Gauteng Conservancy Association (GCA) was formed in February 2003 at Thabeng Bush Camp, Thorntree Conservancy, to promote conservation on private property in Gauteng and to give 'teeth' to efforts to protect Gauteng's fast-disappearing greenbelt areas. Gauteng Conservancy Association represents 22 rural and urban conservancies in Gauteng Province. These conservancies range in size from tens of thousands of hectares to tiny areas, measuring a few hectares, such as the Brulpaddapan Conservancy, specially created in an urban area to protect the fast disappearing bullfrog population. Conservancies have to deal with a multitude of problems: illegal mining activities, dumping of refuse, overgrazing, veldfires, game poaching, ill-planned housing developments, theft of plants and rocks, tree-cutting, alien vegetation - to name a few. In spite of this, many of them have succeeded in protecting some of the most beautiful regions in Gauteng.