Karkloof Conservancy

About Karkloof Conservancy

The Karkloof Conservancy protect a beautiful 40 000 hectare area of land set high in the Natal Midlands – a series of wetlands, grasslands and natural forests within which live a range of wildlife that include all three of the country's endangered crane species.

Did you know? The Karkloof is named after an upturned ox-wagon that served as a landmark along the major route between Natal and what was once the Transvaal (Gauteng).

The Karkloof conservancy protects the biodiversity of Karkloof in the Midlands about fourty five minutes from Nottingham Road. It is formed by a group of local farmers, foresters and landowners who are involved in a number of community projects to conserve the area that include bird counts, game counts, invasive plant control and land care programmes.

As a result of the conservancy, farmers here practise environmentally friendly farming, cutting back on alien invasive plants and maintaining the quality of their soil and vegetation. Farmers in the Karkloof Conservancy also practise no-till cropping for maize, and biodiversity within agriculture by allowing corridors of natural habitat that support the natural movement of animals and plants.

The conservancy's 'headquarters' lie in the conservation centre dedicated to educating and spreading the message of conservation in the Karkloof. It rests at the entrance to Gartmore Farm, roughly 15km north of Howick, as does one of the two bird hides that form part of the conservation centre with views out over a series of natural wetlands and dams.

Neighbouring farm, Loskop, is the site of a second bird hide. Both boast sightings of the blue, crowned and wattled cranes, as well as another 180 species of bird that congregate in the area at varying times of the year.

A bird guide is available to take visitors on guided walks as well as visiting. Another of her tasks is to visit all the local farm schools to engage with children about environmental issues.