Eastern Cape

The Eastern Cape hosts an amazing diversity of flora and fauna, and contains many species needing protection.

WESSA’s conservation activity started in the Eastern Cape in 1929 with the formation of the Cape Branch of the Wildlife Protection Society of SA, which evolved into WESSA through the years. The society played a major role in the proclamation of the Addo Elephant National Park in 1931. The society evolved with time, with vibrant member and staff activity being focused around the hubs of Port Elizabeth and East London, as the Eastern Province and Border-Kei regions, respectively. In 2014 the two regions were merged into the Eastern Cape Region.

Encompassing the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany hotspot of endemism in the north-east, the highly-valued sub-tropical thicket biome in the western parts, the fossil-rich Karoo with its highly specialized vegetation types and the eastern-most part of the Cape Floral kingdom, the region hosts a number of national, provincial, local and private reserves that celebrate the region’s diversity. Offshore, several of the country’s marine protected areas (MPAs) are found along the coast, including the recently declared MPA in Algoa Bay.

Currently most of WESSA Eastern Cape’s membership activity takes place in the Port Elizabeth and Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) metropolitan areas, and their immediate surrounds. Our branches and Friends groups organise and support many activities such as conservation, rehabilitation, education, clean-ups, community involvement, doing our best to inculcate the spirit of action and participation in people caring for the Earth. A major facet of our membership activity is to play a watchdog role in protecting the environment.

We are keen to engage with members beyond PE and Makhanda so please contact our regional chair if you are interested in becoming involved with WESSA.

Eastern Cape Projects

Please check back soon.

Project 2

Branches & Affiliates

The Eastern Cape region has a strong presence of WESSA branches and affiliated Friends Groups, all actively involved in conservation, education, and local watchdog activities.

Currently there are two branches:

• Algoa Bay

• Grahamstown

Friends Groups in the Eastern Cape:

• Friends of Baviaanskloof Wilderness Area (FOBWA)

• Friends of St Francis Nature Areas (FOSTER)

• Friends of Van Stadens (FOVS)

• Friends of Groendal (FROG)

• Friends of the Waters Meeting Nature Reserve

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