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Biodiversity & Wine Initiative
 
A PIONEERING PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE SOUTH AFRICAN WINE INDUSTRY AND THE CONSERVATION SECTOR

 

 Members
Armajaro Estates
Area Conserved:
132 ha
Wine District:
Paarl
Owner / Contact Person:
Bridget Johnson
Phone:
0721530627
Website:
www.armajaro.com
Membership Date:
01 February 2008
 

Biodiversity highlights: Area conserved – 132ha.
A part of the conservation area of this estate consists of Swartland Granite Renosterveld. This is a critically endangered vegetation type of which almost 80% has already been transformed due to agriculture and the conservation of the remaining remnants is therefore of utmost importance.

Armajajo Estate is situated on the foothills of the Paardeberg Mountain. Their conservation area consists of 132 hectares of natural vegetation. Although a small section has been ploughed before (some twenty years ago), most of the area is still in a pristine condition. The veldtypes are Boland Granite Fynbos, as well as some Swartland Granite Renosterveld . The conservation status of the first veldtype is endangered. This diverse veldtype is dominated by scrubs, asteraceous and proteoid fynbos (with Protea repens, P. burchelli, P. laurifolia, Leacadendron rubrum as dominants) on the drier slopes. Leucospermum grandiflorrum is dominant in seepage areas and P. nerifolia, as well as patches of restoied and ericaceous fynbos are found on the moist slopes. Waboomveld is also very typical of this veld type.

Swartland Granite Renosterveld is a critically endangered vegetation type of which almost 80% has already been transformed due to agriculture and the conservation of the remaining remnants are of utmost importance.

Vondeling, the only wine range of Armajaro Estates, is labelling several blends of their wine range with names of 8 particularly threatened plant species which are endemic to the Paardeberg, in order to raise awareness of their plight.

Several farming practices have been changed to encourage biodiversity. Under the directorship of Julian Johnsen, diatomaceous earth for management of ants in the vineyards, "Biofly" for the management of housefly on the farm and biological management / physical removal of alien invader plant species, all forms part of their ‘’environmentally-friendly’’ management plan for Armajaro.



 
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