THE HISTORY OF GIBA GORGE

Has stretched back to the time of the Stone Age.

The natural geological structures of Giba provided an important refuge for these early settlers. Anecdotes of more recent settlers tell a romantic tale of this rugged region before civilization really moved in and transformed the area in the last 50 years.

Excessive pressure on the natural systems in Giba in the last 20 years has lead to an increased awareness among landowners in the area to cooperate around protecting this important asset.

Our Vision

A vision for Giba is hoped to stem further interest in adjacent areas that share the same important habitats and which, together, make up a continuous natural corridor; the last of its kind in this region.

Co-Operative Project

The Giba Gorge Environmental Precinct (GGEP) is a cooperative project between private landowners and the municipality to manage a common area for conservation purposes. There are more than 165 private landowners that surround this common area all of which contribute to the maintenance of this natural heritage.

Municipal Finance System

Levies, directed via the municipal finance system known as a Special Rating Area, are channeled into a not-for profit Section 21 Company. The company comprises seven directors and a working committee that is mostly represented by landowners in the GGEP.

SOME FACTS

South Africa has lost more plant species to extinction than any other country.

In South Africa, 20000 species are at risk of extinction

11% of the nation's plants

(National botanic Institute – Cape Town 1998)

A Genet

Common genets have retractable claws that help them climb trees. A Common genet has a mane that runs from its shoulders to its tail. When threatened, it can erect its mane so that it looks bigger. These animals produce various sounds in order to communicate.