Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve & Wellness Retreat is the proud Global Winner of Wildlife Conservations Programs in the Condé Nast World Savers Awards (2009), and won the coveted Relais & Chateaux Environment Trophy in 2007. It’s entire operation is based on sound environmental conservation practices. This covers a wide spectrum: from the implementation of a comprehensive reserve management plan, ongoing monitoring of water quality, rainfall, soil erosion, vegetation cover and wildlife to prevent degradation, to environmentally friendly solid waste disposal and an advanced Biolytix waste water processing system.

CONSERVATION AT BUSHMANS KLOOF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY:
CARING FOR OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT - Click Here to downlaod PDF

Conservation Projects

The Cederberg Conservancy (170 000 hectares or 350 000 acres) at present consists of 19 landowners who voluntarily agreed in 1997 to manage the environment in a more ecologically sensitive way.



'To measure is to manage’, and Bushmans Kloof’s rangers implement a number of important scientific monitoring programmes, which include rock art, vegetation, soil erosion, human impact, water quality, wildlife and rainfall. Records are analysed to detect long-term changes or fluctuations in the natural equilibrium. Planning and decision-making are based on these findings.

A number of research projects have been initiated at Bushmans Kloof including:

• A comprehensive survey of the Cederberg reptiles and amphibians for conservation and ecotourism, by the University of Stellenbosch SCARCE Unit
• A photographic Cape mountain zebra identification project
• A Cape leopard survey project by the Cape Leopard Trust

Environmental Sustainability

The entire operation of Bushmans Kloof is based on sound environmental practices. A full time reserve manager oversees a comprehensive ecological management plan, monitoring water quality, rainfall, soil erosion, vegetation cover and wildlife to prevent degradation. The estate has environmentally friendly solid waste disposal and an advanced Biolytix waste water processing system.

Community Involvement

Bushmans Kloof has been largely instrumental in the pilot project to involve the local farming community to ultimately create an extended Cederberg Biosphere Reserve, which will consist of the Biedouw River Conservancy, the Wupperthal Conservancy, and the Cederberg Wilderness Area.



Saving the Cape Mountain Zebra

Bushmans Kloof has been instrumental in the quest to save the rare and endangered Cape mountain zebra (Equus Zebra Zebra) from extinction. Bushmans Kloof is the proud owner of one of the largest privately owned herds among an estimated total population of 1600 animals worldwide. In genetic terms this still represents a small population, but is a vast improvement over the 400 individual animals recorded in 1984. It is considered the largest mammal in South Africa to have come so close to extinction, a fate that sadly, awaited the Quagga (Equus Quagga Quagga), an extinct sub species of the Plains zebra (Equus Quagga Burchelli)

Historically, Cape mountain zebra existed throughout the Cape Fold Belt mountains and the edge of the Great Escarpment of the Cape Province, where its fast-growing hooves adapted to the type of rocky terrain inhabited.

Natural populations survived in three conservation areas: the Mountain Zebra National Park at Cradock, and the Gamkaberg Nature Reserve and Kamanassie Nature Reserve in the Oudtshoorn district. Herds were subsequently established in a number of other locations, including Bushmans Kloof.



Supporting the Cape Leopard Trust
Link: www.capeleopard.org.za

Bushmans Kloof has undertaken to support another major conservation project: The Cape Leopard Trust. This organisation is dedicated to the conservation of the Cape's predator diversity, and in particular, the Cape leopard (Panthera Pardus) as the flagship species. Bushmans Kloof has become a primary sponsor of the Global Positioning Satellite systems (GPS) collaring and tracking project for the Cape leopard - the apex predator in the Western Cape.

The Cape Leopard Trust works towards conserving the Cape's predator diversity through simultaneously implementing conservation and research projects, and tourism initiatives. The leopard is utilised as ‘flagship species' to highlight the plight of the Trust and to find effective ways to facilitate harmonious co-existence between these magnificent animals and farm owners in the region.

Bushmans Kloof provides funds to enable the Trust to acquire three GPS collars which contain tracking devices - allowing researchers to determine the home range and behaviour of leopards in the Cederberg Mountains of the Western Cape. In turn this will supply invaluable information pertaining to leopard ecology in this area.

Leopards are secretive and elusive, preferring rocky terrain with plenty of cover. Their natural prey includes the Rock Hyrax (Dassie) and small antelope such as Klipspringer. These lovely cats, with their distinctively retiring nature, are sufficiently rare so as to pose practically no threat to man, and, unless directly threatened they will not harm.



Protecting the Endangered Clanwilliam Yellow Fish

Small and Large-mouthed Bass from the USA were introduced to the Western Cape river systems during the last century in an attempt to 'improve' sport fishing. These aggressive species set about devouring the indigenous fish eggs and juvenile fish to the extent that the African species were soon fighting for survival in their own habitat.

In the past Bushmans Kloof offered excellent bass fishing in its three dams. It has since initiated a project to prioritise the conservation of the highly endangered Clanwillian Yellow fish (revered by fly fishermen as the ‘freshwater bonefish’), which is entirely endemic to the Olifants River system, including the Doring and Biedouw tributaries, which run through the estate.

The Bushmans Kloof catchment area forms an important nursery for the young fry, which migrate downstream in the wet winter months. The rescue project involves systematically eradicating all alien fish from the dams that are fed by the fragile river systems. At the same time, these dams are restocked with Yellow fish fingerlings caught in nets in the Biedouw River. Two other species that have been reintroduced are the Clanwilliam Redfin and the Sawfin, both endemic to the Olifants River system. Gravel beds have been laid at the mouth of the Boontjies River where it feeds into the main dam, to assist the adult Yellow fish upstream to spawn again in spring.

Given time, this should result in excellent summer ‘catch-and-release’ fly-fishing in the rock pools of the Boontjies and Perdekraal tributaries and all the way to the Lodge. Currently fly-fishing is available in the deeper rock pools, with reasonably sized Yellow fish being caught with mayfly nymphs or bead-head flies.

Depending on the success of the project, Bushmans Kloof may be in a position to offer very exciting fly-fishing in its main dam within the next two years.



Englishman’s Grave

Bushmans Kloof is also custodian of the legendary ‘Englishman’s Grave’ and maintains the lonely grave site, which is located on the periphery just outside the reserve on the road towards Wupperthal. Bearing the inscription ‘Brave and True’ this Anglo Boer War memorial was erected by the mother of a young British soldier, Vinicombe Winchester Clowes, who was a lieutenant in the First Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders. He died here on 30 January 1901 at the age of 21, when British forces were attempting to prevent incursions into the Cape Colony by the Boer Commandos under General Smuts.