Baviaanskloof
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. Read more about Baviaanskloof >
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.