Harts River - Protected Areas

Protected Areas

Most of the fish found in the Harts River are introduced species, except in the area of Barberspan, where indigenous species can be found. It was declared a nature reserve in 1949.

Near the towns of Sannieshof and Delareyville, the river is connected to Barberspan (26°35' S 25°35' E)26°35′S 25°35′E / 26.583°S 25.583°E / -26.583; 25.583, which lies partially inside the Barberspan Nature Reserve and is a Ramsar wetland site. The pan is 11 km long and 3.5 km wide, and it is named either after Frederick Hugh Barber FRGS, who hunted along the Harts River in 1875, or after the barbel (baber in the Afrikaans language), a species of catfish found in South African rivers.

In 1913, Jan Christiaan Smuts, who owned a farm near the southern end of the pan, provided the labour and his foreman, Mr M.S. Basson, supervised the digging of a channel which diverted water from the Harts River into the pan, which lies about 9 m lower than the river. The area is so flat that the Harts River now pushes enough water into Barberspan during the rainy season to last through the dry winter months, where previously the pan used to dry up during the dry season. This was ecologically important, since the pan now became a large perennial water body in an area of otherwise seasonal pans and vleis. It became an oasis for birds (especially water fowl) which use it for feeding, drinking, roosting, moulting and breeding. Up to 20,000 birds of more than 320 species can be seen at the Barberspan Bird Sanctuary, making it a popular birding spot, probably the finest in South Africa. Seven endangered bird species and two endangered mammal species occur here. Barberspan also supports a rich plankton community. (RAMSAR, 1994).

Barberspan is also the venue for off-road vehicle rallys, like the Barberspan 500. There is a hotel, self-catering accommodation and camping facilities on the site.