Baviaanskloof MEGA-RESERVE
PROJECT
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Expanded wilderness and wildlands in South
Africa
 The
Baviaanskloof ("Baboon's Gorge") in South Africa is a place
of wonderfully varied terrain and scenery, and incredibly
rich in wildlife and plant diversity.
But just 189,000 ha (467,000 acres) of this spectacular
place are currently protected in the Baviaanskloof
Conservation Area (BCA) in the Eastern Cape Province, South
Africa. Its current size and shape limit its long-term
ability to protect biodiversity, and private development
plans may be in the works on nearby properties. The reserve
must therefore be expanded and better managed, to safeguard
undeveloped lands in the Baviaanskloof and provide
opportunities for tourism that bring income to local
communities. This is the goal of the Baviaanskloof
Mega-Reserve Project managed by The Wilderness Foundation,
WILD's closest affiliate and partner organization based in
the Eastern Cape.
A strong coalition has formed to push this project forward.
The first step came at our 7th World Wilderness Congress in
Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The World Bank's Global
Environment Facility (GEF) announced a US$1 million grant to
the project, with more to follow. The Eastern Cape
Provincial Government then committed US$280,000 over three
years in appreciation of benefits brought by the project to
people of the Eastern Cape. Conservation International (CI)
quickly matched this contribution with US$300,000 from its
Critical Ecosystems Protection Fund, to support planning and
staff for two years.
 Continuing its strong support for this project, CI recently
added a generous Global Conservation Fund grant of
US$396,000 to The Wilderness Foundation for the
Baviaanskloof. Funds will be used to purchase land and
easements, with a goal to more than double the BCA to
500,000 ha (1.24 million acres) and achieve mega-reserve
status for this area.
A partnership project with:
Baboon's Gorge
 The
Baviaanskloof supports 12 major vegetation types
representing six of South Africa's seven biomes.
Many of its plant species are found nowhere else on
earth. Faunal diversity of the Baviaanskloof
parallels its plant biodiversity. Some 310 bird
species have been recorded - representing more than
a third of all terrestrial and marine species in
South Africa. Reptile species number 56, with 23
endemic to South Africa, and three found only in the
Baviaanskloof. The area is also home to 17 amphibian
and 15 fish species. Because of its diversity and
complexity, the Baviaanskloof has been nominated for
the World Heritage List.
The Baviaanskloof was once the home to 46
medium-to-large sized mammal species. Over the last
three centuries, 14 species became locally extinct -
including the lion, elephant and the black
rhinoceros. Expanding the reserve size will make
wildlife reintroductions possible.
As the major water catchment, the Baviaanskloof is
vital to greater Port Elizabeth -- the largest
metropole in the Eastern Cape (and birthplace of
Nelson Mandela). The water supply from the
Baviaanskloof is so high in quality that no
treatment is required before consumption. Water from
the Baviaanskloof also irrigates agriculture in the
fertile Gamtoos Valley - a major source of jobs in
the area.
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