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Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve

Situated in the Western Cape Province, starting roughly 60km south east of Cape Town and includes the entire coastline from
Gordon's Bay to the Botriver vlei and inland to Grabouw and the Groenland Mountain.

UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems that are managed with the aim of conserving its biodiversity while promoting sustainable development.

The intent is three basic functions: a Conservation function, a Development function to foster human impact and a Logistics function to provide support for research, monitoring & education.

A Biosphere Reserve consists of three interdependant zones managed and protected within the framework of each zone which accommodates and benefits both the natural environment and the communities living in and around it :

The CORE ZONE is the most ecologically sensitive area. Protection is a priority and only low impact activies are allowed

The BUFFER ZONE is less ecologialy sensitive but mostly natural area where minimal recreation and sustainable utilisation of natural resources can be accomodated

The TRANSITION ZONE is the least ecologicaly sensitive area with intense land utilization such as villages and farms


Satyrium carneum	Marsh Terrapin	Disa uniflora	African Penguin

Biosphere Reserves are not covered by an international convention, but are internationally recognised and protected with support from amongst other organisations the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Bank.

Overbergers were honoroud by being chosen by UNESCO (United Nation's Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) to participate and register the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB). As of July 2003, 97 countries have established 440 biosphere reserves.

The Kogelberg Nature Reserve forms the largest part of the CORE area of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve.

Known as the "heart of the fynbos", it is home to more than 1600 plant species making it one of the world's riches sites of plant diversity. UNESCO's World Heritage Committee declared the unique Cape Floral Region to be of "outstanding universal significance to humanity" and it has been identified as one of the world's 18 biodiversity hot-spots.

Private and municipal nature reserves, the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, the Palmiet River estuary, sections of the coast and the marine area comprise the BUFFER ZONE while local towns, farms and plantations make up the TRANSITION ZONE.