Following a fire on the Paardeberg in January 2011, a botanical survey was commissioned by the Paardeberg Sustainability Initiative (PSI) in collaboration with Vondeling Wines to record the plant species growing on the mountain. The post fire fynbos regrowth was documented for 18 months through plant collections and photographic records.
The project aims to compile a collection of species occurring on the Paardeberg. The collection will be housed in a herbarium on Vondeling. Each of the species is photographed and geo-tagged and ultimately, the research will result in the publication of an illustrated coffee table book as well as a species identification field guide for the for the Paardeberg and surrounding areas.
To date, over 900 species in over 70 families have been collected. Approximately 10% of these species are listed as threatened. Two of Vondeling’s premium white and red wines have been named for two of these red data listed plants that are endemic to the Paardeberg mountain, namely Babiana noctiflora and Erica hippurus. In addition, a new, still to be named, species has been discovered.
For more information, please contact:
Dr Bridget A Johnsen BVSc[Pret] MS[U.S.A.]
Paardeberg Sustainability Initiative[PSI]
Tel: +27 (0)21 869 8179
Fax: +27 (0)86 666 8179
Mobile: +27 (0)72 418 0577
Email: [email protected]
