Meet the Team

Hans is an agricultural entrepreneur dedicated to transforming South Africa’s production landscapes through regenerative land management and climate-resilient value chains. As the founder and Managing Director of Unlimited Group, he has built one of the country’s leading fruit, vegetable and nut enterprises, combining commercial scale with a deep commitment to environmental stewardship and rural development.

With a master’s in political science from the University of Leuven and extensive experience in international trade, Hans brings a systems-level perspective to the intersection of business, ecology, and policy. His leadership in the South African fruit industry has spanned research and development, export innovation, and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices that link smallholder inclusion with global market access.

At Return to Thicket, Hans drives the integration of biodiversity restoration and carbon finance into agricultural supply chains. His vision connects commercial farming with ecosystem recovery—creating models where productive landscapes sequester carbon, enhance soil and water health, and generate enduring social value across the Eastern and Western Cape.

Nick leads the implementation, monitoring, and community engagement components of the Return to Thicket restoration programme, translating complex project strategies into coordinated on-the-ground action. His work integrates ecological restoration, stakeholder collaboration, and carbon certification to ensure that landscape recovery efforts meet both scientific and social performance standards.

Nick holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geoscience from Purdue University and a Master of Public Administration from Cornell University, where he specialised in environmental governance and climate policy. His leadership at Return to Thicket focuses on aligning field operations with Verra’s VCS VM0047 methodology, ensuring rigorous data collection, transparent monitoring, and full compliance with climate, community, and biodiversity safeguards.

 Before joining Return to Thicket, Nick worked in corporate sustainability at EY consulting for multinational firms, contributed to adaptation policy initiatives under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and co-authored peer-reviewed research on land cover change and ecosystem resilience in the Peruvian Andes. He brings a systems-based perspective that connects field practice, scientific integrity, and long-term climate investment, forming the foundation of Return to Thicket’s mission to restore degraded thicket landscapes at scale.

Zozibini is a community engagement and sustainability specialist committed to advancing inclusive, landscape-scale restoration across South Africa’s agricultural heartlands. As Engagement Officer at Return to Thicket, she leads community outreach, stakeholder relations, and the development of local partnerships that anchor the project’s restoration work within its social and ecological context. Her approach ensures that community participation and benefit-sharing are embedded at every stage of implementation.

With over five years of experience in the agricultural sector, Zozibini combines technical production knowledge with hands-on experience managing field operations and labour teams. She holds an Agricultural Management degree from Nelson Mandela University and a Master’s degree in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of the Free State, where her research explored pathways for aligning agricultural productivity with environmental sustainability.

In addition to her role at Return to Thicket, Zozibini serves as Sustainability Officer at the Unlimited Group, where she oversees group-wide sustainability programmes, supports compliance and reporting processes, and contributes to the development of the company’s annual Sustainability Report. Her dual focus on agricultural systems and community engagement brings a vital social dimension to Return to Thicket’s mission of restoring ecosystems while strengthening rural livelihoods.

Zukhanye supports restoration monitoring through vegetation transects and detailed ecological field assessments. She collects data on plant quality, density, herbivory, and overall vegetation health, contributing to the tracking of ecosystem recovery and the effectiveness of restoration interventions. Her role provides valuable field-based insights that help guide ongoing management and strengthen the project’s long-term restoration impact.

She holds a diploma in Nature Conservation from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and an advanced diploma from Nelson Mandela University. Her studies have deepened her understanding of the connections between ecological systems, community livelihoods, and responsible land management. She is currently completing a postgraduate diploma in Environmental Management at Stellenbosch University, where she is expanding her knowledge and practical skills in environmental planning, policy, and decision-making.

Zukhanye has gained hands-on experience in conservation and environmental education through fieldwork, data collection, environmental monitoring, and public education. These experiences have strengthened her appreciation for research, community engagement, and practical conservation solutions.