Staff writer WITH only about 2% of South Africa’s grasslands formally protected and a range of threats leading to increased overutilisation, destruction and transformation within these critical ecosystems, the addition of new protected areas in this biome is crucial.
BirdLife South Africa, the Endangered Wildlife Trust, and Department of Small Business Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs in the Free State, together with support from the Ingula Partnership, a collaboration between Eskom Holdings (SOC) Ltd, Middelpunt Wetland Trust, and BirdLife SA, recently added 24 078ha to the network of land dedicated to conserving high-altitude grasslands and wetlands through the declaration of the Upper Wilge Protected Environment (UPWE).
Located between Harrismith, Van Reenen and Verkykerskop, the new UWPE will conserve more than 24 000ha of natural high-altitude sourveld grassland and wetland ecosystems…