LepSoc Africa & Brenton Blue Trust partners

Our principal partners are:

South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)
We executed the SABCA project in partnership with SANBI, are currently carrying out the SALCA and BioGaps projects under their leadership.

Animal Demography Unit (ADU)
We were also in partnership with the ADU for the SABCA project, and are currently in partnership with them for the LepiMAP project.

CapeNature (CN)
CN were one of the founders of the Brenton Blue Trust but recently made a decision that, because the Trust’s activities now extend right across South Africa this now exceeds their geographic mandate. However, they continue to support all our conservation activities in the Western Cape Province. This includes a close collaboration on the issuing of collecting permits; support of our COREL programme (10 species in the W Cape), an ongoing involvement in the management of the Brenton Blue butterfly reserve at Knysna; and a recent initiative to establish a contract nature reserve in the Witsand area to conserve Dickson’s Opal. They are facilitating an alien eradication programme on this property.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKW)
We have an excellent relationship with this important wildlife conservation body. Not only do they assist us with obtaining collecting permits, but also have a deep interest in the conservation of Millar’s Tiger Moth at their Entumeni Nature Reserve and with efforts to conserve the Karkloof Blue in the Natal Midlands.

South African Parks Board (SANParks)
SANParks have been very cooperative in issuing collecting permits for our many conservation projects. They have also played an important role in conserving butterflies and butterfly habitats in the Garden Route National Park, and have specifically assisted with alien eradication programmes on the Brenton peninsula near Knysna.

Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)
We have had a long and fruitful relationship with EWT since the mid 1990s, when they were leading the campaign to save the Brenton Blue butterfly and were instrumental in establishing the Brenton Blue Trust (BBT). They are still a Trustee of the BBT and have also recently been assisting us in housing personnel for our current marketing project at their premises in Modderfontein.

Wildlife and Environment Society of Southern Africa (WESSA)
We have also enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with WESSA since the mid 1990s, when they were our allies in the campaign to save the Brenton Blue butterfly. They are still a Trustee of the BBT and are involved in the management of the Brenton Blue butterfly reserve.

Roodepoort Municipality
This municipality was a butterfly conservation trailblazer when they established a butterfly reserve for the endangered Roodepoort Copper at Ruimsig on the West Rand, and we continue to partner them in maintaining the reserve.

Knysna Municipality (KM)
KM actively supported the Brenton Blue campaign and were one of the founder trustees of the BBT. They continue to contribute to the management of the Brenton Blue butterfly reserve, and have recently been facilitating the expansion of this reserve from its present 1.5 ha to 15 ha.

Cape Metro (CM)
CM are our already partners in the conservation of Barber’s False Bay Ranger at the False Bay Nature Reserve. They are also evaluating the establishment of a new nature reserve at Pella near Mamre, and this would be an important butterfly conservation site if it comes to fruition.

Stellenbosch University (SU)
SU are important landowners in the Witsand area, and in particular own the Westfield farm which contains a very important population of Dickson’s Opal butterflies. They have agreed in principle to the establishment of a 1200 ha contract nature reserve, and this will be managed in partnership between CN, the BBT and SU.

Bateleur Nature Reserve (BNR)
BNR have been an enthusiastic supporter of conserving the Watereberg Copper, which was found on their property in 2012. They have provided unfettered access to the property, as well as accommodation for researchers, and have recently facilitated an extremely successful controlled burn at the habitat of this butterfly resulting in an amazing resurgence of the butterfly’s host plant.