ROSELANDS

Roselands (1 152 ha) is a commercial farm situated about 10 km south-west of Richmond, in the KZN midlands, and is owned by Mr Malcolm Nicholson. The farm was purchased by the Nicholson family in 1850 and is one of the original homesteads of the Byrne Settlers. The Mkomazi valley, containing the Umkomaas River is to the immediate west. The Sepekoe tea plantation is to the south. The settlements KwaNdongeni and KwaMatakana occur within the property, which is a mosaic of sugar-cane, plantations, grassland and wetland habitats. Current land-uses include the production of sugar-cane, commercial timber, extensive grazing for beef production, kiwi fruit production and environmental education. Roselands is an existing South African Natural Heritage Site (No. 110), and the landowners are recognised as Blue Swallow and Oribi Custodians.

Roselands is essential for the conservation of key species, including the “Critically Endangered” Blue Swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea). The property has three active Blue Swallow breeding sites out of a total of 43 breeding sites in the country. Only four Blue Swallow nest sites are in currently existing within Protected Areas. Other special species that occur on Roselands include “Endangered” Hilton daisy (Gerbera aurantiaca - including a rare yellow form) and “Endangered” Oribi (Ourebia ourebi - about 20 individuals).

Furthermore, the site contains 161 ha of “Endangered” Midlands Mistbelt Grassland and contributes 0.03 % to the provincial target for this vegetation type. While this may not seem like much, the significance of Roselands becomes more apparent when one considers that only 0.6 % of this habitat is under formal conservation. Ninety percent has been permanently transformed by a diverse array of land-uses and only approximately 1% of the original extent still remains in a near-pristine state.

Most notably, the site is regularly used for environmental education – 40 000 children have been involved in the past 12 years. The environmental education centre on Roselands continues to host school children and provide an important service in educating children regarding the natural environment.