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BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
A ROCHA PARTNER PROJECTS
A Rocha Partner Projects (APP) share A Rocha SA’s ethos of caring for God’s creation and commit themselves to achieve measurable goals in biodiversity conservation, stewardship of natural habitats and sustainable living.
Phillipskop Mountain Reserve
Phillipskop conserve their portion of the Cape Floral Kingdom
Phillipskop Mountain Reserve as an A Rocha SA Partner Project. A Rocha Partner Project shares A Rocha SA’s ethos of caring for God’s creation and commit themselves to achieve measurable goals in biodiversity conservation, stewardship of natural habitats and sustainable living.
Owners, Drs Chris and Anna Whitehouse, have a long standing affinity with A Rocha, having been introduced to the work of A Rocha UK in their home country and continuing their affiliation with A Rocha SA in what has become their adopted country.
Since 2014, Chris and Anna have lived at Phillipskop Mountain Reserve, utilising their considerable combined knowledge and experience in botany and conservation to identify, celebrate and conserve their portion of the Cape Floral Kingdom’s 9600 plant species. For Chris and Anna, the biblical mandate to creation care is an important aspect of their Christian faith. In their words, “As stewards and custodians of Phillipskop Mountain Reserve we are committed to caring for and sharing this special part of God’s world with others, in order to engage, educate and encourage them towards caring for God’s creation”.
Phillipskop Mountain Reserve, situated near Hermanus, Western Cape, consists of 246 hectares of fynbos covered slopes on the southern side of the Klein River Mountains. Its extraordinary plant diversity of over 800 native species currently identified on the reserve, the majority endemic to the Western Cape, clings to the slopes, cliffs and waterfalls that create the dramatic backdrop to Phillipskop Mountain Reserve. With a current bird list of 112 species, including the endemic Orange-Breasted Sunbird, Cape Sugarbird, Cape Rockjumper, Cape Siskin and Victorin’s Warbler, and an abundance of mammal and reptile species, including the Cape Rock Elephant Shrew and Cape Dwarf Chameleons, the Phillipskop Mountain Reserve is a treasure-trove of life for day visitors and guests. A visit to their website (https://www.phillipskop.co.za) will lead you to well populated and updated fauna and flora species lists.
A Rocha South Africa is excited to partner with Drs Chris and Anna Whitehouse in their endeavour to care for Phillipskop Mountain Reserve. We look forward to celebrating the reserve’s extraordinary biodiversity and conservation achievements.
Would you like your venture to become an A Rocha SA Partner Project? Please contact [email protected] for more information.
1. Who can become
an A Rocha
Partner Project?
Land owners and entities who own larger areas of land and who are in agreement with A Rocha South Africa’s faith statement are welcome and encouraged to become A Rocha Partner Projects.
2. What is the aim of becoming an A Rocha Partner Project?
A Rocha South Africa will come alongside Christian land owners to set annual environmental goals. We will guide and encourage you to effectively care for the part of creation God entrusted you with.
3. Take the first step
to become a
Partner Project.
Please email A Rocha South Africa (ARZA) on [email protected] and request the registration form and our A Rocha Partner Projects Starter Guide.
Become an A Rocha Partner Organisation.
Email us on [email protected] for more information.