The Overberg Renosterveld Trust
Annual Report 2024-25
VISION
Renosterveld landscapes are sustainably managed to integrate biodiversity, ecosystem function and livelihoods.
Message from leadership
Dirk van Papendorp, Chairperson
“God is in control – but He doesn’t expect you to lean on a shovel and pray for a hole.”
That quote really struck me when I heard it recently. It speaks to the tension we farmers live with every day: trusting in something bigger than ourselves, while also knowing that hard work and responsibility are non-negotiable.
As a farmer in the Overberg, I feel incredibly privileged to work this land. But that privilege comes with a duty – not just to produce food sustainably, but also to care for the very ecosystems that make this region so unique.
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For me, that means taking control. Not just in my business, but in how I care for the renosterveld that still survives on my farm.
Over the past year, I’ve seen that same spirit in many instances reflected across the Overberg. Many of my fellow landowners and farmers are also stepping up – not waiting for someone else to act, but choosing to take control of their farms holistically, for farming and nature. In so doing, they too are securing our shared future. We’ve seen it in the growing network of conservation easement sites and in the increase in good management of renosterveld.
And of course, I’ve seen this ethos play out time and again with the Overberg Renosterveld Trust team – who work so tirelessly to monitor, protect and restore fragments of this irreplaceable ecosystem.
We can’t do this work by standing on the sidelines. If we want to see renosterveld thrive, it means rolling up our sleeves – and sometimes that means making hard decisions. Whether it’s adjusting farming practices, or investing in conservation, the choices we make today shape the landscape our children will inherit.
I’m proud of what the Trust has achieved this year, not just in hectares protected, but in the shift in mindset I’ve seen among fellow landowners. More of us are asking: What can I do? How can I be part of the solution? That’s where real change begins.
To the ORT team, led by Dr Odette Curtis-Scott, congratulations once again on a successful year. And to our partners, donors, staff and fellow farmers: thank you. This is a collective effort, and the strides we’ve made are because of your commitment.
This is my final letter as Chair of the ORT – as after 12 years in the position, I have stepped down. It’s been an honour for me to work with this passionate team and fellow board members. Of course my focus on protecting the renosterveld on my own farm, and being an ambassador for renosterveld across the landscape will never cease.
Let’s keep taking control, with our hands in the soil, our eyes on the horizon, and our hearts firmly rooted in this land we love.
Dirk van Papendorp
Chairperson, Overberg Renosterveld Trust
Message from the CEO
Dr Odette Curtis-Scott, CEO
Message from the Conservation Manager
Grant Forbes, Conservation Manager
LIFE IN RENOSTERVELD
Renosterveld is the richest bulb habitat on Earth. When spring arrives, you can truly see all the hidden gems in renosterveld come alive. But today less than 5% remains. There are fewer than 50 fragments that are bigger than 100 ha in size. The rest are small fragments nestled in valleys between agricultural lands.
What our camera traps captured
Over the course of just a few days, our hidden cameras captured the incredible life in just one small corner of our Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve.
Making the global case for renosterveld diversity
The ORT team monitors renosterveld throughout the year. But when the Great Southern BioBlitz takes place in September, it’s our chance to compare renosterveld to habitats across the southern hemisphere. In 2024, here’s what happened:
Here’s a true testament to life in renosterveld. READ MORE
A first for renosterveld: The gorgeous cuckoo wasp
On a sweltering summer’s day in 2024, ORT Chief Executive Officer visited a small patch of renosterveld near Caledon. It looked drab and desiccated. So it was astounding to witness the incredible life that relied on this remnant surrounded by croplands – including a most unexpected treat. READ MORE
An Oxalis discovery creates a botanical stir
After an ecological burn in summer near Napier, an unusual Oxalis made an appearance in the post-burn veld in 2024. And when it was identified, it created a botanical stir – a species known from fewer than 15 localities. READ MORE
A gallery of renosterveld life
In the last financial year, Odette and Grant photographed some new, unusual and exciting renosterveld species – from a mellowing Marsh Owl to a gorgeous Arum Lily Frog. Enjoy this gallery.
