WESSA Wild Walk gets support from extreme adventurer

Extreme adventurer and conservationist, Braam Malherbe

Extreme adventurer and conservationist, Braam Malherbe, will join fellow conservationists, avid hikers and outdoor enthusiasts on the WESSA Wild Walk - a spectacular 14-day journey along the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape that aims to examine environmental issues and appreciate the spectacular biodiversity and ecology of the region.

Malherbe's affiliation with the organisation goes back to the 1970s when he ran 532km from Plettenberg Bay to Cape Town in 11 days to raise funds for WESSA's conservation work aimed at protecting the Langebaan Lagoon. For this remarkable effort he was awarded life membership of the organisation and he has served as a patron of WESSA since 2011.

Special message

The special message that Braam Malherbe hopes to communicate through his participation in the Wild Walk is one of the interconnectedness of life and of the need for us all to re-connect with the wilderness, both without and within.

"As humans, we need to maintain our connection with nature and appreciate our role in preserving our natural heritage for future generations - the WESSA Wild Walk plays a vital role in highlighting the need to conserve the environmentally fragile Wild Coast in collaboration with local communities," says Malherbe.

The Wild Coast is justifiably renowned for its natural beauty, serenity and rich culture. It is, however, also subjected to ever increasing socio-ecological threats. WESSA has a long history as a hands-on conservation agency in the region, supporting communities in conserving their rich natural heritage by implementing a wide range of projects - these reduce pressures on natural resources by investing in education, providing employment, helping to set up micro-enterprises, and improving people's livelihoods through water and food security initiatives. WESSA also plays an active role in bringing stakeholders together to tackle difficult conservation issues.

Depth of knowledge

What sets the WESSA Wild Walk apart from other walks on the Wild Coast is the depth of knowledge that WESSA has to offer to participants on the conservation needs of the area. The 2014 walk will have a strong focus on endemism, or species that are unique to the area. Pondoland is internationally recognised as a hotspot of plant endemism as it is home to an important contribution to our planet's botanical biodiversity.

The trail is comprised of three multi-day stages, each of which will be professionally guided and fully supported by a backup team. Hikers have flexibility in choosing their preferred hiking duration (seven, five or two days), their accommodation options and which section of the diverse coastal geography they would like to experience.