Critical Biodiversity Area. The vegetation of the coastal dunes of the Greater St Francis area has the highest possible conservation status owing to the high levels of endemic biodiversity, and the threats this biodiversity faces from urban expansion and alien plant invasions. This means that no further habitat loss will be tolerated without detailed plans to mitigate the impacts.

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir

 

Single – R200

Family – R300

Own Donation

Become a member

Make a Donation

Foster Members

Operational costs in Rands needed per annum

FOSTER – OUR STORY

The Friends of the St Francis Nature Areas – FOSTER was established 30 years ago. This voluntary organisation shoulders the bulk of the management role for the Seal Bay, Cape St Francis, Irma Booysen & Seal Point Nature Reserves. These wonderful green gems offer a choice of hiking trails through various coastal habitats from rocky shores, beaches, and salt-stunted vegetation to fynbos thickets and coastal dune forests.

 

The customary role of “Friends” groups is simply to provide support to the responsible statutory authority. In the case of the different nature areas, the responsible bodies are the Kouga Municipality, the Eastern Cape Department of Development, Economic Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT) and/or Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism (ECPT), and Transnet.  Currently none are able/willing to provide the necessary support for the management of the reserves.

Take a Tour of our Reserves

The Irma Booysen Flora Reserve comprises the broad area between the main road leading into Cape St Francis (R330) and the village itself.

IRMA BOOYSEN

CAPE ST FRANCIS

The Cape St Francis Nature Reserve lies between the villages of Cape St Francis and St Francis Bay and extends to the tip of the Cape St Francis headland, locally referred to as Shark Point.

SEAL BAY

The Seal Bay Nature Area is found in the heart of Cape St Francis village lying about half-way along Da Gama Rd, between Drake Place & Shearwater roads and extends down to the sea.

SEAL POINT

The Seal Point Nature Area includes the land on either side of the road approaching the Lighthouse and extends all along the coast to the western boundary of the Cape St Francis village at Sunset Rocks.

Walk Our Trails

Seal Point Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Approximate distance: 1.5km

Approximate time: 1 – 1.5 hours

Lighthouse Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Approximate distance:

Approximate time: 1 hour

Grysbok Trail

Difficulty: Moderate

Approximate distance: 1.8km

Approximate time: 40 min

Fynbos Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Approximate distance: 2.1km

Approximate time: 45 min

Des Green Trail

Difficulty: Moderate

Approximate distance: 3.4km

Approximate time: 1 – 1.5 hours

Kershout Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Approximate distance: 1km

Approximate time: 30 min

Shark Point Trail

Difficulty: Moderate

Approximate distance: 4km

Approximate time: 2hrs

Buchu Trail

Difficulty: Easy

Approximate distance: 1.4km

Approximate time: 45min – 1 hour

Two Bays Trail

Difficulty: Moderate

Approximate distance: 3.8km

Approximate time: 2 hours

Latest News

Video Library

Video Library

Our website now also boasts a video library. Please take some time to watch the wonderful explainers by Prof Richard Cowling. Your heart and soul already know that the area is special, in his videos Richard provides you with all the factual reasons why it is so important to protect and conserve our nature areas.

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FOSTER – Making a difference, investing in green

FOSTER – Making a difference, investing in green

Thanks to FOSTER’s efforts over the past 30 years, our region has four well-managed nature reserves, each with unique natural and recreational features, providing residents with many services, for example recreation, nature appreciation, fire hazard reduction and (ask...

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THE SHELL SHINGLE VEGETATION OF THE CAPE ST FRANCIS COAST

THE SHELL SHINGLE VEGETATION OF THE CAPE ST FRANCIS COAST

by Richard Cowling When walking from Surfer’s Car Park, past the Cape St Francis lighthouse and thence to the eastern reaches of Rocky Coast, you may have noticed a community of dwarf plants occupying a narrow (10-20-m band) of shell shingle immediately above the high...

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