From hyenas to Haarwegskloof: Meet our new Reserve Manager

Amauréé Jansen van Vuuren may have drifted towards the larger – and sometimes more dangerous mammals – in her career to date. But she is not afraid to embrace the intricate, detailed and complex world of renosterveld – joining the Overberg Renosterveld Trust team as the Reserve Manager for the Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve, situated between Bredasdorp and Swellendam.

The 28-year old Amauréé brings with her a deep connection with the natural world and an extensive academic background. “I have always had such a love for animals and nature. I was what some might call a ‘Nat Geo’ kid, always watching documentaries on people researching and photographing animals.”  

Born and raised in the coastal town of Mossel Bay, her childhood was filled with adventures in the wild, exploring 4×4 trails and camping in remote locations with her family. These experiences also fuelled her desire to contribute meaningfully to wildlife conservation. 

A first meeting with renosterveld 

She went on to study conservation at the Nelson Mandela University’s George Campus. It was while doing her MSc that she first came to know the Overberg Renosterveld Trust team. She says, “I did my MSc on anthropogenic influences such as farming on the diets and movement of small antelope species in the Overberg, especially around Haarwegskloof! So with my history here, and what I learnt about renosterveld and the dependence of certain species on renosterveld, I developed such a passion for its conservation.” 

Currently in the final stages of her PhD at Nelson Mandela University, Amauréé is researching the effects of spotted and brown hyenas on mammal communities, focusing on their movement and behaviour. She conducted her fieldwork in the Madikwe Game Reserve in North West Province, gathering invaluable insights into predator-prey dynamics and habitat interactions. 

“I’ll be a friendly face to receive our guests, and to ensure their stay is pleasant and comfortable.”

A friendly face on Haarwegskloof 

Aside from her academic experience, Amauréé also completed her Work Integrated Learning year on a game farm near Beaufort West. Here her tasks included help in managing the reserve, to digging trenches in the Karoo sun, and hosting guests at the lodge – sometimes all in one day. She also lectured a first-year class on Resource Management at NMU – “a very new and intimidating experience”, she adds.  

Now entering a new chapter of her career, her role at Haarwegskloof is all-encompassing. She says, “I’ll be a friendly face to receive our guests, and to ensure their stay is pleasant and comfortable.” She will also manage the day-to-day operations on the reserve, and will support the development and expansion of the Veld School programme, the ORT’s environmental education programme to school children, a job she doesn’t take lightly. “I believe that children should be inspired from a young age to admire and respect nature,” she says of the responsibility she carries to teach young people to connect with nature.  

Aside from these tasks, Amauréé will also support and assist landowners  near Haarwegskloof post-servitude registration and report back to farmers after biodiversity surveys. And she is particularly looking forward to coordinating research and renosterveld monitoring, to ensure the ORT has a scientific basis for reserve management practices. “As I have a background in research, I definitely look forward to spending my time in field doing monitoring.”  

Every contribution helps  

Renosterveld is threatened with extinction, with only around five percent remaining across the Overberg lowlands. And the loss of this habitat is symptomatic of what is happening on a global scale – with biodiversity loss at all-time highs.  

Despite this, Amauréé remains optimistic on the possibilities to still protect the natural world. “I might be idealistic, but I believe every contribution helps. As an individual you can’t single handedly save the world, but your contribution will make a difference, no matter the scale. And your contribution or passion may encourage others to also keep going, and little by little we can all come together to make a big difference.” 

Amauréé’s appointment at the Overberg Renosterveld Trust marks a promising step forward for the conservation of this unique and fragile ecosystem. With her strong commitment to conservation, extensive research experience and enthusiasm for education, her contribution could make a lasting impact on this landscape and on the people who interact with it.