Cape Winelands Wine Estates Mark 20 Years of Conservation with 23,500 Hectares Protected
More than 60 wine estates across the Western Cape have conserved 23,585 hectares of threatened Cape flora over the past two decades through the WWF South Africa Conservation Champions programme. The milestone was marked at a 20th anniversary event held recently at Houw Hoek Hotel in Grabouw, bringing together wine farmers, conservation partners and industry leaders. Over 60% of the conserved land is classified as endangered or critically endangered habitat within the Cape Floristic Region - a global biodiversity hotspot containing more than 9,000 plant species, many found nowhere else on Earth.
Originally launched in 2004 as the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative, the programme transitioned to WWF Conservation Champions in 2016 with a broadened focus on environmental leadership, ecotourism initiatives and water and energy innovation. An Activation Fund has since supported 16 farms in clearing invasive alien plants, restoring rivers and habitats, and developing education programmes. The programme now plans to expand into the fruit farming sector and beyond the Western Cape, with WWF South Africa aiming to increase participating farm numbers in high-biodiversity areas and establish ecological links between conservation sites. For tourism, the initiative reinforces the Cape Winelands as a destination where responsible travel and environmental stewardship are closely intertwined.
Source: Nova News
