South African winemakers turn to conservation to survive a hotter climate

Why Western Cape growers are changing course

Winemakers in South Africa's Western Cape are adopting conservation practices to cope with a changing climate, according to research published via Ars Technica and originally reported by The Conversation. The region produces about 90 percent of South Africa's wine, but growers face drought, heat and unpredictable rainfall.

A team of geographers and sustainability scientists interviewed growers, conservation practitioners and industry experts, and analysed how 107 vineyards, roughly 20 percent of the region's total, manage their land. They found that many operators now see long-term care of soil and wildlife habitat as essential to business success rather than as a competing priority.

A biodiversity hotspot under pressure

The Western Cape contains the Cape Floral Region, a global biodiversity hotspot that includes fynbos, a biome with thousands of plant species found nowhere else. More than 500 vineyards are spread across this landscape.

The climate pressures are significant. Over the past five decades, local temperatures have climbed considerably faster than the global average, and storms have grown more intense. The late 2010s brought three years of severe drought that stressed vines and cut grape production.

Certification and conservation programmes

Most of South Africa's vineyards take part in the Integrated Production of Wine certification system, created by the wine industry and researchers in 1998. It sets standards for pesticide use, water management, wastewater treatment and environmental stewardship, with independent auditing of participating farms.

Programmes such as the World Wildlife Fund Conservation Champions have also encouraged growers to protect biodiversity. Many use certification to market their wines, but the researchers found growers also value conservation for the ecological services it supports.

The practices growers are using

To protect water supplies, growers described restoring native vegetation along waterways, removing invasive alien species and reducing erosion to safeguard wetlands and rivers. Research indicates healthy natural systems help soil retain water and make landscapes more resilient.

For soil health, some plant cover crops between vine rows, including legumes, cereals such as oats and rye, and brassicas like radish and mustard. Growers also reported using compost and mulching to improve soil structure and organic matter.

Several producers are cutting pesticide reliance by monitoring pest populations and responding in targeted ways, and by encouraging insects that prey on pests. Chemical treatments remain common, but growers reported growing interest in preventive methods such as pruning.

What it means for the industry

The researchers say these stewardship practices are investments in long-term resilience. Growers face rising costs for exports, labour and chemicals, and see healthy soils, water conservation and lower drought vulnerability as vital to staying productive.

Vineyard area in South Africa has decreased as drought and profitability concerns grow, and some growers are diversifying their business models or switching crops. The researchers argue the lesson travels: farms can be managed more sustainably when treated as part of larger ecological systems.