About 20 new nature reserves were added to the Western Cape Protected Area network.
This has resulted in securing more than 81, 715 hectares of ecologically significant land for long-term conservation.
Most of these reserves are privately owned, except for Anysberg Nature Reserve and Knersvlakte Nature Reserve, which are managed by CapeNature.
All these were declared between April 2025 and March 2026.
Cape Nature said these new reserves strengthen the province’s efforts to protect important landscapes, species, and vegetation types.
Dr Ashley Naidoo, CEO of CapeNature, said “the reserves span diverse regions, including the Cederberg, Agulhas Plain, Little Karoo, and Garden Route, and range from small properties to expansive mountain and lowland areas.”
Anton Bredell, Western Cape Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, said the declarations are made possible by landowners who work alongside conservation agencies and the Western Cape Government.
Through CapeNature’s Biodiversity Stewardship Programme, landowners can voluntarily commit to having their land formally declared as a Protected Area and nature reserve.
Each declaration contributes to the province’s long-term environmental commitments and supports efforts aligned with the Global Biodiversity Framework 30×30 goals – an initiative aimed at formally protecting 30% of the planet’s land and oceans by 2030.
Picture: Supplied