Who We Are

Grootvadersbosch Estate

Strawberry Hill Farm is not a strawberry farm! The name comes from the wild strawberries that used to grow here. The farm is part of the original Grootvadersbosch Moodie estate, which has been in the Moodie family since the 1800s. ​The farm is surrounded by indigenous forest and is a magical place to mountain bike, trail run, swim, kloof, read a book or learn about the inspiring conservation projects that are taking place in the area. The farm is on the boundary of the Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve and is part of the Grootvadersbosch Conservancy. The property is slowly being restored to indigenous vegetation, with a focus on forest restoration. Existing small pine plantations and rough growing blackwood are being harvested and replaced with indigenous species.

Aileen's is the third generation of the Moodie family to be living in the valley. 

Aileen has 2 environmental master's degrees with a focus on water resource management but much prefers spending her time managing the Grootvadersbosch Conservancy and keeping 132 rural people employed in environmental projects. 

Grootvadersbosch Forest

Africa's most southerly indigenous forest

The Grootvadersbosch Forest is the most southerly patch of indigenous forest in Africa. South African forests have the highest biodiversity of any temperate forested region in the world. Forests in the Grootvadersbosch Conservancy are home to many species, including a variety of bird species, including several forest endemics birds such as: Forest Buzzard, Knysna Woodpecker, Knysna Warbler and Forest Canary. Other forest species, some of which are at the western limit of their distribution, include Olive Bush-Shrike, Narina Trogon and African Crowned Eagle. The forest is also home to an endemic butterfly, (charaxes xiphares xiphares subsp, occidentalis). The Cape ghost frog is also endemic to the forests.

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