18 November, 2026 – WWF South Africa has announced the recipients of its 2025 Living Planet Award, honouring individuals and organisations whose work strengthens the country’s environmental future. This year’s awardees are Dr John Kani in the individual category for his work as the longest-serving trustee of the WWF Nedbank Green Trust, and for his donation of time and famous voice in support of WWF’s work. The organisational category was won by the Overberg Renosterveld Trust led by Dr Odette Curtis-Scott, recognised for extraordinary efforts on conserving one of South Africa’s most threatened ecosystems.
Renosterveld, a lowland vegetation type unique to the Overberg region of the Western Cape, is one of the most endangered habitats on Earth. More than 95% has been lost to agriculture. What remains survives mostly on fragments scattered across private farmland. Under Odette’s guidance, the Overberg Renosterveld Trust has become a leading force in protecting and restoring these remnants. Their work brings together landowners, farmers and conservation partners to safeguard biodiversity that exists nowhere else.
One of the Trust’s major achievements has been the establishment and formal declaration of the Haarwegskloof Renosterveld Reserve. More recently, the organisation helped secure an additional 270 hectares of renosterveld on the Goereesoe property, increasing the network of protected land across the region. These conservation areas are more than plant refuges. They form the core breeding grounds for some of the Overberg’s rarest species, including the endangered Black Harrier, BirdLife South Africa’s Bird of the Year 2026.
For birders, the Trust’s work with Black Harriers is especially significant. The Overberg holds the world’s highest density of breeding pairs, yet the species faces ongoing pressures from habitat loss and expanding wind energy infrastructure. The Trust monitors breeding adults through GPS tracking to understand movements, feeding behaviour and risks in the landscape. This research has already revealed worrying patterns of collisions with wind turbines, prompting calls for more sensitive siting of renewable energy projects.
Beyond scientific work, the Trust excels at community collaboration. Odette and her team work directly with farmers through long term conservation agreements that ensure fragments of Renosterveld on private land remain protected for future generations. Years of relationship building have helped shift perceptions of Renosterveld from overlooked scrub to an ecological treasure worth safeguarding.
In recognising the Overberg Renosterveld Trust, WWF has acknowledged a conservation model driven by science, cooperation and deep commitment. For Odette, the award reflects not only the resilience of Renosterveld, but also the hope that with enough care, both the landscape and its iconic Black Harriers can thrive once more.
Feature image: Dr Odette Curtis-Scott receives the WWF Living Planet Award. Overberg Renosterveld Trust
