Fynbos
Flowers in Cape Town

Fynbos includes some 1000 species of fire ephemerals, plants which complete their life cycles during a relatively brief period after fire, and survive until the next burn as dormant seeds.

In the mid 1990’s, a group of concerned landowners in the Walker Bay area initiated the process that led to the formation of the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy. The conservation project developed through the realisation by landowners that their properties fall within a natural area of considerable land. Their properties were being threatened by invasive alien vegetation and repeated uncontrollable wild fires. They also saw the threats posed by irresponsible developers and new agricultural land-use practices in the region. In 1999, a number of meetings were held to which interested and concerned landowners were invited, which led to the formation of the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy. Custodians to an amazing diversity of flora and fauna, the members have set about securing the long-term conservation status of the area. In a relatively short time, the conservancy developed its own constitution and established a Trust (IT1443/2004). Discover the beauty of the Fynbos with our conservation images. The Cape Floral Kingdom (CPK) is a global biodiversity asset, and is the smallest of the world’s six floral kingdoms as well as the only one that can be found entirely within one country. It is home to more types of indigenous plants than any similar-sized area on Earth. Conserving the remaining areas of natural vegetation within the CFK is of utmost importance to international conservation. Our Flora is being threatened by agriculture, urban expansion, invasion of alien vegetation as well as fires and the incorrect timing of them. Many threatened habitats, especially those of lowland areas, fall within private landowners making conservation efforts often difficult. Over the last two decades, we have invested in clearing alien vegetation and restoring our properties to their natural state. We have six species which are new to science and are endemic to our conservancy.