Kromme Enviro-Trust

The Kromme Enviro-Trust, a registered Public Benefit Organisation, was founded in 1981 by a group of passionate local volunteers concerned about environmental issues in the Greater St Francis area. More than four decades later, the work of the Enviro-Trust remains just as vital, given the extraordinary ecological and cultural significance of this unique region.

Botanically, the area falls within the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of the world’s six floral kingdoms but one of the richest in biodiversity. It is home to approximately 9,000 plant species, around 70% of which occur nowhere else on Earth. Locally, the vegetation is known as the St Francis Fynbos / Thicket Mosaic, an intricate and highly specialised ecosystem.

St Francis is also bordered by the Oyster Bay Dune Field, one of the finest examples in the world of a bypass headland dune system. Beyond its environmental importance, the dune field is an extraordinary archaeological landscape containing Middle Stone Age artefacts and Late Stone Age middens, evidence that people lived, hunted and were buried in these dunes more than 6,000 years ago.

Within this landscape are numerous wetlands and dune pools — some seasonal and others permanent. Among them is Langefonteinvlei, a pristine wetland considered one of the most important in the country from both a cultural and ecological perspective.

Protecting this remarkable environment remains a central focus of the Enviro-Trust. A key objective is to safeguard the Oyster Bay dune system from the ongoing threats of mineral and sand prospecting and mining, and to work towards the formal proclamation of all or parts of the dune field as a protected nature reserve.

The mission of the Kromme Enviro-Trust is to promote environmental awareness and to preserve and protect the natural environment and its amenities for future generations. This includes the conservation of local flora and fauna, marine life, shellfish and birdlife, as well as the responsible use of public open spaces, coastal areas and nature reserves.

To achieve this, the Enviro-Trust leads and contributes to a wide range of ongoing projects. These include environmental monitoring, where proposed developments and environmental impact assessments are carefully reviewed and constructive dialogue is encouraged to minimise potential environmental damage — including concerns relating to offshore oil and gas exploration and mining activities.

The Trust also maintains the Two Harbours Trail, which has faced significant storm damage and erosion in recent years, and oversees the Community Garden in Harbour Road.

Another important initiative is the Wildlife Sanctuary, where injured or sick birds and wildlife can receive short-term care and assessment before being released back into the wild or transferred to specialist rehabilitation facilities if longer-term care is required.

For the younger generation, the Eco-Kids Programme introduces children aged 4–10 to the wonders of the natural world. Through regular gatherings at different locations, children learn about topics such as birdlife, rock pool ecosystems, bees, wind and ocean currents. The programme also encourages participation in the Enviro-Trust’s biannual Coastal Clean-Ups, helping to foster environmental stewardship across all generations of the community.