Data Zone
Country/territory: South Africa
Subnational region(s): Free State; KwaZulu-Natal; Mpumalanga
IBA Justification: A1, A2, A3, A4i, A4ii, A4iii (2015)
Area: 1,084,550 hectares (10,845.50 km2)
BirdLife Partner(s): BirdLife South Africa
| Conservation status of the Important Bird Area (IBA) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year of assessment (most recent) | State (condition) | Pressure (threat) | Response (action) |
| 2013 | very unfavourable | very high | low |
Site summary
This vast area (c. 1 050 000 ha) is centred on the towns of Volksrust and Wakkerstroom. The previously proposed, but not yet declared, Biosphere Reserve comprises some 800 private farms, several municipalities, conservancies, Biodiversity Stewardship Protected Environments and a considerable amount of State-owned land. A series of farms and conservancies in the Harrismith, Vrede and Memel districts of the Free State is included. The area comprises gentle rolling hills on the South African plateau (1 700 - 1 800 m a.s.l.) that are broken regularly by parts of the Mpumalanga Drakensberg escarpment, small ranges such as the Gemsbokberg (2 095 m a.s.l.), Versamelberg (2 139 m a.s.l.) and Balelesberg (2 055 m a.s.l.), as well as the higher peaks around Wakkerstroom, such as Ntshele (2 291 m a.s.l.), Ossewakop (2 170 m a.s.l.), Kanonkop (2 112 m a.s.l.) and KwaMandlangampisi (2 266 m a.s.l.).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Important Bird Area factsheet: Grasslands (South Africa). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/grasslands-iba-south-africa on 21/01/2025.