Garden Route Biosphere Reserve

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Garden Route Biosphere Reserve

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Recognised by UNESCO since June 2017 as South Africa’s 9th Biosphere Reserve. The core areas cover 31% of the GRBR, with 26% being terrestrial and 5% marine.

The Garden Route Biosphere Reserve (GRBR) was recognised by UNESCO as South Africa’s 9th Biosphere Reserve in June 2017. The GRBR was established as a Non-Profit Company in terms of the Companies Act to manage the Biosphere in terms of the requirements of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme. This GRBR covers an area of approximately 700,000 hectares and extends from the coastline south of the George Airport, north along the eastern boundary of its neighbouring Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve, along the coastline into the Eastern Cape to include Jeffrey’s Bay and St Francis Bay. The GRBR is located within the Cape Floristic Region along the southern coast of the country, and includes the Tsitsikamma, Goukamma and Robberg Marine Protected Areas, Wilderness Lake RAMSAR site, Garden Route National Park, the Nelson Bay Cave and the Langkloof Valley. The Garden Route National Park, the primary core area of the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve, also forms part of the Cape Floral Region Protected Areas World Heritage Site, inscribed by UNESCO in 2004. The GRBR is divided into areas of biodiversity significance for incorporation into development planning. The buffer zone accounts for 41% and the transition area 28%. There are three Marine Protected Areas and a Ramsar Wetland site found within the reserve. The GRBR is both socially and ecologically rich with approx. 500,000 inhabitants and a network of active social actors living and working within a biologically diverse natural habitat with great natural beauty that underpins a strong tourism economy in the region. In this era of the Anthropocene, the region is threatened by climate change, increasing urbanisation and a multitude of land uses including associated waste, the spread of invasive alien species and unsustainable harvesting of natural resources. These threats are coupled with a burgeoning population, high levels of inequality and unemployment, low skills levels and limited social capital. These social and ecological drivers threaten the sustainability of the region and have informed the GRBR key focus areas.

15/10/2026

🦎 Species Spotlight | Cape Skink

The Cape Skink (Trachylepis capensis) might be a familiar sight in gardens and natural areas across the Garden Route, but there is more to this little lizard than meets the eye.
☀️ A sun-loving reptile
Like other reptiles, Cape Skinks rely on heat from their surroundings to warm their bodies. On cool mornings, you may spot one basking in the sunshine on a rock, wall or other warm surface.
Once warmed up, they become much more active, moving between vegetation, rocks and sheltered spaces as they search for food.
🌿 At home in many habitats
Cape Skinks are remarkably adaptable. They occur in a wide range of South African habitats, including fynbos, grassland, savanna and forest, and can also be found around houses and in gardens.
They may shelter in tunnels beneath vegetation or rocks, in spaces among fallen leaves, or in other protected places.
👀 A quick escape artist
If you've ever tried to get a closer look at one, you may have noticed how quickly it disappears!
Their relatively short legs and elongated bodies are well suited to moving through vegetation and across the ground. When disturbed, a Cape Skink can quickly dash for cover.
🌱 A familiar part of the landscape
Because Cape Skinks are widespread and can live in both natural and modified environments, they are one of the reptiles many people encounter without giving them a second thought.
So next time you see one soaking up the spring sunshine, take a moment to watch. There may be more going on than you realise.
Have you spotted a Cape Skink in your garden or somewhere in the Garden Route? 🦎

13/10/2026

🌿 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction | 13 October
Wildfires, floods, storms and droughts are natural hazards — but when these hazards interact with vulnerable communities, infrastructure and ecosystems, they can become disasters.
Disaster risk reduction is about more than responding when something goes wrong. It means understanding risk, preparing communities, reducing vulnerability and building resilience before disaster strikes.
In the Garden Route, this is particularly important. Our region is exposed to a range of environmental hazards, while a changing climate can increase the pressure on both communities and ecosystems.
Healthy ecosystems can also form part of the solution. Wetlands can help store and slow water, vegetation can help stabilise soils, and functioning natural systems can provide important buffers against environmental hazards.
Through collaboration between communities, organisations, landowners and authorities, we can work towards a more resilient Garden Route — one that is better prepared for the challenges of the future.
🌱 Resilience isn't just about recovering from disaster. It's about preparing for it.

11/10/2026

💚 International Day of the Girl | 11 October
Building a sustainable future means making sure that girls and young women have the opportunity to learn, participate, lead and shape the decisions that affect their communities.
From conservation and environmental science to agriculture, tourism, education, entrepreneurship and community leadership, there is a place for girls in every part of building a more sustainable future.
For the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve, creating a resilient future means investing in people as well as ecosystems. Young people bring new perspectives, ideas and energy to the challenges facing our communities and environment.
Today, we celebrate the girls who are learning about their environment, asking difficult questions, developing new ideas and imagining what their communities could look like in the future.
The future of the Garden Route belongs to the next generation — and girls must have a voice in shaping it. 🌱

06/10/2026

🪨 International Geodiversity Day | 06 October
We often talk about biodiversity, the incredible variety of living things around us. But beneath that diversity is another kind of diversity: geodiversity.
Geodiversity includes the variety of rocks, minerals, soils, fossils, landforms and geological processes that shape our planet.
Here in the Garden Route, geology is a fundamental part of the landscape we know today. Mountains, valleys, rivers, cliffs, caves, beaches and soils have all been shaped by geological processes over immense periods of time.
And geodiversity matters for biodiversity. The underlying geology influences soils, water availability, drainage and the physical conditions in which different plants and ecosystems can develop.
In other words, the living landscape is closely connected to the land beneath it.
As a biosphere reserve, the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve recognises the importance of understanding and conserving the interconnected natural systems that make this region unique. 🌍

