Africa Geographic September 2009 [antikvár]

II ' .1 " jh-:: ' ' ¦ ¦ i I '¦.!'¦ .1,,^ I'-l i .1 ! tl ! ; ' .'in founder's note ^ ^ Cape Town's landmark mountain is a treasure, there is no doubt about that. But is it one of the 'New Seven Wonders of Nature' and what does that mean? ^^ Every morning I open the blinds in my bedroom and look directly on to the eastern slopes of Table Mountain and its cohort Devil's Peak. /On clear winter days the early slanting sun plays ever-changing light and shadow games on the sheer sandstone cliffs and It Is a truly beautiful, majestic sight Cape Town's landmark mountain Is a treasure, there is no doubt about that. But is It one of the 'New Seven Wonders of Nature' and what does that mean? You see. Table Mountain has made it Into the final round of the contest of that name and has 'beaten' such wonders as the Atacama Desert In Chile, Malta's Azure Window and the Rock of Aphrodite in Cyprus to make the finals. Now our mountain has to slug It out with a shortlist of 28 sites that Include the Grand Canyon, the Great Barrier Reef, the Angel Falls and Vesuvius. And so begins the build-up to 2011, when the final votes are counted. Some one billion people are expected to have exercised their democratic right by then. Will Table Mountain make it? More to the point, should we care? To me it all has the ring of a reality talent contest and the world certainly doesn't need any more of those. No doubt my lack of enthusiasm for this rather pointless exercise will annoy those who are campalgningfor victory and are longing to add the accolade to their tourist brochures. But how can you meaningfully compare Table Mountain with the Amazon, Victoria Falls, Galapagos or Mount Kilimanjaro? You can't; none Is greater or less great than the other, and so it is a waste of time to even try Also, to label a geological formation that has been around for countless millions of years as a 'new' wonder borders on the ridiculous. Far more meaningful is that Table Mountain falls within the Cape Floristlc Region, which covers a mere 0.04 per cent of the world's land surface, yet Is home to no less than three per cent of Its plant species. That it is recognised as one of the planet's biodiversity hotspots and has been proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site Is of true significance. We Capetonians are so privileged to live in a city that Is given such beauty by the great grey massif that Is its core. What we need to do is appreciate this fact and make sure that the mountain is truly protected and cared for In perpetuity as a vast, sprawling natural garden where locals and visitors alike can walk, climb and find solace. And we don't need to win a silly competition to do that. About our n :r that involves; Africa Ceograptilc Is edltoriilly and financially Independent. It enpys the support and endorsement of seven orqanlsatlons, but It Is not affiliated In any way to these bodies or to any other publishing, environmental group Africa Ccagrapliic stnves to foster an awareness of wildlife, conservation, ecotravel, indigenoi environment. It consistently advocates the wisest use of natural resources ii people of Africa. Africa Gsograpfiic Is published 11 times a year 6 AFIttCA GEOGRAPHIC • SEPTEMBER 2009 ¦government , Itical Interest iltures and the general Is of real benefit to the