LOURENSFORD ESTATE (PTY) LTD
Estate Agency in Cape Town

The earliest traces of human activity in the Hottentots Holland Valley are to be found at Grootnek and Uitzicht, two locations deep in the heart of Lourensford Estate. After this period, San peoples occupied the Valley and a single painting remains, as well as flint arrowheads and bone tools which leach out of the soils. Lourensford is committed to sustainable wine growing practices. Of the 4000 hectares, 1200 hectares is Fynbos with farmed Proteas, forestry, fruit orchards and vineyards making up the remainder. Our vision is one where economic stability and environmental sustainability form a profitable partnership. So we accept full responsibility for the management of our rich biodiversity, while pursuing fruit, grape and wine production. To underline our commitment to sustainable wine growing practices and to reduce our carbon footprint, we installed 686kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on the roof of the winery and the pack shed. Smart metering installed (real-time computerised measuring of electricity usage to guide future practices) Procedures put into effect regarding the switching on and off of the compressors. All homesteads on the farm have switched to prepaid electricity. Tracker units gathering live data were installed on tractors and farm vehicles to monitor performance and reduce fuel consumption. Great emphasis is placed on the conservation of the estate’s unique biodiversity and rich floral heritage. These areas are monitored by the estate as well as the Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers and 300 species of plants and trees have so far been recorded. The estate has well over 100 bird species recorded with surveys and updating of mammal, reptile and amphibian species lists happening on an ongoing basis. In association with The Cape Leopard Trust’s Boland Leopard Project, a monitoring programme for the Cape Mountain Leopard is ongoing. With seven motion sensitive camera traps in place, the estate contributes to one of the projects objectives of determining how many leopards still roam the mountains of the Boland. The estate forms an important corridor for the movement of the leopard and other wildlife, allowing connectivity between protected areas. The estate is also involved in the Leopard Trusts’ environmental education programme. An alien vegetation clearing project was started in the mid-2000s to rehabilitate the upper reaches of the Lourens River as well as restoring wetlands and indigenous Afromontane forest; with alien vegetation being one of the biggest threats to biodiversity, this plan continues today and provides employment to the local community. The source of the Lourens River and its pristine upper reaches lie on the farm; of all the rivers in South Africa, the Lourens River is the only to be declared a Protected Natural Environment and thus the responsibility of managing the river responsibly is taken seriously. The watercourses and natural areas are also a vital tool for environmental education whereby school groups and farm workers are encouraged to take ownership of protecting the environment in their area. This is also reinforced on interpretive signboards on the estate. Improving the coherence of and access to information on biodiversity. Actively seeking to engage in new conservation and sustainable development projects. Continually working towards more effective land use planning and reducing our carbon footprint.