In early 2023, three landowners from the Beaufort West district approached CapeNature and NGO Conservation Outcomes to assist them with their vision of establishing a conservation area to buffer this beautiful landscape against the increasing pressure of renewable energy. CapeNature and Conservation Outcomes conducted a biodiversity assessment of the site and presented it to the Protected Area and Stewardship Review Committee. The area of approximately 42 000ha represents an unfragmented landscape with hardly or poorly protected vegetation types. The site received a recommendation for nature reserve status.

Four landowners joined to form the Manna Karoo Nature Reserve Association and, in January 2024, signed an agreement with CapeNature to declare the site as a nature reserve. This agreement represents 42 388.84 ha added to the CapeNature Conservation Estate and contributed significantly to CapeNature’s Annual Performance target of 5000 ha.