WNC Chairman’s Report 2025

GAP Africa Projects shares special bird sightings in the Waterberg, while the Waterberg Academy plants seeds of sustainability. New information on the early landowners of the Waterberg is discovered, and African Penguins receive a happy end to a lengthy legal battle. Calling all weather data recorders – Waterberg Research Support Centre is looking for you! The Waterberg Biosphere Youth Senior Conservation Club visits Marakele National Park, and WNC supports the annual World Rhino Day public speaking competition at Lapalala Wilderness School. Lastly, an update on our last general meeting, including a whisky tasting generously sponsored by Rhino Whisky.

Food Gardens Champions Training Workshop took place at Laluka Organic Farm, training 40 representatives from across the Waterberg Biosphere. Conservation Monitoring launched through a targeted camera trap project at Laluka Lodge in Welgevonden. Janet van Zyl offers craft classes in the Waterberg. Have you seen the Melanitis Leda butterfly in the Waterberg? Musical strings in the bush – Lapalala Wilderness School hosts Buskaid – talented youth from Soweto. Koos Monyeki welcomes as the newest member of the WNC executive Committee.

The role of the WNC and members of the Executive Committee is highlighted. Lapalala Wilderness School’s public speaking competition for World Rhino Day was supported by WNC. The inaugural Waterberg Research Convention was a huge success for all stakeholders. BirdLife South Africa unravels the mysteries of European Roller migration and an update is given on the Rhisotope Project.

Local writer and poet, Noah Sethlare from Leseding, publishes two books. Inaugural Bundu Bash, the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve’s fundraiser exceeds expectations. Friends of the Bushveld is launched in Vaalwater and World Environment Day Celebrations in the Waterberg.

The WNC Summer picnic fundraiser raised R16 700 for the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve Youth Network! The Waterberg Wild Dog Initiative initiates a project to better understand the diet and predation of the free-roaming population. The Waterberg Development Initiative is very active in Thabazimbi. Elizabeth Hunter, a well-known Waterberg artist, specialises in portraits, pets and landscapes. And a new book on the Rock Art of the Waterberg is due to be published at the end of 2025!

Welgevonden Environmental Awareness Program camp, Living Museum Ground Hornbill pair reunited, update on the free-roaming wild dogs, upcoming courses, Waterberg Rhino UK Waterberg Ride fundraiser and summary of the last general meeting.

Lapalala Wilderness School moves to a new site, outside the Big Five Nature Reserve. The Welgevonden Bio-monitoring Team hosted Trinity College Master’s students from Dublin for hands-on experience in wildlife ecology and conservation management. The Waterberg Biodiversity Project showcases the research from 7 universities and 5 research institutions, as well as 100% survival of the 2021 Wild Dog pups.

Official opening of the new Lapalala Wilderness School, donation of impala through the Waterberg Wild Dog Initiative, newly establish Qwabi Private Game Reserve, K9 unit fighting poachers in KNP and The Living Museum temporarily closed.

The EWTs Cheetah Range Expansion Project, the Tarbotons follow a breeding pair of Woodland Kingfishers for 9 years, pompom weed, painted wolf merchandise, the Waterberg Biodiversity Project and the year-end meeting.

Waterberg News, Happenings and events October 2021… The Ground Hornbills have landed at the Living Museum, first ones ever in the Waterberg, educational tours for children, Lapalala wildlife videos, a brilliant new book and more.

Prof Nigel Barker (Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria) and a large multidisciplinary team have been awarded R4.5 million over of period of three years to conduct research on the biodiversity of the Waterberg Mountain Complex. WNC EXCO member Marilize Greyling explains what this very important research is all about and what it means to us.

Waterberg News, Happenings and Events May 2021 … The WSI (Waterberg Security Initiative), Waterberg Living Museum, Security, Wild Dogs ( Lycaon pictus) in the Waterberg, Waterberg Biosphere, Sue, Snake and Shoe, etc …

Waterberg News, Happenings and Events February 2021 … Lapalala Wilderness School, The Waterberg Wild Dog Initiative, WSI Virtual FundraisingAuction, Great news from The Waterberg Academy, Tambotie Overyssel Ondersteunings Groep etc…

The Waterberg is essentially reliant on tourism – photographic, hunting, archeological and cultural and our many lodges and guest houses have been hard-hit by the ban on both interprovincial and foreign travel. With the local travel ban lifted it is encouraging to see the flood of Gautengers and others …

Waterberg News, Happenings and Events December 2020…
Museum Opening, Birding Big Day, Waterberg Tourism During And Post Covid, WNC AGM, Ride for Rhino 2021, The Living Museum etc…

While maintaining its emphasis on high scholastic standards Waterberg Academy Head, Vernon Rorich, recognizing the importance and relevance of environmental education has developed an advanced curriculum incorporating conservation and is currently implementing this programme.

