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The projects form an integralpart of green tourism.
The projects focus on our main objective - maintenance of the
conservation corridor.
• Fire management:
Conservancy members formed a managing unit in the greater
F.P.A. (Fire Protection Association), mainly to conserve
biodiversity and cleaner water from the catchment area
• Alien clearing
- Members constantly clear aliens on their property. Tourists can visit
the sites.
- On Keurbooms River Game Trails a huge clearing scheme
in collaboration with Silicon Smelters is in progress. Benefits of this project include
job creation, an economic injection of +/- 8.1 million rand per plant.
The project removes alien trees with no cost to the farmers as well as ensuring more
water for the downstream water users.
- At Williamsburg Mountain Reserve the following projects take place:
Eradication of alien plants. We have done an initial clearing of over 2500ha.
The reintroduction of indigenous tree species that, through deforestation have been
removed from this area.
The development and enhancement of wet-lands.
Protecting our water source. This is a fenced off Wilderness area and no domestic stock
are grazed in this area.
All wildlife is protected and biospheres are created to encourage breeding.
• Save the Keurbooms
On several sites, small scale rehabilitation of the Keurbooms river banks is to be seen.
• Water Neutral
Under the leadership of Eden to Addo Initiative and Cape Nature an
alien survey has been done which enables the conservancy to offer infested
catchment areas to companies who have to become water neutral.
Cost for clearing has been done by Cape Nature and the expected run off has
been calculated from WWF Water Neutral brochure
• Leopard research
The Landmark Foundation Leopard & Predator Conservation Project runs a research program
on the Cape Mountain Leopard. Several cameras monitor the movement of the
leopards in the conservancy.
• Information Kiosk
When in de Vlugt keep a lookout for the signs to The Middel Keurbooms Conservancy self-help
information kiosk. The info is situated opposite Outeniqua Trout Lodge. Here visitors can
purchase local goods on an “honesty basis” and can get local information of the de Vlugt &
greater area. A clean toilet is situated behind the Info and a picnic table shaded by
indigenous trees, all free of charge. For more information on our beautiful area please
call 044 752 3140
• Green electricity
Solar is effective for about 40% of the day, season & weather depending.
Hydro however generates constant electricity 24 hours a day. We have 8 solar
panels & 3 turbines.
We use the "dirty" trout water to drive the turbines; the turbines beats
back oxygen in the water while generating power.
The water then goes through various soil dams where the plants further "clean"
the water before it goes back in the river.
Our current system, in phase 1 of
3 generates 20Kw per day. The electricity is stored in 24 glass batteries from
where it is distributed to the rest of the farm via a inverter that changes it
from 48 direct current to 220 alternating current.
We use the electricity to pump water to three 10 000l water
tanks. From there it gravity feeds the lodges.
At Keurbooms Game Trails wind turbines and a large solar system work together.
• Contract Reserve
W.J. Burchell 1811-1814 the famous British Botanist visualised something from the
descriptions he got of the Cape Floral Kingdom. When walking through the veld
after his arrival he mentioned that each step was as in a botanical garden.
To conserve the biodiversity for the future, the Meyer family decided to get involved
in a contract nature reserve with Cape Nature.
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