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 cedar tree restoration programme - Symbol of SurvivalCape Nature Conservation is trying to conserve this threatened tree in the Cederberg Wilderness Area - how can we, the public, help them? The Cederberg Mountains are known and loved for many reasons - for their spectacular vistas and rock formations, as well as for their interesting inhabitants: the people, plants and animals. These fynbos-clad mountains are about 250 km north of Cape Town, and their conservation status was entrenched in 1973 when 72000 ha were proclaimed a wilderness area. The Clanwilliam Cedar The Cederberg mountains were named after the Clanwilliam cedars (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis) that were once abundant on the upper slopes, and are now on the brink of extinction. This magnificent tree has a fragrant, durable wood - a feature shared with the true cedars, such as Cedus libani, the Lebanon cedar which grows in the Mediterranean basin. Other South African "cedars" are the mountain cypress (Widdringtonia nodiflora), a widespread species which extends from the Cape to Malawi, and the Willowmore cedar (Widdringtonia schwarzii), which occurs in the Eastern Cape. Of all these trees, the Clanwilliam Cedar faces the greatest threat of extinction.  HistoryThe number of cedar trees has declined dramatically in recent times. A travellers report in 1805 documents a forest "25 miles long and two miles wide" and wrote of trees "36 feet in girth". Today you are more likely to see stark skeletons than live cedar trees. In 1989 a fire destroyed hundreds of trees and there are now few seedlings and saplings to ensure the survival of the cedar. It seems certain that the species will become extinct unless the recently implemented conservation programme is successful. Reasons for the decline of the Cedar What has caused the decline of the Cedar? It is argued that the decline of the cedar is a natural process linked to a changing climate. Compared to the past glacial era 12000 years ago when the cedar thrived, the current warm, dry period has led to an increase in fire frequency and this has had a detrimental impact on the cedar. Despite the fact that cedar seed germinates readily after fire, few saplings reach seed-bearing maturity before another fire kills them. There is little opportunity for ongoing regeneration of the species. This poses a puzzle - the cedar grows in fynbos, a vegetation that needs fire to rejuvenate it. The cedar needs long periods without fire - whereas fynbos plants are adapted to much shorter fire-free periods. The arrival of man in the Cederberg area, first the San, the Khoi and then the European settlers, aggravated the plight of the cedar. Their frequent use of fire to flush out game or to stimulate grazing has killed many trees and seedlings. In addition to this, about two hundred years ago the white settlers began ruthlessly cutting down cedars for buildings, furniture and telephone poles. The telephone poles between Piketberg and Calvinia alone accounted for 7250 trees. Although harvesting of live trees has been banned for the past 100 years, there are few young trees left to replace them - the damage is therefore largely irreversible. The Cedar Restoration Programme Cape Nature Conservation has taken the initiative to restore the cedar in the Cederberg Wilderness Area to a more secure status. In order to do this they have set aside a cedar reserve in which they have embarked on a long-term programme which has two aims: 1. To prevent excessive loss of adult trees from fires. This is usually done by burning small areas with low-intensity fires during late autumn. This usually does not kill the trees.  2. To bolster juvenile numbers with large-scale plantings of nursery-grown seedlings. Each year several thousand seedlings are planted in the cedar's typical rocky habitat. Ongoing monitoring of the success of seedling survival and growth will ensure that suitable microhabitats are chosen for these plantings.How can we help? Both practical and financial support is needed for this restoration programme. Areas of practical assistance include planting out seedlings in the nature reserve and assessing the status of cedars outside the reserve. Financial support is needed to sponsor research, education, nursery and monitoring needs.
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