Image: Supplied
In a major win for biodiversity conservation, Haarwegskloof Renosterveld has officially been declared a provincial nature reserve.
This important step secures the largest remaining connected stretch of renosterveld on Earth, protecting 547 hectares of Critically Endangered Eastern Rûens Shale Renosterveld in the Overberg, between Swellendam and Bredasdorp.
The reserve is owned by WWF South Africa and managed by the Overberg Renosterveld Trust (ORT). It is home to an incredible variety of rare and endemic plants, along with threatened species such as Black Harrier, Cape Vulture, Aardwolf and Aardvark. This unique ecosystem forms part of the Cape Floristic Region, a global biodiversity hotspot.
The declaration, made in April 2025 by Western Cape Provincial Minister Anton Bredell, offers the highest level of legal protection under the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act. It ensures the land will be safeguarded for conservation, habitat restoration, scientific research and low-impact eco-tourism.
Renosterveld is one of South Africa’s most threatened vegetation types. It has been heavily transformed by agriculture, with only about 5% of its original extent remaining today. Much of what survives is fragmented, making formal protection of sites like Haarwegskloof critical for the future of this unique landscape.
Minister Bredell commended the collaboration between government, conservation bodies and private landowners. He highlighted that protecting biodiversity is essential not only for fighting climate change but for securing South Africa’s natural heritage for future generations.
Dr Odette Curtis-Scott, founder and CEO of the ORT, described the declaration as a vital milestone. For more than a decade, the ORT has worked with landowners to protect renosterveld remnants through conservation easements and habitat restoration. The formal protection of Haarwegskloof strengthens these efforts and offers hope for other renosterveld fragments across the region.
This achievement reflects what is possible when passionate organisations, landowners and government work together. Haarwegskloof now stands as a beacon for renosterveld conservation — and a reminder of why South Africa’s unique ecosystems deserve our protection.
Follow us on social media for more travel news, inspiration, and guides. You can also tag us to be featured.
TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
ALSO READ: Seamless upgrades underway at Kalahari Tented Camp
