by his CapeNature colleagues.

Gail Cleaver-Christie: “Rhett is a true conservation giant, who’s conservation career started long before he joined CapeNature. He has been a mentor to many of us throughout our careers, and he is always willing to share his extensive knowledge and experience with others. His contribution to community conservation work in the Hessequa area and other areas he has worked in has been significant, facilitating funding to enable learners to undergo various awareness events.”

Dr. AnneLise Vlok: “I’m heartbroken that he was taken from us so early. Rhett was a true ‘mensch’ - ‘a person of integrity and honour’; ‘a good person, someone you really like and admire’. He was also ‘a true conservationist’ - somebody who went out of his way to contribute to conservation. He had a big heart and was always willing to help when it was to the advantage of the environment.”

Dr. Mandy Lombard: “My favourite story is about the time he rescued Greta, a young rooikat (caracal) from a farm where she was being held captive. He kept her in the boathouse at Groenvlei and trained her to catch live prey. He then let her go, but put food outside the boathouse for a while in case she was not managing to hunt successfully yet. He put talcum powder around the food so that he could see if she came back or not - easier and cheaper than camera traps!

Natalie Baker: “Rhett was my first mentor in Nature Conservation. When I arrived at Goukamma Nature Reserve and Marine Protected Area, I had left my family and friends behind in Johannesburg. Rhett made me feel right at home. He was a hard task master but a masterful mentor. He had the softest heart to all creatures great and small and would try his utmost best to rescue, rehabilitate and release them back into the wild.”

Sarah Halse: “I worked with Rhett at the Breede for two years in what was a difficult time for me, Rhett however stands out as a truly positive memory of my time there. Rhett was so incredibly supportive and taught me so much about conservation, and perhaps more importantly, about people. I was very sorry to learn of his passing. I offer my condolences to Elzeth and your family.”

IN KORT

Rhett Hiseman, wat sy lewe lank vir CapeNature gewerk het, is Vrydag 22 November oorlede. Hy word met liefde deur sy familie en kollegas onthou.

Eulogy written by granddaughter Hailey O'Connell (16).