Knysna–Amatole montane forests

The Knysna–Amatole montane forests ecoregion, of the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome, is in South Africa. It covers an Afromontane area of in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces.

Setting

The ecoregion, which is South Africa's smallest in area, covers two separate enclaves.

The Knysna forest extends along the coast between 22°E and 25°E, generally along 34°S in a region called the Garden Route. The KwaZulu-Cape coastal forest mosaic lies along the coast to the north-east.
The Amatole forests lie in the Amatole mountains, which lie inland and 400 km ENE of the Knysna forest.

The ecoregion has a subtropical/warm-temperate climate . Rainfall occurs year-round, and ranges from 525 mm to 1,220 mm per year in the Knysna forest, and from 750 mm to 1,500 mm in the Amatole forests.

Flora

The trees are of tropical and afromontane origin, and include ironwood, stinkwood, Outeniqua yellowwood, real yellowwood, Cape holly, white pear, Cape beech, bastard saffron, Cape plane, assegai tree, kamassi, white alder, and red alder.

Fauna

The forests were home to African elephants, but the last count suggested that only one adult female, age 45 years, survives. In addition African leopard, bushbuck, blue duiker, bushpig and other mammals are resident. The density and assortment of birds is not exceptionally high, but the buff-spotted flufftail, Narina trogon, Knysna lourie, seven species of cuckoo, Knysna woodpecker, Knysna warbler, chorister robin-chat, Cape batis and forest canary occur, while birds of prey found here include the crowned eagle and the African wood owl. Reptiles include the endemic Knysna dwarf chameleon.

Human use and conservation

Thomas Henry Duthie was the first appointed Supervisor of Crown Forests and Lands. Despite the small size of the ecoregion, the Knysna and Amatole forests are South Africa's largest individual forests. The Knysna forest has been exploited for valuable timber since the 18th century, and the Amatole forests since the 20th century. Since 1939 the forests have mostly been within protected areas and are recovering well, although managed timber harvesting is allowed.