Situated inside the vast 1,300-hectare Renishaw Coastal Precinct along the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, Renishaw Hills stands as an exemplary mature lifestyle community that serves not only as a refuge for inhabitants but also as a pioneering model of environmental conservation and biodiversity protection. This development was established on terrain formerly used for cultivating sugarcane. The rehabilitation at Renishaw Hills has been thorough enough to rejuvenate the region’s natural environment. .
Barto van der Merwe, who leads Renishaw Property Developments as their Managing Director, highlighted the community's dedication to preservation. He said, “At Renishaw Hills, we placed significant emphasis on environmental protection.” During development, they carried out thorough work to eliminate non-native plants and obtained native vegetation from the Izinyoni Indigenous Nursery located at Crocworld Conservation Centre, which was set up precisely for this initiative. These actions have paid off; residents participating as ‘citizen scientists’ have documented an impressive variety of wildlife flourishing inside the estate’s protected zone.
Over the last three years, around 44 local Citizen Scientists, mostly from Renishaw Hills, have been engaged with a project on the iNaturalist platform. Backed by the National Geographic Society, this significant effort allows participants to record and analyze biodiversity instantly, adding substantially to worldwide ecological databases. A key participant named Tim McClurg mentioned that they've made remarkable progress so far, documenting as much as 13,863 observations covering 1,796 different species.
One of these findings includes the remarkable spotting of the Sable Cruiser dragonfly (Phyllomacromia monoceros), an uncommon and fragile species that has sparked enthusiasm amongst regional specialists. McClurg remembered the crucial instance from last December when he caught sight of this hard-to-find insect close to the Renishaw Hills Community Centre. He said, “There was instant and great interest,” as colleagues such as Peter Small confirmed its identification. The cumulative count of specimens observed in South Africa likely adds up to about 20. , with the initial observation logged in Barberton, Mpumalanga in 1920." Notably, this latest sighting surpasses all earlier records as it represents the southernmost occurrence of the Sable Cruiser yet documented—roughly 800 kilometers further south than previously known.
This remarkable find poses numerous fascinating queries. "Could this event have happened before but gone unnoticed? Might it have resulted from a strong windstorm? Could there be a connection to climate change?" McClurg mused, suggesting these could potentially be addressed via an enhanced iNaturalist database. Meanwhile, his colleague Peter Small underscored the sighting’s relevance, commenting, “Such a striking observation underscores Renishaw Hills’ role as crucial territory for dragonflies. To date, out of the 165 known species of southern African dragonflies and damselflies, we’ve documented 75 within our region. This includes various uncommon sightings. Therefore, our site ranks among the best locations nationally for observing dragonflies.”
Citizen Science holds significant importance as it enables ordinary people to gather and interpret information about the natural environment, frequently working alongside experts in science. Through tools such as iNaturalist, participants can make meaningful contributions while also becoming more aware of the diversity of life around them. McClurg motivates others to participate, stating, “When you become part of this initiative and start contributing, you might discover new pathways for expanding your understanding of animals and feel fulfilled from being part of something vital.”
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