Bringing renosterveld back from the brink

The Breede River valley includes some relic patches of renosterveld that are real jewels of the Cape floral kingdom. Good work is being done by the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust (ORCT) to protect them. Sijnn Wines has established a 30ha conservancy of critically endangered Eastern Rûens Shale Renosterveld and Rûens Silcrete Renosterveld. Both Melk Houte Bosch and Napkysmond have also established conservancies of more than 800 hectares of renosterveld. The ORCT has, to date, signed up several similar tracts across the Overberg Rûens (wheat belt), which collectively bring more than 4 000 hectares of renosterveld into conservation in perpetuity.

There are a lot of reasons to protect these vulnerable habitats. The great diversity of shrubs and grasses, intertwined with flowering plants of all shapes and sizes (renosterveld is the richest bulb habitat on Earth) complement the natural beauty of the Overberg region.

Renosterveld is also home to many animals that form part of a complex and delicate ecosystem, despite the fact that this biodiversity hotspot is teetering on the edge of functional extinction. It’s also the stronghold of our endangered national bird, the blue crane.

Incidentally, “rûens” is the word Overbergers use to describe their world – it is the original Dutch form of the Afrikaans “ruggens”, meaning “backs”, and describes the undulating whaleback landscape. overbergrenosterveld.org.za