Welgedaan Estate in Saldanha is not just a residential opportunity; it is a rare ecological treasure. Botanist Pieter van Wyk, a world-renowned botanical conservationist specializing in the ‘vygie’ (Aizoaceae) family, recently visited the estate and uncovered remarkable findings.
Despite over a century of surrounding development, pockets of pristine fynbos vegetation remain intact on the property. These areas are home to critically endangered Saldanha Granite and Lime-stone Strandveld Fynbos, gazetted as Critically Endangered in 2022. Pieter also discovered localized endemic plants, many of which exist nowhere else on earth, alongside thriving populations of parrot-beaked tortoises (Homopus Areolatus). This vegetation is crucial for supporting the broader ecosystem, including polli-nators and other fauna, which depend on these rare habitats to survive.
During his exploration, Pieter found plants potentially new to science, prompting him to invite experts Dr. Cornelia Klak and Prof. Peter Bruyns from the University of Cape Town to make herbarium collections of the ‘vygie’ species on the property. These efforts highlight the urgent need to document and preserve the biodiversity found at Welgedaan.
Pieter has proposed a bold initiative: integrating native plants into the estate’s landscaping to rehabilitate degraded areas and create corridors for biodiversity to flourish. Additionally, he suggests collaborating with the Millennium Seed Bank at Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden to safeguard seeds of these critically endangered species.
Welgedaan Estate is emerging as a model for harmonizing modern living with conservation, offering residents a unique opportunity to protect and preserve the West Coast’s natural heritage.
For more information, visit the website at www.welgedaanestate.com, call 022 714 0091, or send a WhatsApp to 076 617 6596
