The Walker Bay Nature Reserve has received the esteemed Green Coast Award from the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) for the 2025/26 season, affirming its dedication to environmental stewardship and sustainable coastal management, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Image: Supplied
The accolade was announced at a national awards ceremony held in Port Alfred on 31 October 2025, co-hosted by WESSA and the Ndlambe Municipality. This annual event celebrates excellence in coastal management, environmental education, and nature-based tourism along South Africa’s picturesque coastlines.
The Green Coast Programme, initiated by WESSA, identifies natural and less-developed coastal areas that maintain environmental integrity while fostering responsible tourism and community engagement.
Sites are carefully selected based on their commitment to conservation efforts, eco-tourism initiatives, and the protection of coastal biodiversity.
‘Walker Bay continues to be one of the flagship provincial reserves, and the Green Coast Award builds on the recognition Die Plaat Beach received last year after being named on Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious list of Best Beaches in the World,’ stated Dr Ashley Naidoo, CEO of CapeNature.
‘This Green Coast Award reflects the hard work of our staff and partners who conserve one of the Western Cape’s most ecologically diverse stretches of coastline. Recognition like this reinforces CapeNature’s ongoing commitment to conserving our coastal ecosystems while ensuring that local communities benefit from nature-based tourism,’ Naidoo stated.
Nestled between the historic towns of Hermanus and Gansbaai, Walker Bay is not only renowned for its breathtaking beauty but also rich in history, with evidence of Middle Stone Age inhabitants (dating back 65,000 to 85,000 years) found in Klipgat Cave, alongside records of Khoi and San presence in the area approximately 2,000 years ago.
The reserve boasts an abundance of coastal and marine life and is acclaimed as one of the best destinations in South Africa for land-based whale watching, where southern right whales flock to the sheltered bay to breed and calve their young each year.
Walker Bay’s recent inclusion in the national Green Coast network underscores CapeNature’s commitment to balancing conservation with responsible visitor engagement and education.
WESSA’s Green Coast network has seen significant growth this season, reflecting a national commitment to protecting South Africa’s coastal heritage through collaborative efforts between government, conservation agencies, and local communities.
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