George Trails is a trail tourism project started by the Green Sport Foundation non-profit. George Trails is all about promoting George as a trail tourism destination and providing information to the user. It is not legislative in any way and provides information and guidelines for the responsible and safe use of the trails.
Legislation is left to land owners/managers so please respect their rules and regulations at all times as it is a privilege and not a right to use their land. We can only thank our landowners for this privilege.
Everyone must work together responsibly to protect this privilege and to ensure that individuals don’t spoil the privilege for the larger community.
Thanks to our Land Owners/Managers:
The George Municipality is the largest municipality in the Eden District, which is geographically the third largest district in the Western Cape. George as the district hub and main city in the region. George Municipality owns the land between Witfontein and the Garden Route Dam.
http://www.george.org.za
mmreception@george.org.za
T: +27 (0)44 801 9111
MTO Cape produces round wood logs for sale to sawmills and pole processing plants. The plantations run from Tokai in the west to Longmore near Port Elizabeth in the east. MTO Cape currently operates two sawmills, one of which is located in George. MTO currently acts as land manager on DAFF land for Bergplaas, Saasveld and the Jonkersberg plantations and as contractor in the Witfontein plantation. Once pine trees are harvested and the areas not replanted, the land is often handed back to DAFF or Cape Nature where Fynbos is established.
http://www.mto.co.za
info@mto.co.za
T: +27 (0)44 871 1026
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) was renamed on 1 April 2021, from the previous Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF). In June 2019 the DFFE was established by incorporating the forestry and fisheries functions from the previous Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries into the Department of Environmental Affairs.
The DFFE mandated to give effect to the right of citizens to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being, and to have the environment protected for the benefit of present and future generations. To this end, the Department provides leadership in environmental management, conservation and protection towards sustainability for the benefit of South Africans and the global community.
T: +27 (0)12 319 6000
CapeNature is a public institution with the statutory responsibility for biodiversity conservation in the Western Cape. It is governed by the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board Act 15 of 1998 and mandated to: promote and ensure nature conservation; render services and provide facilities for research and training; and generate income. The Outeniqua Reserve, Witfontein office is a well-known landmark for trail users around George. From here a variety of hiking routes start, crossing over DAFF land before ascending into the Fynbos on the higher peaks that is managed by Cape Nature.
http://www.capenature.co.za
landusegeorge@capenature.co.za
T: +27 (0)21 483 0190
As a leading conservation authority, SANParks is a public entity under the jurisdiction of the Department of Environmental Affairs, where inclusive conservation as opposed to previous policies of exclusion, are central to advancing the policies in line with the National Development Framework for Sustainable Development and the national Development Plan. SANParks manages a system of 19 functional national parks in seven of the nine provinces of South Africa with a total area of just over 4 million hectares comprising 67% of the protected areas under state management. Around George SANParks controls the Groeneweide hiking trails (accessible from NMU Campus), Groenkop Area, Ebb & Flow Wilderness and the stretch of beach between the Touws River Mouth (Wilderness) and Swartvlei (Sedgefield).
https://www.sanparks.org
reservations@sanparks.org
T: +27 (0)12 426 5000
Nelson Mandela University is an academic institution at the forefront of education and training in the Eastern and Southern Cape.
The George Campus of Nelson Mandela University (situated near the Saasveld plantation to the East of George) focuses on becoming a world-class knowledge catalyst for the green economy and a more sustainable future and plans to realise this through cutting-edge research and engagement, quality teaching and learning; as well as competitive innovation and entrepreneurship.
Please note that information about land owners/managers and land boundaries may change without notice. It is best to contact land owners/managers directly for the latest information on boundaries, access, permits, rules, etc.