The Gouritz Cluster biosphere reserve (South Africa)

The Gouritz Cluster biosphere reserve (South Africa) is located in the southern part of South Africa. The site covers an area of 3,187,892 hectares.  The reserve is divided into four connected sectors ranging from sea level to 2,240 m. It is the only place in the world where three recognized biodiversity hotspots (Fynbos, Succulent Karoo and Maputoland-Tongoland-Albany) converge. The are a great many endemic plant species. It provides a migratory route for large mammals such as the leopard and serves as a nursery for marine species. The area is critical for water resources. With over 200,000 inhabitants, the area is facing deep rooted socio-economic challenges (high unemployment, wide-spread poverty, sprawling informal settlements with inadequate services, rising HIV and crime rates). One promising solution is to address youth unemployment by building grassroots models of enterprises in the biosphere reserve and developing jobs linked to the biodiversity economy.