Kleinmond Nature Reserve

Kleinmond is rightly famous for being surrounded by a nature reserve. However, this only happened because of backbreaking work by a few determined and inspired people. Among them were members of KNCS, we are happy to say.

55 hectares between Beach Road and the sea and from the main beach to the harbour were proclaimed the Kleinmond Nature Reserve in 1976.

In 1978 another 350 hectares on both banks of the Palmiet River were added to the reserve.

The area was infested with alien plants and Peter Slingsby, newly appointed nature conservation official, and his team of 5 workers cleared the area of thousands of pine trees, black wattle trees and myrtle bushes. Then they planted more than 200 indigenous trees such as rooiels, yellowwood, wild olive and assegai along the riverbanks.

For many years, this area had been used for overnight camping, sand quarrying, rubbish dumping and even sewage dumping. Overnight camping was put to a stop, but sadly the other abuses continued for some years until the municipality had to be forced to put a stop to these.

Now, however, we are enjoying the fruits of the labour of those who came before us.

We enjoy our reserve because a few people cared enough to do something. Surely, we can walk in their footsteps and continue their work?