Through intentional alignment of biodiversity mainstreaming with development objectives, the importance of biodiversity is formally recognised in the National Development Plan, National Water Resource Strategy, the presidential Strategic Infrastructure Projects, the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, the Mining and Biodiversity Guideline and in numerous municipal Integrated Development Plans (RSA, 2014). It was realised that while the mainstreaming tools and products were definitely having an effect at a technocratic level, for a wider acceptance there needed to be a change of 'hearts and minds’ to reposition biodiversity as an integral component of society and the economy. In 2011, SANBI embarked on the development of a communications strategy, called Making the Case for Biodiversity, out of a realisation that the communications efforts associated with biodiversity mainstreaming could be more effective (SANBI, 2011). Despite the efforts towards biodiversity mainstreaming, the primary perception was still one of biodiversity in conflict with economic development.