Registered as South Africa’s 5th Biosphere Reserve, Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve is a region of immense beauty and biodiversity that extends across elevations from 20 m to 1 860 m above sea level. A wonderful diversity of landscape and activities are included, from the high Cape Fold Mountains to deep river valleys, rolling hills, extraordinary hiking trails, world-renowned wineries, academic institutions, commercial forests, small agricultural settlements and beautiful historic towns.
The CWBR is also the source of seven rivers, all of which are vital sources of water and provide a keystone ecosystem service for several towns, agriculture and industry, as well as ensuring the survival of biodiversity from the source to the sea.
The Core of the CWBR is made up of several protected areas which form part of the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas World Heritage Site originally declared in 2004. Recognized as the smallest of six floristic kingdoms in the world and known as an area of extraordinarily high plant diversity, over 9300 species, with 68% found now where else in the world. The fynbos biome, a Mediterranean-type, fire-adapted shrubland is characterised by many members of the protea family (Proteaceae), heath family (Ericaceae), and the reed like restio family (Restionaceae).
The CWBR is recognized as a Site of Excellence for research and development due to being an independent impartial entity with local and international partnerships to build projects and ensure effective and long-term solutions. The Educational Programme includes building schools, training educators, providing outdoor educational hikes and camps for youth, food systems and nutrition and registered adult educational courses.
Declaration Date: 2007
Country: South Africa
Surface Area: 322,032 ha
Resident population: 320,024 inhabitants
Contact: Mark Heistein info@capewinelandsbiosphere.co.za
See on the map