Article by Heather D'Alton
Photos supplied
T
he Overberg Crane Group (OCG) has partnered
with the Overberg Lowlands Conservation
Trust (OLCT). The two organisations will together protect threatened big birds that live in
the Overberg, and the habitat on which they rely. As
part of the collaboration, a new OCG website has now
been launched, while the OCG is also now active on
Facebook and Twitter.
Habitat loss is a major threat to birds such as Blue
Cranes, Black Harriers and Korhaans – with many of
these birds now listed as vulnerable or endangered.
These birds are often dependent on renosterveld eco-
systems. But these ecosystems have been transformed
and fragmented over the years, often due to agricultural production and the spread of invasive alien plants –
with less than 5% of the original extent now still intact.
Fragments are mostly less than 100 hectares in size,
which in turn threatens the ecosystem’s structure and
its ability to function properly.
The OCG and the OLCT will together work to reduce
human-wildlife conflict by supporting land users and
other stakeholders where cases of conflict occur. The
extension support includes awareness-raising opportunities on the need to protect the Overberg’s varying