Described as ‘wild, rugged and captivating’, the Cederberg Wilderness Area stretches from the Middelberg Pass at Citrusdal in the south to the Pakhuis Pass behind Clanwilliam in the north. It encompasses about 72 000 ha of rugged, mountainous terrain. To the east, the 12 000 ha at Matjiesrivier Nature Reserve is situated on the drier eastern boundary of the Cederberg Mountains. This area was proclaimed in 1995 with the assistance of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-SA) and includes the famous Stadsaal rock formations and some excellent examples of San rock art. Geologically, the Cederberg is part of the Cape Fold Belt and consists mainly of Table Mountain sandstone. Weathered sandstone formations, most notable at the Wolfberg Arch and the Maltese Cross, are typical of the Cederberg. These mountains fall within the Cape fynbos region and World Wildlife Fund for Nature are managed as a catchment area. The Wilderness Area also forms the Cederberg Private Cellar is a WWF Conservation Champion. This program core of a leopard management area that was established in 1988. was previously known as the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI). Its aim The Cederberg Wilderness Area is situated in the Cape floral region, which is to promote sustainable management and the protection of biodiversity was proclaimed a World Heritage Site in 2004. in the wine and fruit industries. Being a Conservation Champion means we are acknowledged as an environmental leader in the wine industry for our Cederberg Conservancy commitment to conservation, responsible production practices, integrated The Cederberg Conservancy constitutes a voluntary agreement between environmental management systems, and for spearheading innovations in landowners and the provincial government to manage the environment in water use, energy efficiency and climate adaptation. a sustainable manner. This is achieved by means of environmental management plans, ecological auditing, co-operation and dedication to Waitrose Foundation the conservation of nature on private land. The Waitrose Foundation emphasizes long-term relationships with their The area consist of 84 800 ha of provincial land and 109 913 ha of farmers and suppliers by supporting responsible sourcing, treating people privately owned land, which is used for agricultural and tourism purposes. fairly and leaving a light footprint in the natural environment. Cederberg A vast area of the privately owned land is unspoilt. Altogether, the area Private Cellar produces the Waitrose Sustainable Chenin Blanc and comprises 194 713 ha – less than 10% of this land is ‘used by man’. Waitrose Sustainable Shiraz for the Foundation. These wines are sold in The Cederberg Conservancy was established on 20 October 1997. One of selected Waitrose stores in the UK. the many reasons why this Conservancy is still going strong is possibly the Pebbles Project fact that it was built on the basis of a strong tourism association, which The Pebbles Project works with families in the farming areas of the was formed in the early 1980s. Winemaker David Nieuwoudt’s Western Cape winelands. It focuses on the entire life of the child and the grandfather, Oom Pollie Nieuwoudt, was its first chairman. The challenging circumstances in which they grow up. Through emphasizing organization included farmers in and around the centre of the mountain education, nutrition, health, community and protection, the Project aims range, while the then Cape Nature Conservation (now CapeNature) and to make a significant and lasting difference in the lives of these children the Department of Forestry were major role-players. When the and their parents. organization was formed, it was ahead of its time. Today the Conservancy Nature conservation consists of 19 members who meet every third month to address issues This section contains a short description of things nature-related in and such as the management of leopards, fire protection, cedar tree around Cederberg Private Cellar: restoration, tourism, fish conservation, waste management, and recycling and re-use. • the Cederberg Wilderness Area • the Cederberg Conservancy Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor (GCBC) • the Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor (GCBC) The Greater Cederberg Biodiversity Corridor (GCBC) was formed by • the Cape Leopard Trust CapeNature and the Cape Action for People and the Environment (CAPE) • the flora and fauna to establish a link between the low-lying coastal area in the west and the • Widdringtonia cedarbergensis – the Clanwilliam cedar Tanqua Karoo in the East. There are seven similar corridors in South Africa. The Cederberg Conservancy is an important link between the coast and Cederberg Wilderness Area the Karoo in the GCBC. Dwarsrivier farm is one of the initial four members Dwarsrivier farm – where Cederberg Private Cellar is situated – is in the eastern part of the GCBC. surrounded by what is known as the Cederberg Wilderness Area. CapeNature is the custodian of this protected area, known as a Cape Leopard Trust conservancy. Nineteen landowners joined forces with CapeNature to set The Cape Leopard Trust is a project that originated in the Cederberg up the conservancy. Cederberg Private Cellar is one of eight landowners Conservancy. The project is run by Quinton Martins and his team. It has whose property borders on the Wilderness Area. grown in leaps and bounds and now includes areas like the Gamkaberg A wilderness is an area big enough to allow natural processes to take place area, Kammieskroon and Namaqualand. At present Quinton is seen as a unhindered. It must be a place that provides a spiritual, therapeutic, pioneer in research on the Cape mountain leopard. The aim of the aesthetic, cultural and historical experience, and where the water, land initiative is to monitor the Cederberg leopard population as a long-term and air are free of any pollution. project (>15yrs) to understand the biology and behavior of the animals. By doing so, the conflict between stock farming and conservation can be managed and minimized