The Conservancy committee is tasked with promoting the Conservancy - what it stands for, its aims, what is done to conserve and protect the area and what activities take place.  These efforts go beyond the Calendar Events or engaging with officials and other conservation organisations.  We also use electronic media, where the success of our efforts can be reliably measured.  Rhenosterspruit is becoming well-known, not only in Gauteng but further afield and even overseas.

Marketing the RNC:

• The www.rhenosterspruit.co.za website has had almost 20 000 visitors since January 2009 and the photo gallery (pics provided by residents including Gavin Orbell, Mercia and Eric Stockenstroom) has been viewed 24 000 times!  A significant portion of visitors outside of SA are USA-based, with Germany, Mauritius, UK, France and Japan following.
• The events on our Conservation Calendar are becoming very popular.  The Scorpion Walk on 2 May attracted more than 50 people -  from Edenvale, Pretoria, Roodepoort, Hartbeespoort Dam, Centurion and even south of Joburg.   (Fortunately 18 people cancelled, otherwise we would not have coped!)
• VeldTalk goes to more than 1 000 readers and Mercia Komen, who does the technical side of it (I just write the stories!), monitors how many people actually download it. The April VeldTalk went to 1050 addresses and was read by 997 of those. We cannot measure at the moment how many readers forward the newsletter to others but I keep getting requests from new people to be put on the mailing list.
• The VeldTalk website's visitors have passed the 10 000 mark.  "It has proved that it has worth and is of interest and therefore I have moved it from the free domain service into the mainstream," says Mercia.  You can now visit VeldTalk at www.veldtalk.co.za.
• Articles on the RNC have appeared in Fourways Review and other Caxtons, the Kormorant and Madibeng Pulse and we've been on local radio programmes, with a mention on 50/50 as well. Events are advertised on radio websites, eg 702 and RSG.
• I submit a blog about RNC happenings to the Simply Green website:  www.simplygreen.co.za.
• A range of A1 laminated posters depicting the Conservancy and its activities was professionally designed and is being used at every public occasion.
• The AA's Cradle and Magaliesberg Maps feature the Conservancy prominently (on both sides!) and tens of thousands have been distributed.  (Cost to us: just over R1 000 pa.)

Quick feedback on other issues:

• New members, 2010:  Welcome to new members - Cathy Sexton and SOS Training Village (RSE), Steve Panos and Peter Nagel (Rhenosterspruit), the Hanks (Vlakfontein), the Maynards and Parsons (Hills and Dales); the Scotts and Voogts (Doornrandje), the Hlavas and Ridders (Roodekrans), the Woessners (Laezonia) and the Fourwheel Drive Club of SA (Doornrandje).
• Thanks!  It was heart-warming to get such an immediate and generous response from those renewing their membership.  Arthur Barnes and Howard Williams are keeping up their memberships, all the way from Canada and Oz.  The Van Olphens, Janet Webber and Werner Begere, the Wessels, Garbetts, Schimmels, Maynards, Frik Barnard and No 111 Doornrandje all either paid double or kept their fees at last year's R700.
• Associate membership:  To date about 80 people have signed up to become Associate Members of the Conservancy. This entitles them to discounts at RNC events and regular feedback as to what is on offer.
• Reminder: The 2010 AGM takes place on Sunday afternoon, 25 July.
• Northern Farm:   We are doing whatever we can to try and save Northern Farm, which borders the RNC - commenting on radio, sending articles to newspapers, badgering authorities, keeping at it in VeldTalk and on websites. More help needed!  Any suggestions!?

Batahbile Primary School in Doornrandje is the focus of much energetic labour, innovation and goodwill.

To follow the story of how a few dedicated people can change the lves of many, visit the school's own website www.bathabileschool.org.za and click on "see us grow".

The province (Gauteng) has commissioned a strategic plan to guide planning in an area where great pressure for development exists. The Conservancy falls into about half of the study region, and the study is of great interest to the Conservancy.

At a recent feedback meeting for the Environmental Management Framework commissioned by Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rurual Development (GDARD) a zoning anamoly raised concern. Here Niko Knigge, the Doornrandje representative on the committee, writes to the consultant