Area Conserved: 670 ha Wine District: Owner / Contact Person: Pieter Carstens Phone: (023) 344 3026 Website: www.slanghoek.co.za Membership Date: 18 September 2006

Slanghoek Cellar lies in a picturesque valley, surrounded by the majestic Slanghoek Mountains, from which the cellar derives its name. Slanghoek cellar is only the third co-operative cellar to become a proud member of the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI). They have achieved this by conserving valuable natural habitats on their members' farms, as well as by implementing the BWI's biodiversity guidelines for sustainable production of wine.
As a proud member of the BWI, the Slanghoek Cellar's management (especially Pieter Carstens and Nico Grundlingh) and all its producers are now committed to ongoing conservation. They have all signed a letter of commitment, agreeing not to develop new vineyards on these areas of high conservation value. The natural vegetation of this area has been described as Breede Alluvium Fynbos. Some 58% of this veldtype's original extent has been lost (primarilay to agriculture), and is now regarded as an Endangered vegetation type, particularly as the threats are still ongoing.

The five farmers who have made great efforts to conserve areas of this highly threatened veldtye are as follows: Mr. C.C. Le Roux (Witelsrivier), Mr. P.P. Du Toit (Rustfontein), Mr. Du Toit. Stofberg (Luiperdsfontein), Mr. Philip Du Toit (Witelsrivier) and Mr. I.F. v d Merwe Du Toit (Eikeboom).
Many Red Data Book species are found on these farms, e.g. the Endangered Erica hansfordii, which is endemic to this area. Other Red Data species still occurring on these farms are:
Diastella parilis (Slanghoek Silky Puff), Isoetes stellenbosienses (tiny fern found in the seasonal wetlands), and Critically Endangered Geissorhiza geminata (River Iris, also found in seasonal streams)