05/10/2026

🏡 World Habitat Day | 05 October
Habitat is more than simply a place where an animal lives. It is the combination of food, water, shelter, soil, vegetation and environmental conditions that allows species, including people, to survive and thrive.
The Garden Route Biosphere Reserve contains a remarkable variety of habitats, from indigenous forests and fynbos to wetlands, rivers, agricultural landscapes and coastal ecosystems. Each plays a role in supporting biodiversity and providing benefits to people.
Healthy habitats help provide clean water, support pollinators and wildlife, store carbon, reduce erosion and contribute to livelihoods and human wellbeing.
Protecting habitats therefore isn't only about protecting wildlife. It is about maintaining the living systems that our communities depend on.
This World Habitat Day, let's recognise that a healthy environment is an essential part of a healthy community. 🌿

02/10/2026

🌿 OCTOBER in the Garden Route
Spring in Motion 🐦🦎🌺
October brings warmer days, changing weather and plenty of signs that the Garden Route is moving into a new season. From familiar bird calls to reptiles warming themselves in the sun and orchids blooming along the coast, there is plenty to discover if you slow down and pay attention.
Here are three things to look out for this month:
🐦 1. Listen for the Rain Bird
As spring arrives, the distinctive call of the Burchell’s Coucal becomes easier to notice. Also known as the “rain bird”, its unusual call has long been associated with rain and changing weather.
📍 Look in gardens, wetlands, grassland and dense vegetation. You may hear its bubbling, rolling call before you spot it!
🦎 2. Watch for Warming Reptiles
As temperatures rise, reptiles become more active. The Cape Skink (Trachylepis capensis) relies on external heat to warm its body, making sunny spring mornings a good time to spot them basking.
📍 Look on sunny rocks, walls, paths and open areas with shelter nearby.
🌺 3. Look Closely for Spring Orchids
October is a special time for orchids in the Garden Route. The Green Wood Orchid (Bonatea speciosa) produces unusual green-and-white flowers in spring, with a strong evening scent that attracts hawkmoths.
🔎 Some of the Garden Route’s most fascinating plant-pollinator relationships happen after dark!
🌿 Spring is a season of movement and change. This October, listen for new sounds, watch for wildlife warming in the sun, and look closely at the plants beginning to flower.
💬 What signs of spring have you noticed in the Garden Route?
🔎 Follow along as we take a closer look at each of these species later this month. 🌿

29/09/2026

🌱 International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste | 29 September
What happens to our food matters, from the soil where it is grown to what happens to it when it is no longer eaten.
Food loss and waste means that the water, land, energy and other resources used to produce that food are also wasted. Reducing food waste is not only about saving food, but about using our natural resources more sustainably.
In the Garden Route, healthy landscapes support agriculture, livelihoods and food production. Building more sustainable food systems means recognising these connections and finding ways to reduce waste throughout the journey from farm to table.
And what can we do? Small changes can make a difference: plan meals before shopping, buy only what you need, make use of leftovers, store food properly, and compost food scraps that can't be used.
This International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, let's think about the journey our food takes, and the small steps we can take to value the food, resources and people that make our food systems possible. 🌿

28/09/2026

🌿 International Day for Universal Access to Information | 28 September
Access to information is an important part of meaningful participation.
When people have access to reliable information, research, local knowledge and opportunities to share their own experiences, they are better able to understand the challenges facing their communities, and contribute to decisions about the places they call home.
For the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve, sharing knowledge and creating opportunities for dialogue are an important part of working towards a more sustainable and resilient region.
From scientific research and environmental information to local experience and community knowledge, everyone has something to contribute.
This International Day for Universal Access to Information, we recognise the importance of making information accessible, understandable and useful,so that more people can participate in shaping the future of the Garden Route. 🌿

27/09/2026

🌿 World Tourism Day | 27 September
The Garden Route is a place people come to experience, its forests, mountains, rivers, coastline, wildlife and vibrant communities.
But tourism is also part of the relationship between people and place. When managed responsibly, tourism can support local livelihoods, strengthen communities and contribute to the protection of the natural and cultural heritage that makes the Garden Route special.
As a biosphere reserve, the Garden Route Biosphere Reserve recognises the importance of finding a balance between people, nature and sustainable development.
This World Tourism Day, we celebrate the people and places that make the Garden Route what it is, and the importance of ensuring that these landscapes can be enjoyed and valued for generations to come. 🌊🌿

24/09/2026

Heritage Day | 24 September
🌿 Pacaltsdorp: A Place of Gathering
Some places carry their history in layers, in the people who lived there, the places where they gathered, and the stories passed down through generations.
Today’s story begins in the early 1800s, at Hoogekraal, where a Khoi community led by Kaptein Dikkop lived. In 1813, after Dikkop had repeatedly requested that missionaries come to work among his people, Rev. Charles Pacalt arrived.
Before there was a church, people gathered beneath the Tree of Meeting, a Great Cape Ash believed to be around 300 years old. It became a place for worship and meetings, and remains a living connection to the community’s history.
Over time, other places became part of that story: the Old Stone Church, the first school, the grave of Kaptein Dikkop and many more. The mission station was later renamed Pacaltsdorp.
Names change. Buildings come and go. But the stories held in a place can be remembered.
Together, these places hold traces of the people who have lived, learned, worshipped, gathered and built community in Pacaltsdorp across generations.
This Heritage Day, we celebrate the places that help keep those stories alive. 🌿
What places in the Garden Route hold meaning for you?

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https://gardenroutebiosphere.org.za/

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