Irma Booysen Flora Reserve

About Irma Booysen Flora Reserve

Irma Booysen Flora Reserve is a small veld reserve in Cape St Francis. Much of this part of the coastline is given over to preserving nature and so the Irma Booysen reserve lies behind another reserve, the Seal Point Nature Reserve, which contains the Cape St Francis Lighthouse.

Did you know? Irma Booysen was to paint many of the species of plants in the reserve.

Whilst it isn't large Irma Booysen reserve, named after Irma Booysen the wife of the founder of Cape St Francis, John Booysen, is avidly supported by friends of the garden. At the heart of the piece of land set aside for the preservation of unique coastal fynbos is the Friends EcoCentre.

The reserve is easily reached from Da Gama Road; Osprey road, opposite the resort and caravan park, runs through the reserve with dune forest on one side, a dune ridge on the other and a little wetland where it meets Old Road. At intermittent points are wooden benches, placed perfectly to admire the fynbos.

Walking trails wind through Irma Booysen, whilst the four day slack packing Chokka Trail spends a morning hiking 6 km through the reserve, combining it with a canal cruise on St Francis' canals (this might seem sedate for the Chokka, but the following morning the hike resumes a 15 km coastal hike between Mostershoek and Port St Francis).

From Irma Booysen Flower Reserve one can head into the dune fields at Sand River, but you can easily remain within the reserve itself as there are several footpaths. Much of the fynbos is highly fragile and easily destroyed. Fynbos is part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, one of seven floral kingdoms in the world and the smallest.

Entrance: is on Birkenhead Lane where you will also find parking.