A useful field guide printed in 2020 has been converted into an app for the Renosterveld, which will aid in the team’s conservation efforts.
South Africa (23 July 2024) – A new mobile phone app now brings the secretive world of Renosterveld and the wildlife that relies on this habitat to life in the palm of your hand for the first time.
The Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust is a non-profit and public benefit organisation based in the Overberg district of South Africa. The ORCT’s mission is to collaborate and foster partnerships with landowners and other stakeholders to implement sustainable land management practices in the renosterveld, enhancing connectivity and landscape resilience. To date, the Trust has signed more than 7,100 hectares into conservation easements, working with farmers to protect their renosterveld in perpetuity.
The work they do is incredibly valuable for the surrounding areas and natural spaces.
In 2020, the team created a printed version of the Field Guide to Renosterveld of the Overberg. To make it more accessible, they have now converted the guide into an app. The app includes several upgrades, and features photographs of over 1,600 species from 12 taxonomic groups.
According to lead author and CEO of the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust (ORCT), Dr Odette Curtis-Scott, the launch of this new app couldn’t come at a more important time for renosterveld.
“The Field Guide to Renosterveld of the Overberg aimed to make threatened renosterveld more accessible to people. Now through this app, we can reach even more people, to show them the incredible plants and animals that live in the small fragments of renosterveld you’ll find spread across the Overberg.”
Co-authors to the app include ecologists who know and love renosterveld: The ORCT’s Conservation Manager, Grant Forbes as well as co-authors from the book version, Prof Charles Stirton and Rhoda McMaster. The app was created by designer mydigitalearth.com, who also created the apps for Sasol eBirds Southern Africa, Insects of South Africa, Sibley Birds (American field guide) and several other nature field guides.
A habitat under threat
Renosterveld is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom – but it is very threatened. Only five percent of the original extent remains. As such, most renosterveld types are listed as Critically Endangered. Because renosterveld grows on fertile soils, it has largely been converted to agriculture – a process that has been expedited through the advent of the plough and subsequent technological advances in commercial agriculture.
Curtis-Scott says, “The last fragments of renosterveld are often found on hills and in valleys that cannot be reached by the plough. Most of these fragments are very small – 70% are less than one hectare, and a tiny percentage (0.5%) are more than 100 hectares.”
Related Stories
Tim Steyn Named Landscape Designer of the Year!
How the CCID is Waging War on Cape Town’s Litter Every DayThe Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust works to show the beauty and value of renosterveld to land users. And this has led to thousands of hectares coming under formal protection. But every year, more renosterveld is also lost forever due to the continuing, unlawful removal of virgin land.
Connecting with renosterveld
According to co-author Grant Forbes, “That’s why the release of this app is so important. It’s not only for nature lovers, hikers and citizen scientists. But it’s also for the custodians of the remaining renosterveld – landowners and land users, to really connect with and enjoy the gems that depend on the remaining renosterveld islands.”
The printed field guide took five years to complete, and is based on 15 years of work in renosterveld. Work on the app has taken another two years. On top of the 980 plant species and 140 animals that featured in the printed book, a further 155 plants and nearly 60 vertebrates (birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians) have been added to the app. The sections on invertebrates (from scorpions and spiders to insects, velvet worms and slugs) have been completely redone and now detail examples from 160 families, showcasing through photographs more than 350 invertebrate species. Forbes says, “This shows the incredible amount of knowledge that app users can now easily access on their phones.”
He adds, “We’ve included the species in the app that you are most likely to encounter during your renosterveld explorations, as well as some of the more elusive and rare gems.”
“A dream comes true”
Curtis-Scott says, “This is a life-long project for the ORCT, and we are so thrilled that this dream of launching an app has become a reality. The major advantage of having a field guide in the form of an app is that we can constantly improve, correct, update, and add more species, which we will be doing on an annual basis. This is a fun project! Every year we gather more and better images of the treasures we encounter in renosterveld – now we can keep sharing these in a meaningful way. It is our hope that the app will add substantially to our heartfelt endeavors to make renosterveld accessible and loveable to everyone.”
The app is available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store and is called the Field Guide to Renosterveld by mydigitalearth.com. It’s available at a once-off fee of R249.99, which supports the continued conservation efforts of the team, and any future updates and improvements will be automatically updated on your version, too.
For more information, visit: www.overbergrenosterveld.org.za
by 
