Conservation News from the Overberg
CONSERVATION NEWS
A year with a difference: Our 2020/21 annual report
“Why do we do what we do in the Nuwejaars wetlands? I’m asked this question constantly. Many simply don’t understand why we would go to the trouble, and the costs, of
What on Mother Earth is an SMA?
There’s a global drive to recognise conservation structures, like SMAs, that may not fit traditional or more well-known wildlife-protection setups. Protected Areas, for example, are well
What makes THESE fynbos species special?
The Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area is home to 207 threatened fynbos species (ranging from Near Threatened to Critically Endangered). Not all are fynbos endemics though.
Favourite fynbos flowers? Our team chooses…
Get to know some of the special plants you could find in the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area… and get to know our team members. International Plant Appreciation
CREW: Why the Agulhas Plain is a plant priority
By Sharndre Coutriers of the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW). You are likely aware that South Africa is a remarkably biodiversity rich country. But not many people are
CLOSED: Win a NWSMA Wildlife Guided Tour and stayover
You can win a Wildlife Guided Tour in the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area for two people, and one night’s stay, by signing up to our quarterly news email.
The 60 million year old tale: Our Nuwejaars dragonfly pursuit
Around 60 million years ago, something pretty amazing happened in the Cape: dragonflies started making themselves at home in our fynbos and our wetlands.
2020: Bad for humans; great for our animal kingdom
2020 has been a wonderful year for the animal kingdom – especially in the Overberg. While their human counterparts have faced a pandemic, lockdown and a
Food Relief: A partnership to ensure full tummies
Over the past six months, the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area (NWSMA) has worked with wonderful partners to roll out a Food Relief Programme. Between May and October, we
A fynbos find that had CREW excited
A day spent with the team from the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW) led to an exciting find: a Critically Endangered Erica species that had never before been seen on the
Conservation Corridors: Look what we found
If we know how animals are moving across the landscape, we can protect those secret corridors they make use of. And it allows us to improve highly degraded corridor links, in order to reconnect
SMA Annual Report 2019/20 available
“2019 must surely go down as one of the most exciting years for the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area. Globally this has been a time of extreme loss: natural habitats are being removed
Freddy and his Rau Quagga family: A Q&A on this innovative project
Freddy is part of the Quagga Project – and he has subsequently become one of the top Rau Quaggas in the project. Freddy is part of the Quagga Project
30,000 nutritious meals per month
Provided to the most vulnerable of our communities in the Cape Agulhas district. That’s the goal of the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area. We’ve already secured an important donation to
Did you know: The Grey Rhebok is creeping up the endangered list
Grey Rhebok (Pelea capreolus) became famous globally for a most surprising reason. (That’s after a British runner won a dictionary at a race during the war, and randomly
Is this a new fynbos species?
An exploratory walk through the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area may have resulted in the discovery of a new fynbos species. The discovery took place on the farm of NWSMA
A journey through the Nuwejaars wetlands
A journey through the Nuwejaars wetlands On National Water Week – follow our journey through the Nuwejaars Wetlands Ecosystem – and get to know the important role these Palmiet wetlands play in
Layers of peat-like carbon-storing soils ‘hide’ in our wetlands
Peatlands cover only around 3% of the earth’s land surface. And you’ll find some peat-like soils in the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area.
Pictured on the Nuwejaars wetlands (and caught on camera trap)
Here’s what we found when we downloaded some of the images from camera traps set up on the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Management Area…
“Why it’s nice to work in nature”
Creating green jobs through WWF South Africa and Overberg District Municipality support. Gerty Holtzhausen from Bredasdorp has run her own small business for the past 14 years. Every day she