In spite of the lockdown, things are still happening in the Waterberg and people are finding different ways of doing things, many working from home. In case you missed our special mailing here is a chance to see babooner Reilly Mooney’s video presentation of the fabulous work she and Melia Markham did with the Swebeswebe baboon troop.

Tourism is the life blood of the Waterberg! No tourists, no lodges, no hunting, no activities, no money, no goods or services, no employment! We cannot allow tourism to become a Corona-victim! Shouldn’t we rather look at this as an opportunity to do the housekeeping, maintenance and refurbishments we’ve been putting on hold?

A New Year so I thought we’d kick off with a fresh look, and open our first whatsUp! of 2020 with the report on the AGM, our last meeting of 2019. Reports by the seretary and chair showed the WNC in a healthy position with further plans to expand the ‘Teaching the Teachers’ programme.

Good news edition
Book Launch
New Game Lodges
WNC Picnic Fund Raiser
WNC Teaching Teachers
STWR Anti-Poaching Event
STWR & Conservation

Waterberg Tourism Launched!!
Top Awards For Waterberg Lodges
Books For Leseding Creches
WNC Landowner Workshop
Vaalwater Library
June General Meeting
Support for the Lapalala Wilderness School

Art Exhibition
Conservation Education
Taking Care Of Our Old Waterberg Trees
Poaching – An Escalating, Never Ending Battle
The Spekboom FoundationThe Spekboom Foundation
Creche Training
Waterberg Tourism

Outstanding Achievment from the Waterberg Academy
Cheetah Cub Orphans Surviving On Welgevonden Game Reserve
Now Here’s a Story – Starting Young!
Only One Baobab Species On The African Continent
Another Successful Waterberg Trust Challenge Ride
Art And More In The Waterberg

WNC creche teacher training programme update, WSI installs new security cameras, WSI fundraising dinner, Big Birding Day 2018, World Rhino Day celebration, Waterberg Archaeology Excavations, ‘The first safari – searching for Francois Levaillant’ book review, WNC new members welcomed and a summary of the 2018 AGM is given.

WNC Spring Picnic at Matamba Bush Camp raised funds for Education Fund. This special edition outlined activities for the day, stall holders, music and special thanks. A whopping R20,000 was raised for projects in the Waterberg.

Lunar eclipse and blood moon in July 2018, Waterberg Academy sporting update, pangolin and black rhino released on Welgevonden, Mayor van Staden lead cleanup in Vaalwater and Leseding, ‘Warriors, Dilettantes and Businessmen’ book review, August WNC general meeting summary, WNC new members welcomed and dates to diarise.

Lapalala Wilderness School celebrates World Environment Day, rare sighting of a boomslang versus a chameleon, rare sighting of a Fork-tailed Drongo feeding on Bronze Mannikin, Welgevonden team takes on the Comrades, WNC creche teacher training project, WNC general meeting 28 June summary and dates to diarise.

Waterberg free-roaming pack updated, The Waterberg Trust supports various Waterberg organizations financially, water usage and our rights, first rhino calf of WWF’s black rhino project spotted and upcoming events.

Living Museum Inauguration, members run Marakele Marathon in support of rhinos, unusual sighting of Purple-crested Turaco in the Waterberg, ‘Rhino Revolution’ book review, new WNC members welcome, education project and fundraiser and February 2018 meeting summary.

Mayor van Staden revives Tourism Association, sighting of caracal pups and pennant-winger nightjars in the Waterberg, self defence course for women launched, wild dogs spotted on Lindani and summary of 2027 WNC AGM

The Waterberg Trust Waterberg Challenge raises money for Lapalala Wilderness School, Save the Waterberg Rhino and Lethabo Kids Club. Spotted hyena pups born in Welgevonden, ‘Roberts Bird Guide’ book review, local municipality takes action on illegal signs in Vaalwate, WNC AGM summary and election of ExCo members and new members welcomed.

A good news story – 3 young boys recue dog, hailstorm causes extensive damage around Vaalwater, Bulbinella – a plant no garden should be without, seasonal climate watch, a good read – ‘Ride the wings of morning’, Waterberg Waves community station is finally on air, Painted Wolf Wines hosts a wine tasting at the AGM in November, supermoon this month and the Waterberg Mountain Bike Club is launched.

First aid for snakebites, a cleaner Vaalwater, Welgevonden cheetah break into Marakele, Waterberg Twitchers group flying high, the world’s deadliest hunter – the dragonfly, Waterberg snippets and long-range weather forecast, WNC general meeting August summary.

Waterberg Twitchers (birding) group initiated, caracal brings down impala at Matamba Bush Lodge, WNC membership continues to grow, summary of the WNC June general meeting, Lycaenidae butterflies relationship with ants and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) advisory paper to assist in making decisions on trophy hunting.