| Area Conserved: |
| 67 ha |
| Wine District: |
| Paarl |
| Owner / Contact Person: |
| Thys Greef |
| Phone: |
| 021 863 2450 |
| Website: |
| www.fairview.com |
| Membership Date: |
| 28 September 2007 |
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Biodiversity highlights: Area conserved – 67ha.
A tract of land on the southwestern slopes of Paarl Mountain was granted to Steven Vervey (a French Huguenot who fled Protestant persecution in Europe in 1688) in 1693 by Governor Simon van der Stel, who was instrumental in developing several of the Cape’s first and still finest wine estates. |
Just six years later the first wine was made on this farm. The farm came into the possession of the Back family in 1937 and the present owner, Charles Back II started farming with his father in 1978. Under his guidance Fairview has become one of South Africa’s most successful, enduring, innovative wineries of the 21st century. Some of the 67 hectares conservation area has been identified as an area of high conservation value: It contains some Boland Granite Fynbos, categorized as an endangered veldtype, as well as some critically endangered Swartland Granite Renosterveld. The property adjoins other properties with critically endangered vegetation and is continuous with Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve. Fairview is also in the process of applying for a biodiversity agreement with the Stewardship Programme of the CapeNature. Of specific conservation value is the Granite outcrops, so typical of this area. Some of the conservation area is heavily infested with alien vegetation, but LandCare has already started with clearing operations. The veld is also very old (40-50 years) and a controlled burn need to be planned in cooperation with the adjacent nature reserve. A river section, as well as a wetland is included in their conservation area. Rehabilitation of the riparian zones and wetland will be part of their conservation objectives for the next two years. |