The cuties of renosterveld
Mice, shrews and sengis live in our Overberg renosterveld. And in 2024, the ORT went on a mission to learn more about these critical cuties. READ MORE
Our herbarium at work
We are immensely proud of our renosterveld herbarium, which is managed with the utmost love and care by our extremely proficient curator, Petra Broddle (who brings 15 years of herbarium-related experience to Haarwegskloof, 10 of which were at Kew Gardens). The ORT aims to ultimately have a representative sample of almost every plant in the Overberg’s renosterveld (barring the extremely rare or threatened species), as a way of providing a reference point for visiting scientists and students, and to showcase the incredible plant diversity in this special part of the world.
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A spring to remember
Overberg residents won’t easily forget the flooding event of June 2024. While it brought about considerable damage in the district, the floods set the scene for a renosterveld spring to remember. Here are some of Odette and Grant’s spring sightings.
THREATS TO RENOSTERVELD & RENOSTERVELD WILDLIFE
Renosterveld and renosterveld animals face a suite of threats – from renosterveld landscapes being converted to farming lands, and the degradation of intact renosterveld, to the threats of wind turbines to renosterveld birds such as Black Harriers. In 2024 we worked to address these threats as a core part of our day-to-day activities.
Black Harriers: What happened in 2024
Following the death of a third Black Harrier at a local windfarm near Swellendam, the ORT launched a new campaign to raise funds for satellite tags. And our renosterveld-loving audience responded once again. As a result, we have managed to buy 24 tags over the last four years. Eighteen of these have been fitted to renosterveld-breeders in the Overberg. Three more were fitted in other regions. Six more will be deployed in 2025. Here’s an update on our tagged Black Harriers, as at the middle of 2025. READ MORE
Active restoration for fragile landscapes
With support from WWF South Africa, the ORT has implemented on-the-ground conservation actions to address degradation – with exciting results. READ MORE
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River restoration for the Ouka
Restoration hollows, brush packing and testing different soil cover – these are all steps the ORT took in 2024 to give degraded and eroded areas a helping hand. READ MORE
The threat of mining still lingering
In the past two years, a new threat emerged to renosterveld in the Overberg: that of mining. In 2024, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy refused the fourth application to prospect for gold, silver and tin outside of the town of Napier. The application had been lodged by shell mining company, Cienth. While this application has been turned down, there’s reason to not be complacent, as more applications are likely to follow. Here’s more on the DMRE’s refusal.
MANAGING RENOSTERVELD
It’s essential that landowners actively manage renosterveld in order to restore or maintain ecological integrity. This may involve active management, like burning or clearing invasive alien plants. Or it may simply require a more passive, supportive approach, like leaving a degraded patch to recover over time. By actively managing these remnants, farmers can reduce erosion, regulate waterflow, support pollination processes, thus supporting ecologically balanced landscapes – all things that directly benefit farming. In the last financial year, we once again supported renosterveld management on farms where landowners have made a long-term commitment to conserving their renosterveld. Here’s how.
Managing renosterveld for a better farm
The ORT supports farmers who have signed conservation easements with managing their renosterveld – helping with activities such as fire management and monitoring landscapes. READ MORE
Managing renosterveld through fire
ORT CEO Dr Odette Curtis-Scott published her study on how frequently renosterveld in the Overberg should burn. READ MORE
Supporting work across farm boundaries
In 2024, a dream came true not only for the ORT, but also for landowners farming in the Overberg – to undertake a controlled burn across farm boundaries. READ MORE
New hectares added into conservation
With another property being added to our Conservation Easement Programme in 2024, we now have a total of 8,158 hectares of all veld under ORT custodianship – of which 4,648 hectares are renosterveld landscapes held in easements. READ MORE
PEOPLE OF RENOSTERVELD
Renosterveld conservation takes place through people: from the wonderful landowners we work with, to our own ORT team; the children of the Overberg, to people who simply care. In the last financial year, the people of renosterveld once again showed their heart and drive.
Nature comes alive for visiting farm kids
In 2024, we once again continued our Veld School programme, to reach farm children from rural communities to learn about renosterveld. This time they explored the concept of living soils, and why it’s so important. READ MORE
Nature education for all ages
Through our digital platforms, the ORT seeks to broaden our environmental education reach. In the last financial year, we therefore launched a #TeacherTuesday series on our social media platforms.
Meet the volunteers
Toni Hoenders
Our Dutch volunteer, Toni Hoenders, has been volunteering with the ORT since 2023. Her focus has been on the birds of Haarwegskloof, and in 2024 she played a major role helping to map out the breeding sites of Black Harriers in the Haarwegskloof cluster.
