PARTNERS

KARKLOOF CONSERVANCY

The Karkloof Conservancy was officially formed on the 19 March 1998. The Conservancy is made up of local landowners interested in the protection of biodiversity in the Karkloof and have been actively involved in a number of community projects in the area for the past 13 years. The Karkloof Conservancy covers an area of 40 000 hectares in the Karkloof, KwaZulu-Natal. The area includes wetlands, mistbelt grasslands and huge tracts of mistbelt forest, which are all protected biomes.

The farmers of the Conservancy participate in various environmentally friendly farming practices, ensuring that they maintain their alien invasive plants, their soil, the fauna, flora, and the environment as a whole. Some of the farmers are registered crane custodians and all 3 species of crane occur in the area.

Some of the projects that the Karkloof Conservancy participates in include annual game counts to monitor the game in the area such as the endangered Oribi. On the 1 July 2011, the landowners participated in their 15th Annual Game Count, and a total of 25 Oribi were counted that evening. These game counts were a useful tool in fighting off the Eskom Powerlines that were to be placed through the Karkloof.

The Conservancy has also worked closely with local conservation organisations such as the Endangered Wildlife Trust, KwaZulu-Natal Crane Foundation, SANBI, Enviro Watch, Wildlands Conservation Trust and the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa.
The Conservancy organises regular meetings with guest speakers to promote conservation. This creates an awareness of the problems and informs them on how to participate in order to assist various organisations.

KARKLOOF CONSERVANCY FARM SCHOOLS PROJECT

For the past thirteen years the Karkloof Conservancy has been working with 4 local farm schools in environmental education. Each year a theme is chosen and a conservation officer or specialist is invited to talk at the schools. Themes covered include; the Karkloof Blue and the life cycle of butterflies, Cranes, Oribi, snakes, raptors, wetlands, grasslands, Bushmen and the Drakensberg mountains, and Antelope of Southern Africa. The Conservancy works with the whole school, from the pre-school level right up to the Grade 7's.

After the informative presentations and discussions every school is supplied with a blank poster and art materials. They use this to create brilliant artworks depicting what they learnt. The paintings are then displayed at the Conservancy’s AGM for all to appreciate. Conservancy members vote for their favourite artwork and the winners then qualify for an educational outing and picnic paid for by the Conservancy.

ADOPT A CRANE PROJECT

The Karkloof Conservancy have recently started raising funds to adopt a local Wattled Crane chick called Mbeche, who was recued on the 5th August 2011. The money raised for this adoption will go towards field work done by Tanya Smith of the Endangered Wildlife Trust who rescues abandoned eggs as part of the Wattled Crane Recovery Programme. There are currently less than 260 Wattled Cranes left in South Africa, and of those, 10% of the breeding sites occur in the Karkloof. The Conservancy are grateful to Pannar Seed for their generous donation of R2,000.00 towards this adoption, as well as to the Conservancy members who have given donations for this cause.

KARKLOOF CONSERVATION CENTRE

Members of the Karkloof Conservancy saw the need for more meaningful public environmental awareness, education and eco-tourism. The Karkloof Conservation Centre is one of the Conservancy's proudest achievements. The Centre is ample proof that respect for the environment and conservation ethic are deep rooted in the Karkloof Valley.

Funding for this initiative was provided by the SAPPI/WWF TreeRoutes Partnership in conjunction with the Wildlands Conservation Trust. The Karkloof Conservation Centre was officially opened by Dr Ian Player on the 27 October 2007.

In true community spirit Charlie McGillvray and his family have kindly opened up part of their farm, Gartmore, to nature lovers by offering to house the office headquarters and a bird hide on their property. The second bird hide nearby is located on Stuart Mackenzie’s farm, Loskop. The Tourism and Conservation Office is based at the entrance of Gartmore Farm, 15km along the Karkloof road, just outside of Howick.

The public can now enjoy the true splendour and tranquility of the Karkloof wetlands from a comfortable seat in our two world class bird hides where one really feels part of the natural surroundings. All three Crane species visit our wetlands near the bird hides on a regular basis and there are also a variety of waterbirds and raptors to keep you entertained.

The Conservation Centre is open every day of the week from 08h00 to 16h00. There is an entrance fee of R20 per adult, R10 per child, and children under the age of five are free. There is an “honesty box” should the office be closed.

Visit our website for more information: www.karkloofconservation.org.za