Natural Heritage Sites
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A number of registered Natural Heritage
Sites are located within less than 30 minutes drive from Graskop - some of which are
featured on this page.
The South African Natural Heritage Programme (SANHP) is a voluntary
programme and participation is at the sole discretion of the land owner.
The qualification criteria for registration include stands of special
plant communities, good examples of aquatic habitats, sensitive catchment
areas, habitats of threatened or endangered species, as well as outstanding
natural features.
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Agapanthus inapertus "Graskop"
Photo: Prof. BM Herbst
More info on the
"Graskop" Agapanthus
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Natural Heritage Sites
Mondi/Global Indigenous Forest Reserve
Mondi/Global Tree Fern Reserve
London Nature Reserve
Paradise Camp
Malidyke
Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve
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Webmaster's
Note:
All the Natural Heritage Sites are on private
land and permission to visit it, if at all, is at the sole discretion on the
landowner.
Please
do not enter
without permission |
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Mondi/Global Indigenous Forest Reserve
(SANHP
Site # 50)
This 52 ha reserve in the Pilgrims Rest area of largely undisturbed
forest (Acocks Veld Type 8) protects large specimens of yellowwood (Podocarpus
sp.) and red stinkwood (Prunus africana). Rare
vertebrates include Natal ghost frog (Heleophryne natalensis),
red duiker (Cephalophus natalensis) and narina trogon (Apaloderma
nerina). The area is well watered, and as a result there are
numerous streams, waterfalls, and drip-maintained rockface communities.
Contact: Global Forest Products on (013) 764-1011
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Mondi/Global Tree Fern Reserve
(SANHP Site #
51)
In this 3,3 ha reserve in the Pilgrims Rest area there are 1 226
tree ferns (Cyathea dregi) ranging from 1 m to 5 m high.
This could well be the greatest concentration of the species in the
world.
Contact: Global Forest Products on (013) 764-1011
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London Nature Reserve
(SANHP Site # 132)
The vegetation of this 948 ha reserve north of Graskop consists of
North-Eastern Mountain Sourveld (Acocks Veld Type 8), with pockets of
indigenous forests. A well-developed wetland system is found along
parts of the Treur River and parts of the catchment area of the Treur
and Blyde Rivers. Rock ash (Ekebergia pterophylla) and
silver sugarbush (Protea roupelliae) are some of the tree and
shrub species. The vulnerable fish species Treur River barb (Barbus
treurensis) and the endangered blue swallow (Hirundo atracaerulea)
are also found on this site. Outstanding natural features are the
cliffs enclosing the valley and the cascades and pools of the Treur
River.
Contact: Global Forest
Products on (013) 764-1011
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Paradise Camp
(SANHP Site # 196)
The veld type on this 57 ha site near Graskop is Acocks Veld Type 8
(North-Eastern Mountain Sourveld). Red Data Book plants Erica
rivularis (endangered) and the orchid Angraecum chamaeanthus as well
as Streptocarpus pogonites (rare) and Polystachya transvaalensis
occur on this site. Red Data Book birds like the blue swallow (Hirundo
atroccaerulea), striped flufftail (Sarothrura affinis) and Stanley's
bustard (Neotis denhami) are also present. Approximately 15 larger
mammal species, some of which are listed in the South African Red Data Book,
are sporadic visitors to the site. The scenic beauty of the escarpment is
an important feature of the area.
Contact: Ken Gamble on (013) 767-1118
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Malidyke
(SANHP Site # 293)
This 248 ha site between Graskop and Sabie is essentially a rolling open
primary grassland comprising of North Eastern Mountain Sourveld (Acocks Veld
Type 8) which is known for its high level of endemism and floristic diversity.
The site forms part of the catchment of the MacMac River, which in turn feeds
the Sabie River. Malidyke is also known to be a breeding site for the
highly endangered blue swallow (Hirundo atracaerulea). Other bird
species sited in the area includes lesser striped swallow (Hirundo
abyssinica), helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris), hoopoe (Upupa
africana) and long-crested eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis).
Contact: Global Forest Products on (013) 764-1011
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Blyde River Canyon
Nature Reserve
Although not a registered SA Natural Heritage
Site, the world renown Blyde River Canyon deserves to be included here.
The reserve is located north
of Graskop and covers an area of 22 664 ha, extending
from the Pinnacle Rock in the south to beyond the Blyderivierspoort Dam
in the north.
The Blyde River Canyon is the third
largest canyon in the world and
was formed by rivers cutting
deep into the escarpment and eroding
millions of tons of rock which were carried to the Lowveld and beyond to
the Indian Ocean. The reserve
(administrated by the Mpumalanga Parks Board) is known primarily for it's
outstanding natural beauty, as well as for
the numerous endemic and endangered fauna and flora species that
occur on the reserve.
Five of the 71 different veld types of South Africa occur on the
reserve. These include Mixed Bushveld, North Eastern Mountain
Sourveld, Lowveld Sour Bushveld and Lowveld Mixed Bushveld. The
reserve represents a transitional zone for the flora of these five veld
types, including their associated fauna, which migrate along the
escarpment from as far south as the Southern Cape; plants from KwaZulu-Natal;
sub-tropical plants from the Lowveld and plants from the central
bushveld, which follow the Ohrigstad and Olifants River valleys into the
canyon. The rich and varied plant life is influenced by the
specific climate, altitude and soil conditions.
These rich and diverse plant communities support, in turn, an equally
rich and varied fauna. The montane grassland provide suitable
habitat for grey rhebuck (Pelea capreolus), the rare oribi (Ourebia
ourebia), a variety of seed eating birds, rodents, reptiles and an
abundance of insects. Klipspringers (Oreotragus oretragus)
and hyrax (dassies) (Procavia capensis) find food and shelter in
rocky areas while mountain reedbuck (Redunca fulvorufula) and
kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) prefer wooden bushveld where
patches of dense cover also shelter the rare red duiker (Cephalophus
natalensis). Bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus) and
bush-pig (Potamochoerus porcus) feed on the luxuriant growth on
the banks of the rivers and streams.
A variety of aquatic animals including waterbirds, fish, otters,
hippo and crocodile live in and around the dam, rivers, mountain streams
and wetlands. Birds of grassland, woodland, forest and scrub
occur, with all three the indigenous loerie species present. All
five of South Africa's primates are found in the reserve, including the
rare samango monkey. The nocturnal bushbabies (Galago crassicaudatus),
as well as vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) and chacma
baboons (Papio ursinus) are often seen.
An interesting variety of small mammals include the yellow footed
squirrel, honey badger, aardvark, aardwolf, porcupine and various
mongoose species. On top of the food chain is the leopard, as well
as smaller carnivores such as the spotted genet, civet cat, serval and
caracal.
Contact: Mpumalanga Parks Board at Bourke's Luck Potholes on
(013) 761-6019
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Recommended books about the
fauna and flora of the area:
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Transvaal Lowveld and
Escarpment including the Kruger National Park. South African
Wild Flower Guide 4. By Jo Onderstall. ISBN 0 620 07749 2.
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Wild About the Lowveld.
All-in-one Guide to Common Animals and Plants of the Kruger National
Park, Wildlife Reserves and Escarpment Foothills. By Duncan
Butchart. ISBN 1 86812 596 3.
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