Cape Winelands Biosphere Reserve

General description

• coordination of conservation activities with the focus on protection of the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas World Heritage Site and its associated ecosystems;
• provision of a sustained flow of high-quality water to adjoining regions and the City of Cape Town; and
• promotion of sustainable development in order to alleviate poverty and inequality.

• Endangered vegetation types, including Mountain and Sand Plain
• Fynbos; various types of Renosterveld, and Little Succulent Karoo.
• Diversity of topographic features including a key portion of the Cape Fold Mountains, valleys and open plains, and a unique cultural landscape characterised by vineyards, pastures, wheat fields, commercial plantations, and a built environment characterised by the distinctive Cape Dutch architectural vernacular.

Administrative authorities

• Stellenbosch Municipality
• Drakenstein Municipality
• Breede River Municipality
• Witzenberg Municipality
• Theewaterskloof Municipality
• Western Cape Nature Conservation Board

  Research and monitoring

• Land-Care Program - Department of Agriculture.
• Stewardship Program - CapeNature.
• Biodiversity and Wine Initiative supported by, amongst others, the IUCN, CAPE, Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund, WWF-SA, Botanical Society of South Africa, Conservation International, and the South African Biodiversity Institute.
• Development of a seed germination database for Cape Fynbos species with horticultural potential - South African National Biodiversity Institute.
• Working for Water & Working on Fire Initiatives - Department of Water Affairs.
• Raptor Research Program - Percy Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town
• Promotion of biodiversity, conservation and sustainable development in the Cape Floristic Region - Cape Action Plan for the Environment, Global Environment Facility and World Wide Fund for Nature.
• Studies on all aspects of invasion biology in the Western Cape and South Africa – fire ecology, biodiversity management, community ecology, etc. - Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology, University of Stellenbosch
• Numerous projects undertaken by CSIR.
• Numerous projects undertaken by Sustainability Institute of University of Stellenbosch.