Their conservation area of 2884 hectares, in the Little Karoo Wine region, consists of extensive plains, arid foothills and rugged rocky ridges and forms a wide range of microhabitats. Seventeen different vegetation units have been identified by Jan Vlok and Trevor Wolf; this includes succulent Karoo, fynbos, as well as renosterveld types.

The Montagu district has a rich history of traditional medicinal remedies handed down by the Khoisan people who lived in this area. This knowledge was passed on to their descendants who worked on the farms as labourers. Many of these plants are found in this conservation area and some of these herbal remedies are still used today.

The five priority farms are all situated in the valleys of the Keisie and Kingna Rivers. The Langeberg Mountains forms the boundary to the south and the Waboomsberg to the north. Only small percentages of the farms are cultivated and therefore the producers of Uitvlucht can proudly say that for every hectare planted under vines, they are conserving ten hectares of mostly pristine natural vegetation.

The five priority farms are as follows:

Rietvlei2 of Steyn Joubert
Various veldtypes, as well as interesting ecotones of fynbos, renosterveld and succulent karoo are still in a pristine condition. One of the dominant trees is the Gaurri (Euclea undulate). This characteristic scenic feature of the hills in this area also has a medicinal value and the local people use this plant in the treatment of stomach problems, diarrhoea and tonsillitis.
A great variety of mammals, birds and reptiles still occurs on this farm.

Goedemoed of Jean-Pierre De Villiers
The farm stretches from the foot of the Langeberg northwards to the second highest ridge of the Bokkeveld series. At the entrance to the farm against a high vertical rock face you are greeted by magnificent ‘’Kransaalwyne’’ (Aloe arborescens).
Various pelargonium species were found on the property. Pelargonium flowers differ from other genera in having two posterior petals differentiated from the lower three petals by their longer and more marked features. Furthermore, the posterior sepals are modified in a way that it is fused with the pedicel forming the nectar tube. The length of this nectar tube varies from a few millimetres to a few centimetres, allowing only specific incests per species to collect nectar and pollinate the flowers.

Boontjiesland and Bordeaux of Deon Bruwer
The renosterveld found on the farm is in an exceptionally good condition, free of erosion, with many mosses and lichens present on the soil as well as rocky outcrops. A climbing soapbush, Zygophyllum spp (due to being soapy when rubbed) is very prominent on the property. Together with melktou (Euphorbia mauritania) it forms the basis for the yellowish-green spots seen from a distance in the otherwise greyish green veld throughout the Keisie region during spring and early summer.
Fascinating succulents are present, one of them the Crassula montana, a rosette type succulent, growing in rock fissures on its own or in groups of two or three.

Witklei of Jacques Kriel
This property stretches from the northern flanks of the Langeberg to the most prominent of the ‘koppies’, Die Kop on the north-eastern side of the Kingna River. It gives access to the famous guano caves in the Langeberg which is of great archaeological importance and is inhabited by different species of bats, including fruit and insect-eating bats. The sections of the Kingna River that flows through the farm are still in a relatively good condition and Cape clawless otter, as well as water mongoose are still frequently seen.
The Kukumakranka plant (Gethyllis spp) should still occur on this farm (has been seen before). This onion-shaped bulb has grey-green spiral leaves which appear after the first winter rains and disappear again after winter. During December the reddish- orange to creamy-white, flowers appear directly from the ground. The fruit of this plant is very tasty and in olden days Kukumakranka brandy was used as a traditional cure for stomach ailments. Kukumakranka is extremely scarce these days and some species are on the red data list. At the present rate of urban and agricultural development the danger exists that this valuable cultural plant may become extinct.

Patatasfontein of Willem Basson
The natural vegetation on these farms consists of fynbos, renosterveld, as well as succulent karoo vegetation types. The conservation area consists of rugged mountainous area, deep gorges with the most interesting geological formations. The natural area is in pristine condition and you can still experience the real wilderness atmosphere when hiking on this farm.

Two of the very interesting plants found on the farm were:

Cadaba aphylla (rooistorm-see photo above) This dense spiky shrub grows as a scrambler between and over other shrubs. The branches are hairless and mostly leafless; flowers are long, deep red-maroon. The black skinned roots were used by local people for a ‘’stormy’’ stomach, hence the Afrikaans name.
Another fairly rare plant found was the Sceletium tortuosum or known amongst the local people as ‘’kougoed’’. Simon van der Stel mentions in his journal in 1658 that during his trip to the Copper Mountains he found the Namaquas chewed the plant for its intoxicative effect. This plant is still used as a sedative for toothache, stomach and hunger pains.