OVERBERG RENOSTERVELD CONSERVATION TRUST NEWS
Newsletter 37 | Aug 2025
by Dr Odette Curtis-Scott
Renosterveld breakthroughs: A double dose of good news
If you’ve been following us on social media, you may have seen some good renosterveld news recently. That’s why we’re popping into your inbox today – to share a cheerful update on renosterveld conservation.
The news that our Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve has been officially declared a Nature Reserve made headlines around South Africa a few weeks ago.
Now, to add to this good news, we’ve partnered with our incredible friends at World Land Trust and the Mapula Trust to acquire another renosterveld site. This site is called Goereesoe – and what makes it extra special is that it is home to a phenomenal number of breeding Black Harriers.
We’ll also be declaring this 270-hectare area as a Nature Reserve, along with Plaatjieskraal (the 500 ha piece near Haarwegskloof that we bought last year).
Read more about Goereesoe here.
Do you know how this wonderful windfall of good news came about?
It’s thanks to YOU, our renosterveld friends –
from the landowners we work with, the donors who fund us, the partners who join our cause, and the friends who follow and support us.
Renosterveld still needs every bit of attention and focus we can give – given the massive loss we’ve seen to this vegetation type and all the wildlife that this habitat supports.
But if we can be the bearers of positive news for nature on this occasion, it gives us hope and drive to continue with this work.
Kind regards,
Odette Curtis-Scott
Nature comes alive for farm kids on Haarwegskloof
Our Environmental Education programme, called the Veld School, offers hands-on learning experiences that connect children to the land. It’s held on our Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve.
Over 1,000 specimens strong: Growing our renosterveld herbarium
Herbarium specimens are only as good as their collection, pressing and curation; and these have been of the highest quality.
A test for new tech: SA’s largest wind farm comes to the Overberg
A new wind farm approved near Swellendam is set to be the biggest in South Africa. But in the heart of the Overberg, this also means an added layer of risk for our indigenous species.
Pedals, plants & peace: A renosterveld stop on the Overberg Meander
How does a week of gravel cycling through the Overberg’s rolling hills and secret valleys sound? If you’re drawn to quiet back roads, big skies, and even bigger adventures, cyclist Brenda Silberbauer and her crew have a tip for you: make sure the Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve is on your route.
Haarwegskloof declared a Nature Reserve: A win for renosterveld conservation
In a victory for biodiversity conservation, Haarwegskloof – which includes the largest remaining connected stretch of renosterveld left on Earth – has officially been declared a Nature Reserve.
