The Berg Estuary in the Western Cape designated as South Africa’s 28th Ramsar Site! [update]

update (08 June 2022): An official Ramsar sign board located at the start of the Berg Estuary was unveiled recently by the Western Cape government and CapeNature at the launch of the Berg Estuary as a Ramsar site. 

The Berg Estuary in South Africa's Western Cape has been declared a Wetland of International Importance ("Ramsar Site") by the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, also known as the Ramsar Convention. This addition brings the number of South Africa's Ramsar Sites to 28.
Situated at Velddrif, close to St Helena Bay where the Berg River flows into the sea, this estuary spans an area of 1 162 ha. The Berg Estuary is one of the most important coastal wetlands in South Africa. Fresh water flowing from the estuary and its floodplain mixes with marine water, enabling diverse conditions for various habitats to flourish. Among these is the third-largest saltmarsh on the Cape Coast. The estuary's unique vegetation is a valuable natural asset because of its rare plant species which are typical of the wider region. About 127 species of waterbird have been recorded since 1975, some of which are globally threatened. Despite its value, the Berg Estuary lacks an official national conservation status. However, there is a management plan which identifies research and monitoring priorities.

Berg River Estuary Boundary ©ramsar.org

The Berg Estuary, which is one of 290 estuaries in South Africa, is the second wetland of international importance to be declared in the country in two years. In 2021, the Ingula Nature Reserve in the northern Drakensberg was declared the country’s 27th Ramsar Site.

The Convention on Wetlands/Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that embodies the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the "wise use", or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories.