March 19, 2007 – For the fourth year running, CapeNature and the Absa Cape Epic team have successfully partnered in plotting and securing the route for the 2007 Absa Cape Epic, starting on March 24 in Knysna and ending at Lourensford Wine Estate on March 31. This eight-day, full service mountain bike stage race comfortably embodies the mission statement expressed by CapeNature — to establish a ‘Conservation Economy’ in the Western Cape by using the conservation of biodiversity within the reserves they manage to invigorate local Western Cape economies. With the race passing through five CapeNature reserves, amongst them the Kammanassi, Hottentots Holland and Kogelberg reserves, riders and viewers from across the world will have access to some of Africa’s most breathtaking and rarely-seen territory.

CapeNature reserve managers were mandated to work in conjunction with the Absa Cape Epic team, including Route Designer Leon Evans and Environmental Control Officer Dean Ferreira of The Nature Conservation Corporation, the Absa Cape Epic’s independent environmental consultancy, in creating an environmental management plan that accommodates the unique needs of the terrain being covered.

The Absa Cape Epic, presented by adidas, will be passing through the Cape Floral Kingdom, the smallest of only six floral kingdoms in the world. This region is characterised by its high level of biodiversity, the fact that nearly eighty percent of the species are endemic to the region and that nearly 1 700 of these species are either protected or endangered. As an organisation that is renowned for its high standards and progressive approach to conservation, CapeNature will be allowing the Absa Cape Epic to pass through this region on condition that the strictest and highest standards of conservation are embraced.

Further elements that were considered when developing the environmental management plan included fire safety, preventing pollution, littering, trampling and erosion, the habituation of wild animals and even the possible but unlikely introduction of alien species to the region. Ferreira will be on site throughout the race implementing the plan and handling impacts if and when they occur. “During this time of year, fire is one of the primary concerns, so we have a well-developed action plan for preventing fires and managing them if they do occur. On the whole though, based on the organisers’ excellent track record as well as their overall philosophy to work closely with environmental authorities to make the race sustainable, I am confident that there will be, if any, very limited detrimental impacts on the region,” explains Ferreira.

The Absa Cape Epic’s abiding respect for the terrain through which it passes is epitomised by the rules and regulations they enforce, which strictly forbid damaging the environment at risk of disqualification. This year, for instance, riders will be passing through a National Heritage Site on Sir Lowry’s pass in the Hottentots Holland region. The site is an ancient ox wagon trail descending the mountain. About 200 years of constant use have created deep wheel ruts in the rock. Riders will have to carry their bikes for this section of the trail out of respect for the site and to avoid eroding the tracks. The area is ordinarily restricted to the public, but this year the route will pass over the trail, offering riders an experience unsurpassed in its rarity — a settler’s view of Table Mountain, the Cape Flats and False Bay.

“When planning the route, we try to make it as unforgettable an experience as possible. This year, we have created, in my opinion, experientially the best route so far. By working with CapeNature, we have also achieved our strategic goal of making the race beneficial to the communities and areas through which it passes and thus ensuring the event’s sustainability. The Absa Cape Epic’s and CapeNature’s philosophies intersect perfectly — to stimulate local economies by capitalising on the unparalleled experiences that our region offers to tourists and the public. CapeNature re-invests all the profits generated through eco-tourism in their reserves back into the conservation of these areas. I am confident that the race will promote eco-tourism in these areas, not only amongst the riders, but also amongst the millions of viewers that will be following the race on television in fifty-two countries across the world,” says Kevin Vermaak, director of the Absa Cape Epic.

For more information on the route and the race, visit www.cape-epic.com