Page 7 - LandscapeIssue133

FEATURE

The Haarwegskloof/Plaatjiekraal cluster supports one of the largest breeding hotspots for the endangered
Black Harrier raptor

Sunbird white vignette

pollination strategy whereby it is pollinated
only by a single butterfly species.
Similarly, the type specimen for
the legume known as Xiphotheca
rosemarinifolia was also collected on
Plaatjieskraal. The delicate iris Hesperantha
muiri and the succulent Drosanthemum
lavisii, both listed as endangered, are just
View from Haarwegskloof looking towards Plaatjieskraal some of the botanical jewels that thrive on
this special site. Many animals also rely on it,
including rare species such as the aardwolf,
aardvark, honey badger, small antelope,
patches within this small part of the discovered. The tiny pink iris Hesperantha predators and many endemic birds.
Overberg, providing unique micro-habitats kiaratayloriae, for example, was discovered The area also supports one of the largest
on which specialised flora have evolved. by the ORCT on Plaatjieskraal in 2012 and has breeding hotspots for the Black Harrier, an
For the World Land Trust, this project since only been found on a single additional endemic endangered raptor species that
represents a first, in that it focuses primarily on property which is not protected, rendering it relies on natural, intact habitats in which
plant diversity. The area is a botanical ‘hotspot’, critically endangered. This species represents to breed. This was one of the reasons that
with species new to science still being an anomaly within its genus, having a novel the IUCNNL Land Acquisition Fund became
involved; to protect the habitat of animal
species as well as the flora of this botanically
unique region.

Goal
The goal is to connect all the remaining
large remnants together, up to the De Hoop
Nature Reserve, a coastal fynbos nature
reserve managed by CapeNature. The
purchase of the Plaatjiesveld renosterveld is
the culmination of 16 years of perseverance,
which has finally paid off.
In order to preserve this biodiversity
hotspot, the system in its entirety needs
to be conserved, including its species and
the crucial ecological processes that keep
the system alive. This broader approach to
conservation is the only chance of building
resilience in these severely threatened
environments, particularly in light of
anticipated climatic changes. n

Text supplied by WWF SA. Photos by Odette Curtis-
Scott, Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust.

Check us out www.salandscape.co.za Landscape SA • Issue 133 2024 5