Boosmansbos Wilderness Area
Encyclopedia
The Boosmansbos Wilderness Area of 14,200 ha is situated 20km north of Heidelberg
Heidelberg, Western Cape
Heidelberg is a town in Western Cape, South Africa. It is located near South Africa's south coast, on the N2 highway, 274 km east of Cape Town...
in the eastern Langeberg
Langeberg
The Langeberg Mountain Range is a mountain range situated in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The range runs in a generally east-west direction and is approximately 170 km long. The Langeberg's most westerly point is located 35 km west of the town of Swellendam; the range ends some 30 km...
mountain chain of the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Boosmansbos, i.e. 'angry man's forest', is named after a resident hermit of the early 19th century who had been known to scare youngsters who visited his apiaries
Apiary
An apiary is a place where beehives of honey bees are kept. Traditionally beekeepers paid land rent in honey for the use of small parcels. Some farmers will provide free apiary sites, because they need pollination, and farmers who need many hives often pay for them to be moved to the crops when...
.
The elevation reaches 1,637m at Grootberg peak, located at the center of the wilderness area. The tributaries of the Duiwenhoks River
Duiwenhoks River
Duiwenhoks River, Located in Western Cape, South Africa, drains the Langeberg Mountains and flows south to the coast, entering the sea west of Mossel Bay in the Southern Cape. The river is approximately 83 km long with a catchment area of 1 340 sq. km...
, which drain its southern slopes, tumble along precipitous gorges to 200m above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
on the southern perimeter. In the southwest the wilderness area encloses the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve of 250 ha, the westernmost natural forest in South Africa.
The wilderness area conserves mountain fynbos
Fynbos
Fynbos is the natural shrubland or heathland vegetation occurring in a small belt of the Western Cape of South Africa, mainly in winter rainfall coastal and mountainous areas with a Mediterranean climate...
and valley forest. Among the special fynbos plants conserved are Erica
Ericaceae
The Ericaceae, commonly known as the heath or heather family, is a group of mostly calcifuge flowering plants. The family is large, with roughly 4000 species spread across 126 genera, making it the 14th most speciose family of flowering plants...
and Everlasting
Strawflower
The genus Helichrysum consists of an estimated 600 species, in the sunflower family . The type species is Helichrysum orientale. The name is derived from the Greek words helisso and chrysos ....
species. Important forest tree species occurring in the valleys are Sickle-leaved Yellowwood
Afrocarpus falcatus
Afrocarpus falcatus, commonly known as the Sickle-leaved Yellowwood and False Yellowwood Afrocarpus falcatus, commonly known as the Sickle-leaved Yellowwood and False Yellowwood Afrocarpus falcatus, commonly known as the Sickle-leaved Yellowwood and False Yellowwood (formerly also Outeniqua...
, Stinkwood
Ocotea bullata
Ocotea bullata is a species of flowering tree in the family Lauraceae, native to South Africa. It produces very fine and valuable timber which, along with Yellowood, was much sought after to make traditional furniture. Due to over-exploitation it is now a protected species. Other names for it are...
and Red Alder
Cunonia capensis
Cunonia capensis is a small tree, found in the afromontane forests of Southern Africa, and along rivers....
.
The area receives rain in any month of the year, although mid summer and mid winter are the driest, when hot bergwind
Bergwind
Bergwind is the South African name for a foehn wind, a hot dry wind blowing from the mountainous interior to the coast. It varies from mild to gusts up to 100km/h that cause structural damage...
conditions may occur. 64km of footpaths allow access to the wilderness, among which a circular 27km section which can be completed in two days.