Quick Facts
Did you know that…
- It is run by elected volunteers.
- It is the only biosphere that has a nuclear power station and an oil refinery.
- It is the only biosphere with a toxic dump site.
- It is the only biosphere that encompasses a city boundary.
- It is an excellent venue for shore-based whale watching, and is not not overcrowded like most other spots.
- It includes the fastest expanding residential area in South Africa (Parklands/Table View).
- It has been ignored historically by botanists and other academics as having no real merit.
- It includes a RAMSAR site (Langebaan lagoon) with a deep-sea harbour to accommodate ore carriers.
- It includes Dassen Island, one of only two breeding sites in the country for Pelicans,
(the other is St. Lucia.) as well as the largest penguin colony. - It is the hub of the pelagic fishing industry, based in Saldanha.
- Yzerfontein harbour produces the largest amount of line fish in the country.
- It has the largest colony of gannets, based at Lamberts Bay.
- It has a Fossil park.
- Groote Post vineyard produces Chardonnay of choice for SAA business class and has won many awards.
- Darling Cellars, the largest local producer of a fine selection of wines is based in the Biosphere.
- Most large industries in the area are currently BBBEE compliant.
- The Swartland wheat fields described as the “Breadbasket of South Africa” are part of the Biosphere.
- Langebaan hosts the largest hobie cat sailing regatta in the country every Easter weekend.
- The World championship sailboard competition is annually held at Big Bay.
- Blouberg is one of the top five kite surfing venues in the world.
- The Berg River estuary is one of the largest salt producers in country (Cerebos).
- It is the home of the dried fish industry (Bokkems).
- It has an excellent climate, lower rainfall and warmer winters than Cape Town; and cooler summers owing to the cold Atlantic
- It still has large open spaces and a BIG blue unpolluted sky.
