In 2015, the FYNBOS TRUST acquired Lucerne Farm, which had been declared the Honeybird Private Nature Reserve (since renamed Sugarbird Nature Reserve) 13 years earlier. We are continuing the dedicated groundwork of the founder of the Private Reserve on 510 hectares of land predominantly covered with species-rich Overberg Sandstone Fynbos : Godfrey Coetzee continued to live on the farm with his wife until his death in 2022 and supported the further development of his work with great joy until the end. He found his final resting place at Godfrey‘s Koppie. He was followed by his enchanting wife Helene in 2023. They both overlook their beloved Fynbos for all eternity.
Before our takeover, the fynbos areas were used for the sensitive and sustainable harvesting of wildflowers.Approximately 150,000 Protea compacta flowers were harvested annually and exported to Europe. Not only did this generate a small income, it also employed local community labour,providing livlihoods which is important in a region with a high unemployment rate. Although the Fynbos Trust has ceased the flower harvest in order to minimise the impact on nature, the workers are still employed here carrying out essential natural resource managment tasks such as alien clearing, road maintenance and fire management.
A 160-hectare section of Lucerne Farm (now Sugarbird Private Nature Reserve) was previously used for agriculture, 70 hectares of which were used to grow grain and the rest as grazing land for cattle. We fenced this part with a game fence and started breeding the endangered Bontebok antelope in 2016. These beautiful animals were almost extinct due to hunting around 100 years ago and are still very rare today.
