Some conservation milestones take years of patient work before they become public news.
The agreement announced on 16 October 2026 for approximately 235 hectares at Ongegunde Vryheid, near Cape St Francis, is one such moment. For the Greater Kromme Stewardship (GKS), it marks meaningful progress in a journey we have been committed to for more than a decade.
Throughout that time, we have worked towards securing formal protection for this special landscape, supporting conservation roleplayers and contributing the technical expertise needed to help move the process forward. When Kouga Municipality approached us for assistance, we brought that experience and longstanding commitment to supporting a practical solution.
The Aagreement between the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and Kouga Municipality now provides a way forward. Together with our partners, we will continue working towards the area’s formal declaration as a nature reserve.
Why this landscape deserves protection
The land at Ongegunde Vryheid forms part of a remarkable coastal landscape. Its value extends beyond the views that residents and visitors enjoy.
It supports critically endangered St Francis Strandveld, threatened plants and wildlife, including Cape grysbok, bushbuck and Cape clawless otters. Its wetlands help regulate water flows, while its coastal dunes help maintain beach stability. The area also holds archaeological evidence of people who lived along this coastline thousands of years ago.
Protecting these features means safeguarding both our natural and cultural heritage. It also helps preserve the character of Cape St Francis and the natural beauty on which much of the area’s tourism appeal depends.
The sustained work behind a milestone
Securing protection for land takes specialist knowledge, strong relationships and a willingness to keep working through complex processes.
This is where GKS plays an important role.
Our involvement in the Cape St Francis landscape stretches back to our beginnings.
Over more than 10 years, our commitment to this area has remained consistent: to help secure lasting protection and support the people and organisations working towards that goal.
For us, this milestone is particularly meaningful because it brings a longstanding conservation objective closer to becoming a reality.
What the Greater Kromme Stewardship does
The GKS was established in 2015 through a partnership between local wind energy companies and the Kromme Enviro-Trust, with Conservation Outcomes appointed to implement the initiative. This partnership brings sustained resources and conservation expertise to the wider Kromme, Kouga and Koukamma landscape.
At the heart of our work is biodiversity stewardship. In everyday terms, this means helping landowners and public bodies protect land that is important for nature, and supporting them in caring for it over time.
We help identify areas of conservation importance, engage with landowners and authorities, and support the processes needed to establish protected areas. Our work includes assessing the plants, animals and habitats on potential sites so that appropriate protection can be considered.
Our commitment also continues beyond declaration. Ongoing management support helps ensure that protected areas are cared for in practice. Alongside this, our environmental education work helps young people understand the natural world around them and their role in its future.
This combination of technical expertise, practical support and continuity is central to what we do.
A shared commitment to moving forward
The Ongegunde Vryheid agreement reflects the passion and persistence of many partners. FOSTER’s longstanding dedication to the Cape St Francis reserves, Conservation Outcomes’ specialist contribution, and the commitment of Kouga Municipality and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure all contributed to resolving the land-management arrangements.
Under the agreement, national government will retain ownership of the land, with Kouga Municipality taking responsibility for its management and FOSTER playing an operational role through a co-management arrangement. The conservation land has also been separated from the portion earmarked for future human settlements, allowing those processes to move forward independently.
The agreement is a significant milestone. Formal declaration as a nature reserve remains the next objective.
The GKS will continue working with all partners towards that declaration and supporting the long-term conservation of the area. The relationships, knowledge and commitment built over the past decade will remain important as this next phase unfolds.
We also thank our GKS members, whose ongoing support makes sustained conservation work possible. Their investment enables us to stay involved in processes that can take years to deliver results.
For everyone who has worked towards protecting this landscape, there is much to celebrate. There is also a shared responsibility to carry that work forward, so that future generations can experience the plants, wildlife and coastal spaces that make Cape St Francis extraordinary.
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