Arid areas links
Agriculture / Economic / Environmental / Heritage / Science / Social / Tourism
Agriculture
The Konsortium-team invites you to the wide open plains of the South African Karoo where Merino's, with which many a farmer achieves success, are bred with pride and dedication. Come and share their vision. Experience their passion. Walk the road along which their dreams are realised: www.konsortium-merino.com
Sustainable agriculture for the dry areas: www.icarda.org
SoetKaroo may be one of the smallest registered winefarms in South Africa, but it is definitely the largest in the main road of Prince Albert! This is a young enterprise - the vineyard was only planted in the year 2000, the maiden vintage bottled in 2004: www.soetkaroo.co.za
Economic
The Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network: www.fanrpan.org
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Environmental
Karoo fracking (hydraulic fracturing for shale gas mining) www.fractual.co.za
For more detailed ecological research, see www.azef.co.za
Provides an overview plus in-depth information about the area's unique biodiversity, human impacts and conservation action: www.biodiversityhotspots.org
The endangerd specie Riverine Rabbit programme: www.ewt.org.za
The Nama Karoo Foundation is the organization working to protect the environment and conserve and promote the natural and cultural heritage of the Nama Karoo: www.namakaroo.org
Suppliers of indigenous seeds, plants and advisory services for veld improvement, ecological restoration and horticulture in the Central and Little Karoo: www.renu-karoo.co.za
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment assessed the consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being. From 2001 to 2005, the MA involved the work of more than 1,360 experts worldwide. Their findings provide a state-of-the-art scientific appraisal of the condition and trends in the world's ecosystems and the services they provide, as well as the scientific basis for action to conserve and use them sustainably: www.millenniumassessment.org
Centre for Research on Desertification (CIDE): A Spanish research centre, based in Valencia, focusing on desertification: www.uv.es
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Heritage
Unforgettable images of the Karoo: www.karooimages.co.za
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Science
South Africa and Australia are finalists in the bid to host the Square Kilometer Array Telescope. If South Africa is selected, the "MeerKAT" (Karoo Array Telescope) will be based between Carnarvon, Williston and Vanwyksvlei in the Karoo: www.ska.ac.za
NEW IMAGES OF WHAT THE SKA TELESCOPE WILL LOOK LIKE ...
The international SKA office has released a number of new artist's impressions, with captions, on what the components of the mega telescope, the Square Kilometre Array, may look like.
The latest text description about the telescope is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_Kilometre_Array
You can download South Africa's latest brochure on our SKA project at http://www.ska.ac.za/pubdocs/downloads.php
See also the recent SKA update on the South African web portal at http://www.southafrica.info/about/science/ska.htm
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Social
Hantam Community Education Trust: www.hantam-trust.org.za
The Transition Towns Initiative encourages towns to come to terms with the climate change issue, and to assess what can
be done at local level: www.transitionnetwork.org
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Tourism
Karoo tourism visit: www.discoverthekaroo.co.za
South Africa's Karoo Heartland Discovered:www.karooheartland.com
Accommodation in the great Karoo: www.thegreatkaroo.com
Gariep Tourism Route: www.gariep-route.co.za
Become a traveller on a journey through time and experience a few days of sacred idleness in the ancient land called Karoo: www.spiritualsafaris.co.za
That's our Karoo, its past and its present. The heartland of South Africa. A great place to be – now and in the future… : www.karoospace.co.za
Tours in the Karoo: www.landscapetours.co.za
See the town of Beufort West: www.beaufortwestsa.co.za
The Great Karoo is one of the world's most unique arid zones. In South Africa it stands alone, globally it is an envied rarity. The Karoo is the home of peace and tranquillity, here one can rest, relax, refresh yourself and recharge the inner batteries of your soul, while exploring, enjoying yourself and indulging your need for some unusual entertainment: www.centralkaroo.co.za
The story weaver - Prince Albert walks & stories: www.storyweaver.co.za
Prince Albert Online provides information about accommodation, businesses, restaurants and things to do in Prince Albert: www.princealbert.org.za & www.patourism.co.za
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