Western Cape (Cedarberg)

The Cedarberg (Also spelt Cederberg), is a vast region stretching from the Pakhuis Pass. (210 km north of Cape town) to Grootrivier (170 km north of Cape town) It is famous for its remarkable sandstone and shale rock formations deposited some 500 million years ago as well as its namesake, the increasingly rare Clanwilliam Cedar Tree. The San and Khoi peoples inhabited the rugged and mountainous area from early times, leaving behind a rich legacy of rock art. European settlers began stock farming in the Cedarberg in the eighteenth century, and in 1876 a forester was appointed to oversee Crown Land in the mountains. This was possibly the first attempt at conservation in the Cedarberg. The natural resources of the region were ruthlessly exploited for more than 70 years till the cedar tree was on the brink of extinction. The Cederberg was proclaimed a wilderness area in 1973, Today the Cederberg Conservancy exists as a voluntary agreement between landowners who manage the environment in a sustainable way. They are the proud custodians of the Clanwilliam Cedar (Widderingtonia cederbergensis) and offer refuge to the rare Cape Leopard.

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South Africa