Physical Address
Pearly Beach
Western Cape
7220
If you have ever stood on the cliffs of Walker Bay and watched a southern right whale breach, or walked through the Platbos Forest and felt the quiet weight of a thousand-year-old milkwood, you already know why South Africa’s biodiversity matters. It isn’t an abstract concept. It’s the everyday magic of the Overberg.
This week, the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Ms Bernice Swarts launched the National Biodiversity Assessment (NBA) 2025 which is South Africa’s most comprehensive and up-to-date report on the state of the country’s biodiversity.. It’s a technical report, yes, but it tells a very human story: the state of our ecosystems shapes the state of our lives.
“Biodiversity underpins both our economy and society,” said Ms Swarts. “It provides essential services and products that sustain human wellbeing and drive inclusive growth and job creation.”
The assessment drew on the expertise of over 490 experts from more than 110 institutions, producing a rigorous, inclusive, and forward-looking scientific resource.
A National Report with Local Meaning
South Africa is one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries — three biodiversity hotspots, exceptional plant richness, and the third-highest level of marine species endemism on the planet. Much of that richness is right here: the fynbos-covered mountains, the Agulhas coastline where two oceans meet, the estuaries that feed our birdlife, the kelp forests that shelter our seals, sharks, and penguins.
The NBA confirms what many Overberg residents and conservation groups have long felt:
climate change, poor land use, pollution, invasive alien species, and illegal harvesting are placing our natural systems under strain. These pressures are not theoretical. They affect:
- the quality of our water
- the resilience of our farmlands
- the survival of our endemic plants
- the marine life that draws thousands of visitors each year
- the landscapes we walk, cycle, and photograph
But the report also offers good news — and this is where the Overberg shines.
Where the Overberg Is Getting It Right
The NBA highlights several encouraging trends: community stewardship, restoration work, protected areas, and better data are improving the picture in many regions. If you know this coastline, you’ve seen these efforts in action.
The Overberg thrives because of its natural beauty — not instead of it. Tourism here is inseparable from biodiversity: the whales, the fynbos, the mountains, the wetlands, the wild horses, the penguins, the endless coastline.
The NBA gives us a clear roadmap for how to protect these treasures while still welcoming travellers. And as visitors or weekend explorers, our choices matter:
- Stay on marked trails to protect fragile vegetation
- Support local guides and conservation-led tourism
- Choose low-impact activities
- Learn the names of the plants and birds you see
- Respect marine wildlife and keep your distance
- Celebrate — and share — the conservation stories that inspire hope
Responsible travel is not a sacrifice; it’s a privilege. It means the landscapes we love today will still be here tomorrow.
A Moment to Pay Attention
What struck me most about the NBA 2025 is its tone: clear, urgent, but hopeful. The science is sobering, but it tells us something powerful — when we act, nature responds.
The Overberg is full of reminders of this: the return of birdlife to restored wetlands, the slow regrowth after fires, the resilience of fynbos after a single rainfall. This region knows how to recover. It knows how to grow back.
But it cannot do it without us.
As Ms Mohlago Flora Mokgohloa, Deputy Director-General of the Biodiversity and Conservation Branch in the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment said at the launch: “The National Biodiversity Assessment gives us the knowledge we need to act – now it is up to all of us to turn this knowledge into lasting change for our country and our people.”
For more information, go to https://nba.sanbi.org.za/
