4x4's in the Cederberg?
Mountain Club of South Africa (MCSA) statement relating
to Richard Davies' article "Cederberg 4x4
plan flouts rules for wildernesses" published in the Cape Times 28 June 2002
The MCSA endorses the comments made by Bill Bainbridge about the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board's (WCNCB's) proposals to develop 4x4 trails in the Cederberg Wilderness Area as reported in Richard Davies' article titled "Cederberg 4x4 plan flouts rules for wildernesses" published in the Cape Times on 28 June. Control over the Cederberg wilderness area and particularly the responsibility for conserving it, devolved upon the Department of Forestry (later Cape Nature Conservation) (CNC) following heated controversy over the bid by SA National Parks (SANP) to take over the area in 1984. The MCSA played a key role in this debate, motivating why it believed it was important that the Cederberg should be conserved as a mountain wilderness area in terms of its unique characteristics, without allowing the development of tourism as proposed by SANP to take place. An undertaking was given by the Department of Forestry at the time that it took over control of the Cederberg Wilderness Area, to faithfully implement a conservation ethic in managing the area.
The MCSA would like to elaborate on some of the important points made in the article :
a) The Cederberg wilderness area is proclaimed in terms of national legislation and WCNCB, as its custodian, is delegated the responsibility to manage it in terms of this legislation. The MCSA firmly believes that the directive given by central government to provincial nature conservation authorities to become financially self sustaining from income generated from the reserves falling under their control, should not apply to wilderness areas. The intrinsic value to the nation of wilderness areas is in the conservation of their biodiversity, sustaining their yield of high quality water and in the International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation's (UIAA's) and MCSA's view, also the fact that wilderness areas are places where people should be free to enjoy the unspoilt natural environment and obtain spiritual upliftment from it. As such it is neither reasonable nor realistic for central government to expect that wilderness areas can be financially self sustaining.
b) Though WCNCB questions the true wilderness status of the Cederberg in terms of the way that wilderness is technically defined (ie the area has existing man made alterations such as the jeep tracks mentioned, as well as paths and huts), the fact is that the area is still largely in an unspoiled natural state. In the MCSA's view, every effort should be made to preserve it in that state, even to the extent of removing significant man made alterations, such as huts, rather than developing it and altering it more. The Cederberg wilderness area is one of very few proclaimed mountain wilderness areas in our country and, as such, should be assigned the highest possible conservation status. For these reasons, the MCSA would not support a WCNCB proposal to develop 4x4 trails in the Cederberg wilderness area.
In February this year, the MCSA accepted an invitation from WCNCB to set up a communication channel between the two bodies to facilitate communication coming from WCNCB about its proposed public/private partnership initiatives and to permit the MCSA the opportunity to pass comment on them. Although, to date there has been no communication from WCNCB in this regard, the MCSA wishes to restate its preparedness to give its views on any proposals that WCNCB wishes to make that may affect mountain and mountain wilderness areas like the Cederberg wilderness area. The MCSA understands and is sympathetic towards WCNCB regarding the problems it faces in these areas. But it believes that the issue of central government's policy in respect of the financial sustainability of wilderness areas first needs to be taken up and that any WCNCB proposals that could possibly compromise the wilderness status of such areas need to be very carefully considered before being put into effect. The MCSA also believes that WCNCB should recognise that the public has a right to make input in any decisions that affect the public interest, like these, through being allowed to participate in environmental impact assessments.
André Schoon
MCSA National President
Dear Sir
On the 6th May you published a letter from Shirley
Penny, headed "Public must comment on Cedarberg plan". The letter in question
has resulted in the spreading of some misapprehensions about the policy of the
Mountain Club of South Africa in regard to the desirable management and future
of the Cederberg . Accordingly Ms Penny's letter now demands response. The following
are facts which are relevant:-
1.The MCSA claims no unique exclusive relationship with the Western Cape Nature
Conservation Board. However, as the oldest established conservation orientated
organisation in South Africa, and as the leading organisation in the country
with mountaineering and climbing as its primary objective, it would be strange
if the WCNCB did not take into account the views and vast amount of expertise
available among its over 4000 members. We would assume that the WCNCB will make
every effort to get the widest possible public support for its proposals.
2. As pointed out by Shirley Penny the Algeria campsite falls outside the proclaimed
Wilderness area. However, any development at Algeria has the potential to impact
on the adjacent Wilderness area. There are indeed certain facilities in the
campsite which should be improved. The MCSA would however insist that the campsite
always also cater for the less affluent camper, and that improvements should
not make this impossible. The river which flows through Algeria campsite is
a critically important tributary of the important Oliphants River riparian farming
region, and this factor alone will always place constraints on the potential
to develop facilities at Algeria. The MCSA is not at present persuaded that
Algeria is an appropriate site for a luxury upmarket lodge.
3.Matjiesrivier farm was acquired by the then Cape Nature Conservation, with
the encouragement of the MCSA, the intention being that it should be incorporated
into the Wilderness area. This implies a very special conservation status, which
precludes the construction of any buildings. The MCSA has not changed its standpoint
in this regard.
4.The Cederberg Wilderness area enjoys protection by Act of Parliament, and
the construction of 4X4 trails in the Wilderness area is legally impossible,
as is the use of any existing tracks other than for management purposes. The
MCSA will not countenance any amendment of these regulations.
Some of your readers may recall that in 1984 the MCSA led opposition to an attempt by South African National Parks to take over the Cederberg, and to develop the area into a sophisticated park with elaborate rest camps and trails. The MCSA was virtually unanimously supported by all land owners in the area, as well as all other responsible conservation organisations and outdoor recreation clubs. The MCSA has not at all changed its policy regarding the protection of the Cederberg, one of our few protected Wilderness areas, and the MCSA will not hesitate to, in need, again lead such public response. However, we would quite naturally prefer to resolve any differences of opinion with WCNCB by debate and negotiation, and it is in that spirit that that we have had discussions,-
Yours faithfully
John P Brimble
Chairman
P.S. The official spelling of the name is "CEDERBERG".
1 July 2002