Bushmans Kloof is a South African Natural Heritage Site within the Cederberg Wilderness Area, and forms part of the Cape Floral Region, a proclaimed World Heritage Site.

Depending on the occurrence of good winter rainfalls, the veld bursts into spectacular flower sometime between July and October, the botanical treasures of Bushmans Kloof include over 755 indigenous plant species spread over three biomes: dry mountain Fynbos, succulent Karoo and mountain forest. Some of these species cannot be found anywhere else, and Bushmans Kloof has identified its own “Cederberg Seven” – plant species unique to the area and which are being nurtured on the property (see below).

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Alien Vegetation Eradication

Arguably the greatest environmental threat to Bushmans Kloof’s biodiversity is the invasion by the Port Jackson willow (Acacia saligna), an alien tree species introduced from Australia in the 1800’s to stabilise the dunes of the Cape Flats area. This species spread like wildfire, migrating north and east, overwhelming areas of indigenous Fynbos and colonising river courses.

Since its inception, Bushmans Kloof has invested an enormous amount of money and manpower in the ongoing removal of this scourge, and the results have been spectacular. Every year, local teams are employed to cut, pull and poison several hectares of infestation. The seedless dry branches are then chopped and used as mulch to brush-pack and stabilise denuded or erosion vulnerable areas. It seems like a thankless task, as the enormous seed deposit built up over the years is incredibly viable, resulting in a new crop of seedlings every year. However, the Port Jackson species has been virtually eradicated from the Boontjies and Perdekraal tributaries, with only a small area below the Main Dam wall remaining. This project also provides much needed work and income for local communities.




The Clanwilliam Cedar
(Widdringtonia cedarbergensis or African cypress)

The Clanwilliam cedar tree (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis) occurs only in the Cederberg mountains and it represents one of 1 000 surviving conifer species in the world. Dr Penny Mustart of the Botanical Society facilitates our annual seed and tree planting ceremony which includes a visit to the charming village of Heuningvlei, where you can participate in planting young cedar trees in a newly established grove. This is your opportunity to make your own personal contribution to saving the endangered cedar tree.

Our special Cedar Tree Planting weekend will be held on Saturday 24 May 2008.

Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve together with the Botanical Society and Western Cape Nature Conservation has given its commitment to support the Clanwilliam Cedar Tree Project.

Bushmans Kloof grows saplings in its nursery and hosts an annual tree and seed planting ceremony, thus supporting efforts to reintroduce this highly endangered tree into its natural habitat, encompassing the area specifically around Bushmans Kloof.

The Cederberg Mountains are named after the magnificent Clanwilliam cedars that were once abundant on the upper slopes, and are now faced with possible extinction. The number of trees has declined dramatically over the past two centuries, partly due to unsustainable exploitation, and partly due to an increase in fire frequency.

The spelling of  'Cederberg' combines the names for the area in English (Cedarberg) and Afrikaans (Sederberg).

The Clanwilliam cedar is a high-altitude cypress, and is listed as endangered on the Red Data List. It has furthermore been short-listed onto a global inventory of 43 conifer species that are worthy of special conservation.

Bushmans Kloof Special Collection

The natural botanical richness of Bushmans Kloof includes more than 755 indigenous plant species, representative of three major vegetation types: Fynbos, Forest and Karoo biomes, and a dynamic programme is in place to remove alien vegetation. Bushmans Kloof has also chosen its own Special Collection of plants that occur on the Reserve. Plants chosen for this honour are Rooibos Aspalathus linearis; Taylor’s Thatching Reed Cannamois taylori; Khakibutton Crassula columnaris; the Clanwilliam Daisy Euryops speciossimus; the Paintbrush Lily Haemanthus coccineus; Fragrant Evening Flower Hesperantha cucullata; Rocket Pincushion Leucospermum reflexum; the Magenta Pelargonium Pelargonium magenteum; Breede River Yellowwood Podocarpus elongatus; and the Clanwilliam Cedar Widdringtonia cedarbergensis.

Renosterveld

Bushmans Kloof is also the custodian to a patch of naturally occuring renosterveld - a Critically Endangered ecosystem, with a high conservation value. Renosterveld ('rhinoceros veld') is renowned for its large numbers of bulbous plants, also called 'geophytes' (earth plants), as well as the rhinoceros bush, the prevailing plant - a type of daisy with small and papery, brown flowers that dominates the veld. Read more