Vergelegen wine estate in Somerset West was awarded the top prize in the the Eco-Hospitality and Tourism category in the 2022 Eco-Logic Awards at a sustainability-themed event at the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town on Thursday 22 September.
Online environmental information source The Enviropaedia established the Eco-Logic Awards in 2011, with the organisers allocating award points based on seven “eco-logical” virtues, and the size and scale of their environmental impact. The seven virtues are vision and purpose; inclusivity and interconnection; a reconnecting and regenerative relationship with nature; intellectual and emotional intelligence; ubuntu; eco-ethical consumerism; and sustainability.
Wayne Coetzer, managing director of Vergelegen, said: “We are delighted to accept this award, which reinforces the commitment of the entire Vergelegen team to environmental care and sustainability.”
At the heart of Vergelegen’s multiple biodiversity initiatives and projects is a visionary, long-term alien vegetation clearing project, added Coetzer. This was initiated in 1995 and is considered the largest privately funded alien vegetation clearing project in South Africa. Pine, hakea, gum and acacia species’ densities initially ranged from 80 000 to 100 000 stems per hectare on difficult-to-access terrain. By end-2018, 2 200 ha had been cleared.
To protect this land for future generations, Vergelegen declared 1 900 ha a private nature reserve with the same status as the Kruger National Park. This reserve is at the core of Vergelegen’s many environmental projects.
To book a guided environmental tour at the estate, go to https://vergelegen.co.za/experiences/environmental-tours/.
