His family owns a nineth-generation family farm, which includes 750 hectares of the Conservancy’s land area. He is a retired farmer, government minister, director of companies who graduated with a B.Com (Law) from the University of Stellenbosch. He currently acts as the Conservancy’s Chief Executive Officer with the assistance of MANCO member Barend de Kock.
Meet the team
Management Committee
LAMPIE FICK (Chairman)
ROSS PHILIP (Vice-chairman)
He runs a diverse commercial farming operation that supplies fresh vegetables and free-range chickens to retail chains in South Africa. He graduated with a B.Sc. Agriculture from the University of Stellenbosch and has served the regional agricultural sector in various capacities as Co-op director, Chairman of the Farmers Association, and others. He is also Chairman of the Zonderend River Restoration Project, one of the largest restoration projects of its kind in the country.
He owns about 380 hectares of the Conservancy’s land area.
BAREND DE KOCK
A Fellow of the Actuarial Society of South Africa and of the Institute of Actuaries (London), graduated with a B.Com (Hons.) from the University of Stellenbosch. He heads up the Western Cape department of actuarial services of JSE listed financial services company, Alexander Forbes. He is a senior actuary and consultant to several retirement funds in South Africa.
He lives with his family on a sixth-generation family farm in the district of Caledon where they own about 400 hectares of the Conservancy’s land area. He assists the Chairman with the Conservancy’s financial management and administration.
HUME SCHONFELDT
The family runs one of the largest commercial grain- and cattle farming operations in the region. They are at the forefront of regenerative farming practices with international best practice production and operating methods improving the carbon quality and microbe activity in soils. Their farming operation includes 370 hectares of mountain landscape, including the natural habitat of a frog specie that is endemic to the Klein Swartberg Mountain.
CHRIS MARTENS
His conservation career stretches over four decades with a wealth of expertise and knowledge. He initiated and managed the Western Cape Nature Stewardship Program and played a key role in the establishment of several nature reserves and conservancies (including this one in the year 2000) in the province. As a renowned expert of conservation management, he continues to add valuable insight to several registered Special Management Areas in the province and he remains a driving force behind several significant projects within the Agulhas Biodiversity Initiative. He currently runs a company that invests in the conservation of the natural landscapes in the Overberg region.
PIETER SWART
He is the fifth generation of owners of the historic Swartrivier Estates, a commercial farming enterprise that produces winter grain, vegetables and is renowned for its stud Dohne Merino sheep. His father, Michael, was the founding father of the Conservancy in 2000. The family owns 1134 hectares of the Conservancy’s land area, which is a prime example of the results of ongoing dedication and investment into the protection of the natural resources of the mountain. He graduated with a B.Econ.(Hons.) from the University of Stellenbosch before he joined the farming operation. His enthusiasm for the protection of biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem balance serves as a management benchmark for conservation in the region.
Alien Clearing Teams
The Alien Clearing Contractor and his two fulltime teams have been working with the Conservancy uninterruptedly for the past 11 years. They know the veld, most of the indigenous species, the boundaries between properties on the mountain, every one of the alien invasion species, and every section of the mountain tracks.
HOWARD SMITH
He was born and grew up in Genadendal where his parents and grandparents owned the property, which was handed down to each consecutive generation and where he still lives with his family.
HARLEY SMITH
The Supervisor of one of the teams, is a daughter of the Contractor who learnt the tricks of the trade from her father. She has 5 years of experience as an Alien Clearer and the past two years she acted as Supervisor often working on her own when her father is not close by to advise and guide
The clearing team of 19 fulltime employees consisting of the Contractor, the Supervisor, General Workers, Chainsaw Operators, Health and Safety officers, First Aid officers, and Herbicide applicators.
A dense stand of one-year old alien vegetation being removed in a follow-up operation after a successful controlled burn two years earlier.
Collaborators
The Conservancy cannot exist or even dream to achieve its objectives without the collaboration of a number of parties who have an interest in and are affected by the recovery and maintenance of the fynbos landscape on the mountain and the protection of its natural resources. The following parties have been in the past and are currently some of the most trusted and valued collaborators:
The Landowners who substantially contribute financially and in the form of practical support.
Western Cape Department of Agriculture [LandCare] who have invested significantly during the past decade and more.
Overberg District Municipality whose Fire Department’s assistance with controlled burns is irreplaceable.
Endangered Wildlife Trust who contributed significantly with protecting the endemic Moss frog on the mountain.
Overberg Fire Protection Association without whose assistance we cannot execute controlled burns.
Cape Nature [Western Cape Government Dept. of Environment] for research work and support.
Local Business who supports by sponsorships.
Fynbos Trust who contributes financially and provide invaluable ongoing support and advice.
Zonderend Water Users Association who is the channel through which state funding is provided.