Groenlandberg conservancy
The Groenlandberg (Green Mountain country) Conservancy is within a mountain range beyond the Hottentots Holland range. The area is commonly known as “The Elgin Valley. For hundreds of years, Khoi people grazed their cattle here. This is the fertile Cape fruit country where deciduous fruit, including grapes, are grown. In the early days of the Cape colony, the area took several days to reach by ox wagon.
The conservancy ranges from Viljoenspas in the north to Houwhoek and Botrivier in the south. It is contained by the Palmiet, Bot, and Jakkals rivers. Conservation efforts by local farmers and residents have been initiated to take stock of the environment and cultural resources. A voluntary forum was established in 1994 and there has been a noticeable increase in sustainability, social upliftment and environmental conservation on private land. There has also been a focus on the removal of alien plants which are the biggest threat to plant and animal biodiversity. There is an annual cost of R600 million needed to clear the over 10 million hectares of land in South Africa.