Our herbarium team
We’re grateful to the volunteers who contributed to our herbarium project. Under the guidance of curator Petra Broddle, we were honoured to have Louine le Roux and Ilse Jones of Stonefly Environmental Education, Ina Georgala of the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW) and Marina Kleynhans join us.
Our field team
Tevin Adams
In 2024 we said goodbye to Tevin Adams, who worked for the ORT for nearly a year. Tevin not only served as our Conservation Extension Officer, but was also the face of the ORT on our Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve, welcoming researchers, guests and children joining our Veldskool Programme, to the reserve.
Amauréé Jansen van Vuuren
Early in 2025, the ORT welcomed Amauréé Jansen van Vuuren as the new Reserve Manager at our Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve. She brings with her experience – in particular working with some of South Africa’s larger, and more dangerous mammals. MORE
Eugéne Hahndiek
A familiar face in the Overberg, Eugéne Hahndiek also joined the ORT in 2025. Previously he had worked for the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area, a partner organisation to the ORT. Eugéne has taken on the role of Extension Officer, and will work closely with landowners in our easement programme: MORE
ENJOYING RENOSTERVELD
There are many ways to enjoy renosterveld – from adventures over renosterveld-covered hills, to peaceful weekends on our Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve. In the past year, we worked to make this precious landscape even more accessible to everyone. Here’s what we did.
A renosterveld first: The launch of the app
In 2024, we launched the world’s first renosterveld ap. The app is based on the printed Field Guide to Renosterveld of the Overberg. But with the smartphone app, it now becomes possible to see and identify all the species while out on your renosterveld adventure. Watch this space, as we will soon be adding significant updates to the app, making it richer and more user-friendly.
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A rare renosterveld ramble
Visitors to our Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve will know of our lovely quartz trail through the Endangered Eastern Rûens Shale Renosterveld. But in 2024, we gave this trail a facelift with new interpretive signage to showcase the special species you’ll see along the way. READ MORE
Haarwegskloof: It’s a feeling
We love getting feedback from visitors to our Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve. None more so than Heidi Lücke-Hauber, who shared her diary with us following her visit to our reserve in 2024. She brought to life not just the sights and sounds of the reserve, but also the emotions the reserve evokes. READ MORE
Where restoration meets renewal
In 2024 we launched plans to bridge the gap between personal wellbeing and environmental conservation – through our Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve. And so the idea for the Wild & Wise Retreats was born. This set the scene for our reserve to become the space where visitors could enjoy immersive experiences reconnecting them with nature, while learning new skills. READ MORE
RENOSTERVELD IN THE NEWS
Renosterveld is one of the most threatened vegetation types in the world. It stands on the brink of functional extinction – when the fragments become so small and disconnected that they can no longer support the life that depends on them. That’s why it’s so important to shine a light on renosterveld and the threats it faces. Here are some of those moments renosterveld made a national and international stir in 2024.
Landscape legacy recognition
Our Conservation Manager Grant Forbes was there to accept our Overberg Renosterveld Trust prize as the winner of the Landscape Legacy Award at the Conservation At Work Cape Fox Awards in 2024. Mike Fabricius, Chair of Conservation At Work, handed the gorgeous Cape Fox Trophy to Grant at the Graham & Rhona Beck Skills Centre outside Robertson.
FEATURED IN THE MEDIA
RSG: Die renosterveld-toepassing en grondeienaars
RSG: Die rol van die nuwe renosterveld-toepassing
Sunday Times: The fight to save renosterveld
Cape Talk: Black Harriers and wind farms
Birdwatch magazine: Veld of birds
FINANCIAL REPORT AS AT 28 FEB 2025
The accompanying summary financial statements, which comprise the summary statement of comprehensive income and statement of financial position for the year ended 28 February 2025, were derived from the audited annual financial statements of the Overberg Renosterveld Trust for the year then ended.
Management’s Responsibility for the Summary Annual Financial Statements:
Management is responsible for the preparation of the summary of the audited annual financial statements.
Auditors’ Response:
We have been requested to judge whether the summary financial statements are consistent with the audited annual financial statements.
The summary financial statements were derived from the audited annual financial statements of the Overberg Renosterveld Trust for the year ended 28 February 2025 by management and appear consistent.
HJ Nel
BVA Overberg Incorporated Registered Auditors
Statement of Financial Position
Statement of Comprehensive Income
DONORS & PARTNERS
Incredible philanthropic donors who wish to remain anonymous
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