The establishment of a new conservation area in the Eastern Cape marks another step forward in a broader project to restore a wildlife corridor facilitating the protection of species such as elephant and the critically endangered black rhino.
This week, the Global Humane Conservation Fund of Africa (GH-CFA) opened the 276 hectare Brad and Alice Andrews Preserve adjacent to the Tanglewood Conservation Area in the Bushman’s River Biodiversity Corridor (BRBC).
The BRBC forms part of the Albany Biodiversity Corridor – a proposed corridor that will extend more than 150km from the Eastern Cape’s famed Addo Elephant National Park to the Great Fish River Nature Reserve.
The GH-CFA will work in close partnership with Tanglewood’s owner, Wilderness Foundation Africa, and other neighbouring landowners, to establish a formal agreement to guide the corridor’s expansion and officially declare the properties as a single protected environment.
“This preserve represents more than just protected land – it’s a promise for the future of Africa’s iconic wildlife. By reconnecting fragmented habitats and fostering biodiversity, we are giving nature a fighting chance,” said Robin Ganzert, President and CEO of GH-CFA.
Wilderness Foundation Global CEO Andrew Muir said the greater Albany Biodiversity Corridor is a vital endeavour in connecting the many private and public reserves in the Eastern Cape.
“Each investment into this vision brings us closer to a connected, thriving landscape where conservation, communities and sustainable development can coexist for the benefit of nature and people.”
Peter Chadwick, CEO of the Conservation Landscapes Institute, emphasised the corridor’s benefits for wildlife and people. He said: “Through the restoration and rewilding of this amazing conservation area, many benefits will accrue, including the creation of new rhino and elephant strongholds and the development of youth and gender equality programmes that lead to sustainable employment and a thriving nature-based economy.”
