Haut Espoir
Area Conserved:
15 ha
Wine District:
Franschoek
Owner / Contact Person:
Rob Armstrong
Phone:
(021) 876 4000
Website:
www.hautespoir.co.za
Membership Date:
01 August 2006
Biodiversity highlights: Area conserved – 15ha.
Haut Espoir have spent large amounts of money restoring their mountain side including extensively re-planting the mountain with 6 342 fynbos seedlings. Their riverine section has also been cleared of aliens and they have planted 600 indigenous trees along the river banks. Haut Espoir have also begun experimenting with indigenous cover crops and the owner is the current chairperson of the Winelands branch of the Botanical Society.
Haut Espoir was purchased by the Armstrong family in 1999, and has, over the last five years, begun an extensive alien vegetation removal programme, a fynbos re-generation project. The family has always been interested in conservation issues, especially Rob Armstrong, who studied archaeology as well as environmental science at the University of Cape Town. In total the property is 23 hectares, with 12.2 under vine. In 2001, the areas unsuitable for vine cultivation were cleared of dense pine & gum plantations. After an accidental fire burnt this cleared area, Haut Espoir began with a re-vegetation programme in order to prevent erosion and restore the natural vegetation.
In late May of 2002 a fynbos restoration project begun under the supervision of Fiona Powrie, member of the Botanical Society. This included hand-seeding with proteas and hand-planting of 6 342 assorted fynbos seedlings. At the same time, the riverine section on property was cleared of invasive vegetation and replanted with a total of 600 indigenous riverine trees which are doing their job of attracting back to the riverine section more birds and insects.
In a relatively short space of time, Haut Espoir have noticed a remarkable increase in the number of birds nesting on the farm, as well as visits by Cape Mountain Leopards and Cape Fox. The installation of predator poles has proven to be a welcome resting place for the many raptors. They are currently experimenting with an indigenous cover crop in the Petit verdot block, namely Ortholobium decumbens, Haut Espoir is also one of the founder members of the Franschhoek Mountain Conservancy, which is presently being established.
via Biodiversity & Wine Initiative – Haut Espoir.
