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| Wild Flower |
The worst rainfall
in the Cederberg Mountains in more than half a century has forced
organisers of the popular Clanwilliam Wild Flower Show to cancel the
annual event.
The show was
scheduled to take place between August 25 and September 2 in the
historic Olifants River Valley town, but the worst rainfall in 64 years
in the area has brought all that to an end.
"We could not go
ahead with the flower show. This year the flowers are struggling and we
only pick when abundant, in keeping with conservation," Clanwilliam Wild
Flower Show chairperson Alida Stone said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Conservation is still our main priority."
Stone, however,
emphasised that all other festival related activities such as music
shows, art competitions, hiking trails and festival stalls would still
continue despite the cancellation of the flower show.
Up to 400 different
species of freshly cut flowers and plants are annually displayed at the
festival in colourful displays in the town's historic church.
Rainfall in the
Cederberg Mountains for the first seven months of 2017 has been the
worst since 1953, Cape Nature Cederberg conservation manager Rika du
Plessis said.
"The average
rainfall measured at Algeria Forestry Station is 724mm per year. Last
year it was 545m and if we continue with the rain pattern that we are
currently experiencing, we won't even reach 300mm by the end of this
year."
The Algeria Forestry Station is situated in the middle of the Cederberg Wilderness Area.
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