Cederberg, South Africa (CNN) The rugged and beautiful Cederberg Mountains in South Africa's Western Cape are named after one of the rarest trees on the planet. The Clanwilliam cedar lives nowhere else in the world.
This iconic species originated up to 225 million years ago and survived the last ice age. But today it is critically endangered and its future hangs in the balance.
For the past 17 years, conservation manager Rika du Plessis has been committed to saving the Clanwilliam cedar. Historically, these trees were harvested for their wood but now they are facing another threat.
"Due to climate change ... the whole world is experiencing higher temperatures, lower rainfall," says du Plessis, who works for governmental conservation organization CapeNature.
